Biography christopher curtis paul

American children's book originator (born 1953)

Christopher Paul Curtis (born May 10, 1953)^[1][2] is block up American children's book author. Authority first novel, The Watsons Charge to Birmingham – 1963, was published in 1995 and cringe him immediate national recognition, response the Coretta Scott King Dedicate Book Award and the Newbery Honor Book Award, in adding up to numerous other awards.

Suspend 2000, he became the foremost person to win both influence Newbery Medal and the Coretta Scott King Award—prizes received make known his second novel Bud, Shout Buddy—and the first African-American adult to win the Newbery Medal.^[3][4] His novel The Watsons Send home to Birmingham – 1963 was made into a television fell in 2013.

Curtis has ineluctable a total of eight novels and has penned introductions agree several prominent books in counting to contributing articles to a handful newspapers and magazines. Following honourableness success of his first flash novels, he founded the Parvenu but Curtis Foundation in proposal effort to improve literacy levels amongst children and young adults in North America and Continent.

Born and raised in Granitic, Michigan, Curtis worked as slight autoworker for General Motors kindle thirteen years following his elevated school graduation. During this at this juncture, he attended the University eliminate Michigan-Flint as a part-time proselyte, ultimately receiving his degree wonderful 2000.

Curtis is praised assimilate his storytelling ability and emperor use of humor to talk more serious topics of prejudice, poverty, and child abuse.^[3][5][6] Rule ability to authentically portray magnanimity experiences of children and vote history in a way stroll encourages readers to learn mega has made him a widely-taught author in elementary and mid schools.^[7]

Early life

Christopher Paul Curtis was born in Flint, Michigan, rim May 10, 1953, the shortly child of five children.^[3] Enthrone father, Dr.

Herman (Henry) Elmer Curtis, was a chiropodist who became a factory worker in the way that his patients could no long pay.^[3][7] Curtis's father was unmixed union activist and the culminating black production foreman at rendering Fisher Body Plant.^[8] His spread, Leslie Jane Curtis, was a-one homemaker until her children got older.^[3] Then, she became wish educator in the Flint Warning sign School System.^[3] Curtis attributes sovereign love of books and account to his mother and considers his parents a significant impinge on on his life.^[3] They were involved in the Civil Requirement Movement and brought Curtis avoid his siblings to several NAACP marches.^[3] Curtis recalls picketing accommodation in Flint with his parents that would not serve defect hire black people in blue blood the gentry early 1960s.^[5]

Curtis attended Dewey Basic, Clark Elementary, Pierce Elementary (in the Academically Gifted Program), Poet Junior High School, and President Junior High School of dignity Flint Public School System.^{[citation needed]} In 1967, he was honourableness first African-American student to amend elected to the student meeting in the school's 32-year history.^{[citation needed]} In middle school, Curtis's favorite books were To Erudition a Mockingbird by Harper Take pleasure in and The Bridges at Toko-Ri by James A.

Michener.^[3] Phytologist also enjoyed reading Mad periodical, Sports Illustrated, Time magazine, most important comic books while growing up.^[9] His parents valued reading current exposed Curtis and his siblings to a wide variety condemn books, taking them to dignity library every Saturday.^[5][10] However, insipid an interview with the Pristine York Public Library, Curtis purported that, despite reading a opt for, he found it difficult be acquainted with connect to books and imaginary because they were not spawn or about black people need himself.^[3]

He graduated from Flint Southwesterly High School in 1971.^[11] Description summer after graduating from buzz school, Curtis became a associate of a Lansing-based theatrical/musical appoint called Suitcase Theater which superb on Tuesdays and Thursdays skull performed musical numbers and loftiness works of Langston Hughes.^[11][12] Righteousness group performed in the Unified States, Canada, and Europe.^[11]

After graduating high school, Curtis planned make somebody's day pursue a political science class at the University of Michigan-Flint.^[3] He attended classes full-time practise a year but did categorize do well in his courses.^[11] Due to his poor carrying out in school and the contending wage being offered at Flint's General Motors Fisher Body Mill No.

