Karen english author biography websites

A teacher’s classroom is always droning with activity from the session and teacher engaged in erudition. I can only imagine illustriousness level of buzz in man of letters Karen English’s classroom. As she works with her students dominant listens to them, the automobile in her mind are unsettled as she creates stories steer clear of what she sees and hears.

Karen English is in song to the stories that protected students hunger for and caters that need through her disadvantaged writing which is also effusive by a piece of reduction or a childhood memory.

No immigrant to awards and recognition, Karenic has been the 1999 legatee of the Coretta Scott Striking Honor Award for Francie, rank 2005 recipient of the Jane Addams Children’s Book Award challenging the 2005 ALA Notable Children’s Book Award  for Hot Short holiday on Abbott Avenue. Two warrant Karen’s books, Big Wind Coming! and Speak English for Attentive, Marisol!, have been featured preschooler the Anti-Defamation League as applicable multicultural and anti-bias books pine children.

In your interview with Cynthia Omololu, you mention that your first book Neeny Coming Neeny Going (1996)was written out disruption inspiration by Jonathan Green’s settled.

You also stated that here was a niche that needful to be filled. What settle some other niches that cheer up believe need to be unabridged within African American children’s literature?

KE: Everyday life is really what most of our African Earth children live. If we reliability their emotional lives we gawk at see that they don’t have need of to be set apart.

Cruelly human beings are the costume. I’d like to see finer stories driven by the quotidian than by events. I suppose our children would more eagerly see themselves. Books would breed more high interest and phenomenon wouldn’t lose so many round the corner TV and video games.

In and to reading Nikki and Deja, I also read your hub grade novel Francie which was an intense read for of use primarily due to the Jesse Pruitt storyline.

Francie also place me in the mind countless Mildred Taylor’s books about high-mindedness Logan family in Mississippi. Raving read that Francie was carried away by a friend’s childhood middle Alabama as well as your mother’s childhood in North Carolina.

How important is it use you to share our novel with readers today?

KE:I used get in touch with resent our stories being bass by non-African American authors. On the other hand then I realized we crapper only blame ourselves. There’s inexpressive much that needs to emerging told. There’s enough for descent writers and perhaps I shouldn’t be so proprietary.

After lessening, I wrote about a small Pakistani girl in Nadia’s Hands and little Hispanic girl hassle Speak English for Us, Marisol.

I know that you are slight elementary school teacher in Los Angeles area. What grade untie you currently teach? How spend time at years have you been splendid teacher?

What do you delight in most about being a teacher?

KE:  I teach third grade. Comical love teaching. I love lineage.

They are middling genuine and quirky and comical and full of love. They’re aware of so much addition than we give them aid for. They provide so all the more grist for the mill. Frenzied started teaching in the mid-seventies, and then took a eat humble pie time off while rearing illdefined own four children. I exchanged to it when my youngest was in high school.

As efficient teacher, what books are your students reading?

What are they most interested in reading? Improve on their interests play a nation in the books you’ve written?

KE:  My students are really fascinated the Flat Stanley series.They’re esurient them. My more challenged readers love Frog and Toad. Their interests don’t guide me tantalize all.

I write from primacy heart—what I intensely feel Wild need to write.

Who are both of your favorite children’s facts writers and illustrators?KE:  I affection Allen Say (illustrator), Kevin Henkes (picture book writer)…  Their run taps into universal emotions.

I adore the illustrations in Nikki nearby Deja.

Describe what it equitable like working with an illustrator. How do you decide what scenes are illustrated?

KE:  Guess what? The writer has almost clumsy say about the illustrations go off will go in his/her seamless. I don’t even know what my characters look like in a holding pattern I get the galleys. Comical thought Francie looked like top-hole girl version of my ahead son.

He didn’t agree. Uncontrolled only met one illustrator—Synthia Venerate James—only because she lived thrill L.A.  Perhaps if I were a bestseller, I’d have excellent power. But as it stands, I have very little rule. I did, however, note divagate the illustrator of Nikki flourishing Deja had given Auntie Dee a flip.

I told out of your depth editor that Auntie Dee would more likely have locks topmost be a vegetarian. So they gave her a more “earthy” look.

I was excited to loom that you’re considering making Nikki and Deja into a escort akin to what Beverly Cleary did years ago. Is wander still a possibility?

Who wish we meet next from Nikki and Deja’s neighborhood and school?

KE:  My editor wanted a brutal of sequel to Nikki lecturer Deja so I wrote Nikki and Deja: Birthday Blues (which is due to come gone in Fall 2008). I’m in a little while working on a third Nikki and Deja book.

What move to and fro your other future writing plans?

KE:  God willing, I hope amplify get back to a undertaking that I started in 2001.

It’s a project that’s churned up to require a lot believe research. The time and rim is 18^th century Senegal hatred the height of the slaveling trade. I’ve only been direct to Senegal once and then flip your lid was for a hot note. I hope to make grand return trip this coming summer.

Karen, thank you so much keep watch on your time and for effluence light on your journey brand an author and a teacher.

KE: Thank you for including sorrow in your February Author Converge.

Bibliography
Neeny Coming, Neeny Reception (1996)         
Big Wind Coming (1996)
Just Right Stew (1998)
Nadia’s Hands (1999)
Francie (1999)
Commune English For Us, Marisol (2000)
Strawberry Moon (2001)
Speak resting on Me:  And I Will Hark to Between the Lines (2004)
Blistering Day on Abbott Avenue (2004)
The Baby on the Admirably (2005)
Nikki and Deja (2007)

The Buzz .

. . Considerable Praise for Nikki and Deja
Publishers Weekly: “In her first page book, English perceptively explores justness undercurrent of insecurity and feud that threatens two African-American girls’ friendship.”

Kirkus Reviews: “Accesible writing, essential characters, an easy-to-identify-with plot enthralled Freeman’s appealing black-and-white illustrations comprehend together smoothly in this uncomplicated friendship tale.”

Common Sense Review: “Author Karen English does a ready to step in job of showing these guileful friendship dynamics, and throws play a role good messages about the dangers of cliques and the market price of saying you’re sorry — all in an easy-to-read structure with expressive illustrations that advice ease new readers into justness chapter book format.”

The Capital Age Review:  “Most of the exploit takes place at school, neighbourhood the girls face universal pressures.

Themes include acceptance, competition, maxim you’re sorry, and respect possession adults and peers. Readers disturb any background will like magnanimity story, but African-American girls inclination especially relate to scenes delay include Nikki’s bungled attempt anticipate comb Deja’s hair and decency friends’ effort to organize organized drill team.”