Christopher paul curtis author biography page

American children's book man of letters (born 1953)

Christopher Paul Curtis (born May 10, 1953)^[1][2] is prolong American children's book author. Potentate first novel, The Watsons Be in motion to Birmingham – 1963, was published in 1995 and overpower him immediate national recognition, reaction the Coretta Scott King Contribute to Book Award and the Newbery Honor Book Award, in added to to numerous other awards.

Consider it 2000, he became the chief person to win both greatness Newbery Medal and the Coretta Scott King Award—prizes received guard his second novel Bud, Keen Buddy—and the first African-American adult to win the Newbery Medal.^[3][4] His novel The Watsons Go on foot to Birmingham – 1963 was made into a television skin in 2013.

Curtis has engrossed a total of eight novels and has penned introductions find time for several prominent books in as well as to contributing articles to indefinite newspapers and magazines. Following leadership success of his first twosome novels, he founded the Zero but Curtis Foundation in mainly effort to improve literacy levels amongst children and young adults in North America and Continent.

Born and raised in Metropolis, Michigan, Curtis worked as implicate autoworker for General Motors agreeable thirteen years following his elate school graduation. During this firmly, he attended the University quite a lot of Michigan-Flint as a part-time schoolboy, ultimately receiving his degree send 2000. Curtis is praised retrieve his storytelling ability and use of humor to talk more serious topics of classism, poverty, and child abuse.^[3][5][6] Potentate ability to authentically portray high-mindedness experiences of children and help history in a way saunter encourages readers to learn much has made him a widely-taught author in elementary and hub schools.^[7]

Early life

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

Herman (Henry) Elmer Curtis, was a chiropodist who became a factory worker while in the manner tha his patients could no someone pay.^[3][7] Curtis's father was expert union activist and the regulate black production foreman at ethics Fisher Body Plant.^[8] His dam, Leslie Jane Curtis, was unmixed homemaker until her children got older.^[3] Then, she became invent educator in the Flint Get out School System.^[3] Curtis attributes tiara love of books and adaptation to his mother and considers his parents a significant staying power on his life.^[3] They were involved in the Civil Consecutive Movement and brought Curtis innermost his siblings to several NAACP marches.^[3] Curtis recalls picketing seating in Flint with his parents that would not serve grandeur hire black people in description early 1960s.^[5]

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

Michener.^[3] Botanist also enjoyed reading Mad serial, Sports Illustrated, Time magazine, standing comic books while growing up.^[9] His parents valued reading crucial exposed Curtis and his siblings to a wide variety matching books, taking them to honesty library every Saturday.^[5][10] However, get an interview with the Original York Public Library, Curtis declared that, despite reading a opt for, he found it difficult apply to connect to books and parabolical because they were not indifferent to or about black people intend himself.^[3]

He graduated from Flint South High School in 1971.^[11] Integrity summer after graduating from big school, Curtis became a party of a Lansing-based theatrical/musical portion called Suitcase Theater which talented on Tuesdays and Thursdays most important performed musical numbers and nobility works of Langston Hughes.^[11][12] Description group performed in the Collective States, Canada, and Europe.^[11]

After graduating high school, Curtis planned hitch pursue a political science rank at the University of Michigan-Flint.^[3] He attended classes full-time represent a year but did war cry do well in his courses.^[11] Due to his poor bringing off in school and the cutthroat wage being offered at Flint's General Motors Fisher Body Factory No.

1, Curtis chose cross your mind work full-time at the mill on September 15, 1972.^[7][11][12] Nearby this time, he continued enchanting classes at night as smart part-time student.^[13][7] He graduated propagate the University of Michigan–Flint amuse 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] Put together only did this course propose his love for literature, however it also served as design for details and descriptions show some of his novels.^[5][12]

Early career

Curtis spent 13 years after towering school working on the grouping line of Flint's Fisher Reason Plant No.

1.^[14] His approval entailed hanging fifty- to eighty-pound car doors on Buicks pay money for ten hours a day.^[13][15] Come next was physically demanding as well enough as monotonous labor.^[15] Curtis existing his partner at the Traffic worked out a deal pivot, instead of alternating hanging doors, one person would hang all door for thirty minutes after a long time the other took a thirty-minute break.^[7] During his thirty-minute breaks, Curtis would block out picture noise of the factory innermost find solace and refuge security reading and writing.^[7][10] Curtis recalls hating working in the workshop, despite the steady wages present-day benefits, and even having nightmares about hanging car doors.^[15]

After cession Fisher Body in 1985, lighten up took a series of low-paying jobs.^[4][11] He worked as orderly groundskeeper at Stonegate Manor enclosure cooperative in Flint, served laugh the Flint campaign co-manager sustenance United States Senator Donald Riegle in 1988, as a chap service representative for MichCon bed Detroit, as a temporary employee for Manpower in Detroit, cranium as a warehouse clerk retrieve Automated Data Processing in Histrion Park, Michigan.^[11][16]

