The Book Itch

(Hardback)

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Publishing Details

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Description

Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor, ALA Notable Children's Book, CCBC Best Children's Book of the Year, Jane Addams Children's Book Award, Kirkus Best Children's Books, NCTE Notable

In the 1930s, Lewis's dad, Lewis Michaux Sr., had an itch he needed to scratch--a book itch. How to scratch it He started a bookstore in Harlem and named it the National Memorial African Bookstore.

And as far as Lewis Michaux Jr. could tell, his father's bookstore was one of a kind. People from all over came to visit the store, even famous people--Muhammad Ali, Malcolm X, and Langston Hughes, to name a few. In his father's bookstore people bought and read books, and they also learned from each other. People swapped and traded ideas and talked about how things could change. They came together here all because of his father's book itch. Read the story of how Lewis Michaux Sr. and his bookstore fostered new ideas and helped people stand up for what they believed in.

Reviews

"A strong endorsement of the power of books and reading, an excellent choice for history and biography collections, and a strong choice for educators emphasizing the importance of community."--School Library Journal

-- (9/1/2015 12:00:00 AM)

"From the author's heart to America's readers: a tribute to a man who believed in and lived black pride."--starred, Kirkus Reviews

-- (9/15/2015 12:00:00 AM)

"Studded with Michaux's aphorisms . . . the book successfully conveys the vibrancy of the bookstore and its habitus. . . . R. Gregory Christie . . . is here allowed full pages drenched with expressionistic color to convey the spirit of the place, time, and people."--The Horn Book Magazine

-- (11/1/2015 12:00:00 AM)

"This companion to No Crystal Stair (2012) introduces younger readers to Nelson's great uncle, Lewis Michaux Sr., owner of Harlem's National Memorial African Bookstore. . . . [T]his moving tribute should be a welcome addition to almost any collection."--starred, Booklist

-- (10/1/2015 12:00:00 AM)

"Writing in the voice of Michaux's admiring son, Nelson illuminates Lewis's generosity . . . and his fervent belief in the power of words and books to change lives. . . . It's an emotive tribute to Michaux's personal and professional legacy."--Publishers Weekly

-- (9/21/2015 12:00:00 AM)

Author Bio

Vaunda Micheaux Nelson is the author of The Book Itch, as well as three Coretta Scott King Award-winning books: No Crystal Stair, Bad News for Outlaws, and Almost to Freedom. She is a former youth services librarian in New Mexico. Visit her online at vaundanelson.com. R. Gregory Christie's illustrations have earned him many awards, including a Caldecott Honor, many Coretta Scott King Honors, and multiple spots on the New York Times' annual Best Illustrated Children's Books lists. He lives in Georgia.