Growing a Reader: Kids' Books, Tips and More

Christopher Paul Curtis is not your ordinary children's author. Born and raised in Flint, Michigan, he joined the workforce on the assembly line of the Fisher Body Plant/Flint Plant No. 1 immediately after high school graduation (1972). While working the assembly line, Christopher made a deal with his co-worker, they would spell each other off, working 30 minute shifts each, allowing him the time to devote to reading (an activity that he loved) and writing (a craft that he was developing). It was here that some of Christopher's most loved characters were born, and the decision to become an author was made. He worked at the plant for 13 years.

In 1996, Christopher earned a university degree and has been writing full time since 1997. His books are witty, insightful, often humourous and always thought provoking. He manages to capture the voice of his protagonists to such a high degree that you feel you are in a personal voyage of discovery with the characters. His books have won prestigious awards (The Newbery Medal being one of them) and all have been critically acclaimed. All of his books capture the black experience in North America, whether from an historical perspective or a contemporary point of view.

His first book, The Watsons go to Birmingham – 1963, follows the Watsons, an African American family from Flint, Michigan as they visit family in Alabama. The book perfectly depicts the context of the times and the preparations the family must make to ensure that they have food and shelter on their trip once they enter into the south. Told from the perspective of 10 year old Kenny, we catch a glimpse of innocence and discovery and the dawning of an understanding that, at that time and in that context, all men are not created equal. September 1963 is the time of the bombing of the Birmingham 16th Avenue Baptist Church, an act that took the life of four young girls. Christopher handles this with clarity and precision, and a sensitivity that allows the reader to understand what is happening and question how it could ever happen in the first place. The Watsons go to Birmingham – 1963 earned Christopher Paul Curtis both a Newbery Honor and a Coretta Scott King Honor, a remarkable achievment for a debut novel.

Christopher's second book, Bud, Not Buddy, is set in the Depression. Bud, the main character, lives in a series of foster homes, none very welcoming. He escapes and goes on a journey of discovery to find "his real father", legendary jazz musician  Herman E. Calloway. Christopher based the character of the musician on his own grandfather, and the stories he told about the Great Depression, which was particularly difficult for African Americans.  Bud is a wonderfully strong character whose tenacity is to be admired. This book won'the Newbery Medal and the Coretta Scott King Award, the first book to be given both of these prestigious awards.

There are several other books by the same author. Some, like Elijah of Buxton chronicle the experience of slaves escaping to Buxton, Ontario on the underground railroad, while others, like Bucking the Sarge, have a more contemporary feel.

Check out the books by Christopher Paul Curtis, they will transport you to other times and places, and I guarantee that the journey is well worth taking.