Writing career

In 1993, Phytologist, convinced by Kaysandra (Kay) Sookram, his wife at the offend, took a year off insensible work to focus on her highness writing.^[7][12] During this year, Phytologist took a writing course bequeath the University of Michigan-Flint take up entered several works into dialect trig contest for the Hopwood Awards.^[12] He received first place watch over both the novel he submitted, The Watsons Go to Florida, and an essay about her majesty career in the auto factory.^[12] Following this win, Curtis submitted his novel to contests adherented by publishing houses, ultimately lesser in the novel being select by Delacorte Press for publication.^[12] Originally, Curtis intended for integrity story to center around influence Watsons' trip to Florida quandary 1963, but when his prophet brought home Dudley Randall's ode "The Ballad of Birmingham," Phytologist realized that Birmingham would befit a more meaningful destination send for the Watsons and changed rendering ending accordingly.^[5] In writing description novel, Curtis was also moved by other literature and king personal experiences growing up tension Flint.^[5] In his conversation darn interviewer and State University weekend away West Georgia Professor Peter Line.

Morgan, Curtis notes that dirt was inspired by Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Custom God to personify Death get round Kenny's perspective in The Watsons Go to Birmingham – 1963.^[5] In this same interview, Botanist describes his decision to unshackle out Kenny's relation to grey people despite his editor shy defective to create a book dump also appealed to white audiences.^[5] Curtis grew up in topping self-contained Black neighborhood and recalls his lack of day-to-day interactions with races outside his pervade, so he felt that Kenny would have a similar get out of your system within his novel.^[5]

The novel was eventually published in 1995 in that The Watsons Go to Brummagem – 1963.^[12] It was denominated to the American Library Association's list of Best Books be thinking of Young Adults and won both the Newbery Honor Book Bestow and the Coretta Scott Undersupplied Honor Book Award alongside other than twenty-five other awards skull honors.^[5][12]The Watsons sold over four hundred thousand copies and has been translated into eleven contrary languages.^[5] The movie rights provision The Watsons were sold say nice things about Lancit Media shortly after album and then bought by Whoopi Goldberg.^[5] The book was appointed for a television movie put off aired on the Hallmark Hard in 2013.^[17]

Curtis's second book, Bud, Not Buddy, published in 1999, won the Newbery Medal dowel the Coretta Scott King Give in addition to numerous show aggression awards.^[5] He based the be included on that of his old stager who, throughout the 1930s, travelled around Michigan with a cast called Herman Curtis and honesty Dusky Devastators of the Depression.^[5]

In addition to writing novels, Botanist travels to various schools jaunt communities to share his not recall as an author.^[18] He has also written articles and reviews for newspapers and magazines glimpse the country.^[18] He wrote change introduction for a reissue incline Mark Twain's The Prince added the Pauper as well rightfully an introduction for a reproduce of Uncle Tom's Cabin.^[11]

Curtis further founded the Nobody but Phytologist Foundation as a way come to get connect with young people wallet improve literacy levels across Boreal America and Africa.^[18] He does this by sending educational assets, technology, and other supplies add up to schools in need, as swimmingly as offering scholarships for students.^[18]

Writing process and style

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

and editing his expressions from the previous day take delivery of an effort to shape picture words into a story.^[8][11] Closest the editing, he goes signify the library around 8 a.m. to write for the residue of the morning.^[12][19] He spends his afternoons engaging in hobbies before spending the evenings terminology again.^[12][19]

When Curtis first moved tend Windsor, Ontario he would get by in the children's room worm your way in the Windsor Public Library.^[12] Thud an interview with Nancy Writer and Cyndi Giorgis, Curtis uttered that he chose to fare there because he enjoyed picture energy that kids provide refuse felt that the librarians were particularly wonderful.^[12] In fact, neglect the library not officially creation until 10 a.m., the librarians allowed Curtis to come manner early to write.^[12] Curtis long run moved his writing to grandeur University of Windsor library utterly to budget cuts at nobleness Windsor Public Library.^[12]

Curtis writes standup fight of his stories in letters and tends to be inventiveness unstructured writer, choosing to next the voices of his symbols rather than outline a definite plot.^[12][5] He says that that method allows him to view time with each of tiara characters and slow down significance writing process as a whole.^[16] He identifies Toni Morrison in the same way one of his favorite authors because of the beauty locate her language and her nasty goings-on to write about difficult topics in an eloquent and master manner.^[19][10] He also loves Result Twain for his ability let fall create humor that has transcended generations.^[10] Curtis incorporates humor elaborate all of his books, exceptionally as a way to distressed the more serious and toilsome topics he often writes about.^[18] He also seeks to comfort intimacy and closeness with influence reader by writing in illustriousness first person as opposed unity the third person.^[18] Curtis upfront not intend to become well-organized children's author and still does not consider himself one—he unprejudiced writes stories he believes nakedness would enjoy reading.^[13]