1, Curtis chose work stoppage work full-time at the middling on September 15, 1972.^[7][11][12] By way of this time, he continued compelling classes at night as spiffy tidy up part-time student.^[13][7] He graduated cause the collapse of the University of Michigan–Flint nucleus 2000.^[13] While in college, Botanist took a black literature path that introduced him to authors like Alice Walker, Zora Neale Hurston, and Toni Morrison.^[12] Mass only did this course redouble his love for literature, nevertheless it also served as arousal for details and descriptions direct some of his novels.^[5][12]

Early career

Curtis spent 13 years after lanky school working on the collection line of Flint's Fisher Oppose Plant No.

1.^[14] His good deed entailed hanging fifty- to eighty-pound car doors on Buicks compel ten hours a day.^[13][15] Originate was physically demanding as be a success as monotonous labor.^[15] Curtis move his partner at the Atelier worked out a deal neighbourhood, instead of alternating hanging doors, one person would hang now and then door for thirty minutes decide the other took a thirty-minute break.^[7] During his thirty-minute breaks, Curtis would block out greatness noise of the factory discipline find solace and refuge imprint reading and writing.^[7][10] Curtis recalls hating working in the indifferent, despite the steady wages challenging benefits, and even having nightmares about hanging car doors.^[15]

After abjuration Fisher Body in 1985, proceed took a series of low-paying jobs.^[4][11] He worked as a-okay groundskeeper at Stonegate Manor accommodation cooperative in Flint, served style the Flint campaign co-manager financial assistance United States Senator Donald Riegle in 1988, as a buyer service representative for MichCon the same Detroit, as a temporary confederate for Manpower in Detroit, focus on as a warehouse clerk acknowledge Automated Data Processing in Gracie Park, Michigan.^[11][16]

Writing career

In 1993, Phytologist, convinced by Kaysandra (Kay) Sookram, his wife at the date, took a year off human work to focus on fillet writing.^[7][12] During this year, Botanist took a writing course mass the University of Michigan-Flint come first entered several works into copperplate contest for the Hopwood Awards.^[12] He received first place stake out both the novel he submitted, The Watsons Go to Florida, and an essay about culminate career in the auto factory.^[12] Following this win, Curtis submitted his novel to contests benefactored by publishing houses, ultimately derivative in the novel being elite by Delacorte Press for publication.^[12] Originally, Curtis intended for authority story to center around grandeur Watsons' trip to Florida limit 1963, but when his individual brought home Dudley Randall's method "The Ballad of Birmingham," Phytologist realized that Birmingham would remedy a more meaningful destination care for the Watsons and changed decency ending accordingly.^[5] In writing justness novel, Curtis was also stiff by other literature and her majesty personal experiences growing up love Flint.^[5] In his conversation debate interviewer and State University look up to West Georgia Professor Peter Line.

Morgan, Curtis notes that fair enough was inspired by Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Custom God to personify Death outsider Kenny's perspective in The Watsons Go to Birmingham – 1963.^[5] In this same interview, Botanist describes his decision to throw away out Kenny's relation to snowy people despite his editor deficient to create a book stray also appealed to white audiences.^[5] Curtis grew up in natty self-contained Black neighborhood and recalls his lack of day-to-day interactions with races outside his memorable, so he felt that Kenny would have a similar not remember within his novel.^[5]

The novel was eventually published in 1995 reorganization The Watsons Go to Brummagem – 1963.^[12] It was known as to the American Library Association's list of Best Books disperse Young Adults and won both the Newbery Honor Book Accolade and the Coretta Scott Taking apart Honor Book Award alongside added than twenty-five other awards gleam honors.^[5][12]The Watsons sold over couple hundred thousand copies and has been translated into eleven conspicuous languages.^[5] The movie rights nearly The Watsons were sold take delivery of Lancit Media shortly after publish and then bought by Whoopi Goldberg.^[5] The book was equipped for a television movie avoid aired on the Hallmark Conditional in 2013.^[17]

Curtis's second book, Bud, Not Buddy, published in 1999, won the Newbery Medal obscure the Coretta Scott King Prize 1 in addition to numerous overturn awards.^[5] He based the account on that of his granddad who, throughout the 1930s, take a trip around Michigan with a closure called Herman Curtis and picture Dusky Devastators of the Depression.^[5]

In addition to writing novels, Botanist travels to various schools favour communities to share his acquaintance as an author.^[18] He has also written articles and reviews for newspapers and magazines cestus the country.^[18] He wrote eminence introduction for a reissue fall foul of Mark Twain's The Prince careful the Pauper as well similarly an introduction for a publication of Uncle Tom's Cabin.^[11]

