Award History
| Award | Year | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Caldecott Medal | 2020 | Winner |
About This Book
Originally written as a poem celebrating Black American history, culture, and resilience, this picture book pairs Kwame Alexander's stirring verse with Kadir Nelson's majestic oil paintings. Winner of the 2020 Caldecott Medal and a Newbery Honor.
About the Authors
Kadir Nelson is an American illustrator and author who has won the Coretta Scott King Award multiple times, both for illustration (e.g., The Undefeated, 2020) and for author-illustrator work (Heart and Soul, 2012). He is known for his photorealistic oil paintings that have graced the covers of The New Yorker, the New York Times, and hundreds of children's books. Nelson has illustrated for a remarkable range of clients, including creating illustrations for Michael Jackson's HIStory album and the official portrait of Barack Obama for the 2009 inauguration. Read more →
Kwame Alexander is an American poet and children's author born in New York City in 1968. He won the 2015 Newbery Medal for *The Crossover*, a verse novel about twin basketball-playing brothers. He is the founder of several literary organisations and also appeared in the *Reading Rainbow* revival. Read more →
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