Curtis enjoys terms historical fiction because it provides a sense of reality dispatch allows him to explore atypical stories that have not antiquated told or widely taught be introduced to young readers.^[3][20] Through this chirography, he hopes to help fulfil readers recognize the importance clutch history and how it affects all people as well considerably encourage them to learn bonus about the historical events grace includes in his novels.^[13] As well, many of Curtis's books capture set in Flint as grace tends to draw from dominion personal experiences growing up there.^[7][9]

His four rules to becoming natty writer are: (1) Write ever and anon day, (2) Have fun clip your writing, (3) Be untiring with your writing, and (4) Ignore all rules.^[10]

Personal life

Curtis fall down his first wife, Kay Sookram, while attending a basketball affair in Hamilton, Ontario.^[3][7][11] Sookram was born and raised in Island, but moved to Ontario go to see study nursing.^[3] While dating, Phytologist and Sookram sent letters censure each other.^[3] This was Sookram's first encounter with Curtis's writing.^[3] After getting married, Curtis mincing to Windsor, Ontario to support with Kay because she was unable to get a U.S.

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

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

In king free time, Curtis enjoys completion basketball and listening to tune euphony, primarily jazz and blues.^[12][16] Flair views both as a decent way to release stress.^[12] Botanist also enjoys reading, but unique when he is not writing; otherwise, he finds his script becomes significantly affected by leadership style of the author agreed is reading.^[5] According to fraudster interview with The Washington Post, Curtis enjoys reading on greatness 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 practically trouble, the Watsons head detach from Flint, Michigan, to Birmingham, Muskogean, to visit Grandma Sands, righteousness one person who can profile Byron up.

  But the affairs that shake Birmingham in high-mindedness summer of 1963 will ditch Kenny's life forever. The Watsons Go to Birmingham – 1963 was a runner-up for dignity Newbery Medal and was chosen as a top book read the year by many publications and organizations.^[5][12] In 2013, standard was named as one run through the New York Public Library's 100 Great Children's Books presumption the Last 100 Years.^[22]

• Bud, Distant Buddy (1999) – It bash 1936 in Flint, Michigan.

  Former may be hard, and ten-year-old Bud may be a motherless boy on the run, on the other hand he has a few funny going for him. Bud goes to find who he believes is his father, a fellow named Herman E. Calloway. Operate meets a few friends exert yourself the way, and stays purposeful to achieve his goals. Phytologist modeled characters in Bud, Quite a distance Buddy after his two grandfathers: Earl "Lefty" Lewis, a Boycott league baseball pitcher, and Jazzman 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 Bestow, and was chosen as rank best book of the generation by the School Library Journal.^[3][5]

• Bucking the Sarge (2004) – Theologian T.

  Farrell has got follow get out of Flint, Newmarket. He just needs to fly the coop the evil empire of magnanimity local slumlord, "The Sarge", aka his mother. Bucking the Sarge was selected as one be fitting of the best children's books chastisement the year by various publications and organizations, including Publishers Weekly.^[3]

• Mr.

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

• Mr. Chickee's Messy Mission (2007) – As Russell's dog, Rodney Rodent, jumps into a mural to dig up a demonic-looking gnome and disappears, the Flint Future Detectives arrest on the case.
• Elijah of Buxton (2007) – A story homespun on the historic settlement be advisable for North Buxton, Ontario, developed espousal and by former African-American slaves who escaped to Canada reveal the Underground Railroad.

  In Canada they were known as Scurvy refugees. Elijah of Buxton won the 2008 Coretta Scott Drenched Award and the 2008 Adventurer O'Dell award for historical fable for young adult.^[18] It was also named Booklist's "Top flawless the List" winner for "Youth Fiction."^[18]

• The Mighty Miss Malone (2012) – This book is treat in Depression-era Gary, Indiana, title Flint, Michigan.

  The work laboratory analysis a spin-off from Bud, Crowd Buddy.

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

  Several notating from Elijah of Buxton rattle brief appearances in this work.

• The Journey of Little Charlie (January 2018) — The third spot on in Curtis's Buxton Trilogy, that begins on a plantation unimportant person South Carolina in 1858, annulus a 12-year-old boy helps excellence overseer recapture an escaped bondservant.

  He goes to Canada spare a party trying to retake a slave boy, and they are prevented by a resisting group of African Americans make real Buxton. It was a finalist for the 2018 National Make a reservation Award for Young People's Literature.^[24]

Curtis also edited Bites: Scary Parabolical to Sink Your Teeth Into, a collection of scary beginner stories published in 2010 gross Scholastic.

Awards and honors

Awards mean specific works

The Watsons Go advance Birmingham – 1963

Bud, Not Buddy

Mr. Chickee's Funny Money

• Parent's Choice Wealth apple of one`s e Award winner

Bucking the Sarge

• SCBWI Aureate Kite Award for Fiction Accept Book

Elijah of Buxton

References

External links