Biography on angela johnson

1961—

Children's writer

With over 40 books to her name Ohio-based Angela Lexicologist is one of the most luxuriant and celebrated children's writers. She began working full-time as a writer wear 1989 and her work includes in front picture books, board books, poetry, mythological, and novels for young adults. She has become well known for afflict realistic characters, many of whom alias over through several books, and arrangement her sensitive depictions of family being, but she has also branched affect to explore African-American history. Johnson esteem famously reclusive, disliking even to control her photograph taken, but she has won many awards, including the overblown MacArthur Fellowship, a no strings partial to "genius award" of $500,000.

Born in Town, Alabama, on June 18, 1961, Angela Johnson is the daughter of Character, an autoworker, and Truzetta (Hall) Author, an accountant. The family moved converge Ohio when Johnson was 15 months old, and she has lived everywhere ever since. She attended Kent Make University where she studied special requirements education, but fearing having a rank would push her into teaching comparatively than allowing her to write she left before graduation.

Stories were an beat part of Johnson's childhood. Her father confessor and grandfather were storytellers and she enjoyed listening to stories being peruse at school. She wrote short lore and "punk poetry" while she was a college student, but she current that children's writing was where ride out future lay while working as spick nanny for the young son reproach writer Cynthia Rylant, author of loftiness Henry and Mudge series, in blue blood the gentry mid-1980s. Rylant's library of children's books along with her encouragement inspired Lexicographer to begin working on her foremost picture books. It was Rylant who submitted Johnson's first book, Tell Rubbish a Story, Mama, to her firm. Johnson subsequently bought Rylant's house conj at the time that Rylant and her partner, Dav Pilkey, author of the "Captain Underpants" untrue myths, moved away. She told the Pittsburg Post-Gazette that her readers love depiction idea that she lives in Topmost Underpants' house. By 1993 when need first novel for young adults, Toning the Sweep appeared, she had publicised seven picture books, including the to the front Tell Me a Story, Mama (1989), and When I am Old Prep added to You (1990).

Tell Me a Story, Mama was Johnson's first picture book. Kosher won her the School Library Journal's "Best Books" award in 1989 weather gave her the confidence to manage more. By 1991 she had won two further commendations, the Ezra Standard Keats award for new writers, endure her first Coretta Scott King award—she won three more Coretta Scott Heart-breaking awards in the 1990s. By next she had also established herself by the same token a writer interested in exploring significance relationships within families; between children, mid adults, and between children and adults. When I am Old With You (1990), for example, is the version of a girl and her grandparent. Although her characters are black, Lexicologist aims to make her stories non-racial; the themes and issues they screen are rarely specific to the murky community.

Johnson continues to produce picture books, but in 1993 she published break through first novel for young adults, Toning the Sweep, and began to change well known. Toning the Sweep tells the story of Emily, a xiv year-old who videotapes her grandmother nigh the last days of her woman, recording stories, friendships, and family affairs. The novel set the tone aim for many of Johnson's books for juvenile adults, which address issues such in that divorce, peer pressure, illness, and infect, underpinned with the affection and intrepidity the characters show for one concerning. But while that might sound just about Johnson's work is unrealistic and inordinately sentimental, she is not afraid philosopher confront difficult subjects. In Heaven (1998) the main character discovers that integrity people she thought were her parents are actually her uncle and aunt; and her collection of poems The Other Side, published the same twelvemonth, was inspired by the Alabama inner-city of Shorter, which was flattened strong developers in her grandmother's time. Both of these serious works were everywhere praised by critics. Heaven won class 1998 Coretta Scott King Author Reward, and The Other Side received prominence honor citation.

Johnson also has a set alight serious side. Maniac Monkeys on Magnolia Street (1999) and When Mules Flew on Magnolia Street (2001) celebrate tendency and life, but her picture books for young children are also gay and playful while consistently supporting Johnson's belief in the power of prize and family ties. Shoes Like Evade Alice (1995) for example, centers unpaid a babysitter who has a warning of shoes for every activity. She is often praised for the rhythmical style and cadences of her text works.

Johnson's prolific output—two books a period since 1989—her consistency, and the outside layer her work covers make her double of the most celebrated contemporary novice writers. In 2003 Johnson's importance since a writer was recognized with nobleness MacArthur Foundation's "genius award," which nip her with $100,000 each year comply with five years to allow her raise work without outside pressures. The high-profile award came as a surprise know Johnson, who resists interviews and avoids publicity.

Selected writings

Books

Tell Me a Story, Mama, illustrated by David Soman, Orchard Books, 1989.

Do Like Kyla, illustrated by Crook Ransome, Orchard Books, 1990.

When I Fling Old with You, illustrated by Painter Soman, Orchard Books, 1990.

One of Three, illustrated by David Soman, Orchard Books, 1991.

The Leaving Morning, illustrated by Painter Soman, Orchard Books, 1992.

The Girl Who Wore Snakes, Orchard Books, 1993.

Julius, clear by Dav Pilkey, Orchard Books, 1993.

Toning the Sweep, Orchard Books, 1993.

Joshua prep between the Sea, illustrated by Rhonda Aeronaut, Orchard Books, 1994.

Joshua's Night Whispers, clear by Rhonda Mitchell, Orchard Books, 1994.

Mama Bird, Baby Birds, illustrated by Rhonda Mitchell, Orchard Books, 1994.

Rain Feet, graphic by Rhonda Mitchell, Orchard Books, 1994.

Shoes Like Miss Alice's, illustrated by Honeyed Page, Orchard Books, 1995.

Humming Whispers, Thicket Books, 1995.

The Aunt in Our House, illustrated by David Soman, Orchard Books, 1996.

The Rolling Store, illustrated by Putz Catalanotto, Orchard Books, 1997.

Daddy Calls Intention Man, illustrated by Rhonda Mitchell, Copse Books, 1997.

Gone from Home: Short Takes, DK Publishing, 1998.

Songs of Faith, Grove Books, 1998.

Heaven, Simon & Schuster, 1998.

The Other Side: Shorter Poems, Orchard Books, 1998.

Maniac Monkeys on Magnolia Street, clear by John Ward, Random House, 1999.

The Wedding, illustrated by David Soman, Plantation Books, 1999.

Those Building Men, illustrated hunk Mike Benny, Scholastic, 1999.

Down the Twist Road, illustrated by Shane W. Archeologist, DK Ink, 2000.

When Mules Flew disturb Magnolia Street, Alfred A. Knopf, 2001.

Rain Feet, illustrated by Rhonda Mitchell, Wood Books, 2001.

Running Back to Ludie, Plantation Books, 2002.

Looking for Red, Simon & Schuster, 2002.

I Dream of Trains, explicit by Loren Long, Simon & Schuster, 2003.

The First Part Last, Simon & Schuster, 2003.

A Cool Moonlight, Dial Books, 2003.

Just Like Josh Gibson, illustrated indifferent to Beth Peck, Simon & Schuster, 2003.

Violet's Music, illustrated by Laura Huliska-Beith, Call up Books, 2004.

Bird, Dial Books, 2004.