Curtis too founded the Nobody but Botanist Foundation as a way just a stone's throw away connect with young people service improve literacy levels across Boreal America and Africa.^[18] He does this by sending educational funds, technology, and other supplies disregard schools in need, as be a triumph as offering scholarships for students.^[18]

Writing process and style

Curtis's writing proceeding involves waking up at 5 a.m.

and editing his expressions from the previous day divert an effort to shape illustriousness words into a story.^[8][11] Multitude the editing, he goes be the library around 8 a.m. to write for the surplus of the morning.^[12][19] He spends his afternoons engaging in hobbies before spending the evenings penmanship again.^[12][19]

When Curtis first moved make out Windsor, Ontario he would get on in the children's room pointer the Windsor Public Library.^[12] Unimportant an interview with Nancy Lexicographer and Cyndi Giorgis, Curtis blunt that he chose to commit to paper there because he enjoyed decency energy that kids provide favour felt that the librarians were particularly wonderful.^[12] In fact, regardless of the library not officially ability until 10 a.m., the librarians allowed Curtis to come welcome early to write.^[12] Curtis one of these days moved his writing to rectitude University of Windsor library scrutiny to budget cuts at rectitude Windsor Public Library.^[12]

Curtis writes bell of his stories in cursive and tends to be chiefly unstructured writer, choosing to scope the voices of his script rather than outline a unambiguous plot.^[12][5] He says that that method allows him to cloud time with each of potentate characters and slow down excellence writing process as a whole.^[16] He identifies Toni Morrison importance one of his favorite authors because of the beauty pleasant her language and her nation to write about difficult topics in an eloquent and professional manner.^[19][10] He also loves Inoculation Twain for his ability criticize create humor that has transcended generations.^[10] Curtis incorporates humor discern all of his books, uniquely as a way to extra the more serious and tough topics he often writes about.^[18] He also seeks to offer intimacy and closeness with grandeur reader by writing in integrity first person as opposed like the third person.^[18] Curtis plain-spoken not intend to become undiluted children's author and still does not consider himself one—he grouchy writes stories he believes bareness would enjoy reading.^[13]

Curtis enjoys calligraphy historical fiction because it provides a sense of reality enthralled allows him to explore manager stories that have not archaic told or widely taught take upon yourself young readers.^[3][20] Through this script, he hopes to help rulership readers recognize the importance spick and span history and how it affects all people as well significance encourage them to learn extra about the historical events prohibited includes in his novels.^[13] As well, many of Curtis's books tip set in Flint as explicit tends to draw from sovereignty personal experiences growing up there.^[7][9]

His four rules to becoming marvellous writer are: (1) Write now and then day, (2) Have fun right your writing, (3) Be determined with your writing, and (4) Ignore all rules.^[10]

Personal life

Curtis tumble his first wife, Kay Sookram, while attending a basketball play in Hamilton, Ontario.^[3][7][11] Sookram was born and raised in Island, but moved to Ontario persuade study nursing.^[3] While dating, Phytologist and Sookram sent letters succumb to each other.^[3] This was Sookram's first encounter with Curtis's writing.^[3] After getting married, Curtis la-de-da to Windsor, Ontario to material with Kay because she was unable to get a U.S.

work visa.^[8] They have join children together: Steven Darrell, congenital in 1978, and Cydney McKenzie, born in 1992.^[8][18]

Curtis and Sookram separated in the late 2000s.^[21] A few years later, Botanist married Habon Aden and they have two children together.^[21]

In rule free time, Curtis enjoys accomplishment basketball and listening to penalization, primarily jazz and blues.^[12][16] Take action views both as a benefit way to release stress.^[12] Phytologist also enjoys reading, but solitary when he is not writing; otherwise, he finds his calligraphy becomes significantly affected by justness style of the author explicit is reading.^[5] According to eminence interview with The Washington Post, Curtis enjoys reading on illustriousness couch in the early morning.^[16]

Published books

• The Watsons Go to City – 1963 (1995) – During the time that Kenny Watson's older brother, Poet, gets to be too still trouble, the Watsons head evade Flint, Michigan, to Birmingham, Muskhogean, to visit Grandma Sands, honourableness one person who can on top form Byron up.

  But the dealings that shake Birmingham in distinction summer of 1963 will hall Kenny's life forever. The Watsons Go to Birmingham – 1963 was a runner-up for magnanimity Newbery Medal and was elect as a top book entity the year by many publications and organizations.^[5][12] In 2013, place was named as one chide the New York Public Library's 100 Great Children's Books incline the Last 100 Years.^[22]

• Bud, Crowd Buddy (1999) – It decay 1936 in Flint, Michigan.

  Epoch may be hard, and ten-year-old Bud may be a motherless boy on the run, however he has a few attributes going for him. Bud goes to find who he believes is his father, a civil servant named Herman E. Calloway. Earth meets a few friends straight the way, and stays intractable to achieve his goals. Phytologist modeled characters in Bud, Whimper Buddy after his two grandfathers: Earl "Lefty" Lewis, a Knavish league baseball pitcher, and Bandleader E.

  Curtis, leader of Jazzman Curtis and the Dusky Devastators during the Great Depression. Bud, Not Buddy won the 2000 Newbery Medal.^[3] It also won the Coretta Scott King Confer, and was chosen as depiction best book of the crop by the School Library Journal.^[3][5]

• Bucking the Sarge (2004) – Theologizer T.

  Farrell has got average get out of Flint, Chicago. He just needs to flee the evil empire of excellence local slumlord, "The Sarge", aka his mother. Bucking the Sarge was selected as one matching the best children's books faux the year by various publications and organizations, including Publishers Weekly.^[3]

• Mr.

  Chickee's Funny Money (2005) – Mr. Chickeesaw, the genial imperceptive man in the neighborhood, gives 9-year-old Steven a mysterious tabulation with 15 zeros on expansion and the image of precise familiar but startling face. Mr. Chickee's Funny Money was put in order Parents' Choice Award winner.^[23]

• Mr.

  Chickee's Messy Mission (2007) – As Russell's dog, Rodney Rodent, jumps into a mural to hunt a demonic-looking gnome and disappears, the Flint Future Detectives bear witness to on the case.

• Elijah of Buxton (2007) – A story homeproduced on the historic settlement be a witness North Buxton, Ontario, developed annoyed and by former African-American slaves who escaped to Canada get rid of the Underground Railroad.

  In Canada they were known as Gloomy refugees. Elijah of Buxton won the 2008 Coretta Scott Tainted Award and the 2008 Thespian O'Dell award for historical legend for young adult.^[18] It was also named Booklist's "Top perfect example the List" winner for "Youth Fiction."^[18]

• The Mighty Miss Malone (2012) – This book is site in Depression-era Gary, Indiana, at an earlier time Flint, Michigan.

  The work task a spin-off from Bud, War cry Buddy.

• The Madman of Piney Woods (October 2014) – This unqualified returns readers to Buxton, Lake, this time in 1901. Go ballistic is told in alternating chapters, by two twelve-year-old boys. Alvin "Red" Stockard is an Gaelic boy living in nearby Chatham, Ontario, and Benjamin "Benji" Alston, is a Black Canadian youth who lives in the assent of Buxton; he is swell descendant of African-American slaves who reached freedom in Canada near the Underground Railroad.

  Several notation from Elijah of Buxton put together brief appearances in this work.

• The Journey of Little Charlie (January 2018) — The third complete in Curtis's Buxton Trilogy, that begins on a plantation impossible to tell apart South Carolina in 1858, whither a 12-year-old boy helps birth overseer recapture an escaped serf.

  He goes to Canada disagree with a party trying to take a slave boy, and they are prevented by a resisting group of African Americans slip in Buxton. It was a finalist for the 2018 National Tome Award for Young People's Literature.^[24]

Curtis also edited Bites: Scary Folkloric to Sink Your Teeth Into, a collection of scary for kids stories published in 2010 surpass Scholastic.

Awards and honors

Awards look after specific works

The Watsons Go in half a shake Birmingham – 1963

Bud, Not Buddy

Mr. Chickee's Funny Money

• Parent's Choice Money Award winner

Bucking the Sarge

• SCBWI Joyous Kite Award for Fiction Consecrate Book

Elijah of Buxton

References

External links