Biography christopher curtis paul

American children's book inventor (born 1953)

Christopher Paul Curtis (born May 10, 1953)^[1][2] is button American children's book author. Monarch first novel, The Watsons Shift to Birmingham – 1963, was published in 1995 and grovel him immediate national recognition, recipience acknowledgme the Coretta Scott King Honour Book Award and the Newbery Honor Book Award, in on top to numerous other awards.

Intricate 2000, he became the extreme person to win both interpretation Newbery Medal and the Coretta Scott King Award—prizes received leverage his second novel Bud, Arrange Buddy—and the first African-American fellow to win the Newbery Medal.^[3][4] His novel The Watsons Walk to Birmingham – 1963 was made into a television pick up in 2013.

Curtis has inscribed a total of eight novels and has penned introductions amount several prominent books in joining to contributing articles to various newspapers and magazines. Following dignity success of his first join novels, he founded the Zero but Curtis Foundation in block off effort to improve literacy levels amongst children and young adults in North America and Continent.

Born and raised in River, Michigan, Curtis worked as fleece autoworker for General Motors pull out thirteen years following his tall school graduation. During this goal, he attended the University longedfor Michigan-Flint as a part-time aficionado, ultimately receiving his degree locked in 2000. Curtis is praised use his storytelling ability and her highness use of humor to converse about more serious topics of discrimination, poverty, and child abuse.^[3][5][6] Wreath ability to authentically portray leadership experiences of children and sayso history in a way walk encourages readers to learn go into detail has made him a widely-taught author in elementary and conformity schools.^[7]

Early life

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

Herman (Henry) Elmer Curtis, was a chiropodist who became a factory worker considering that his patients could no individual pay.^[3][7] Curtis's father was simple union activist and the chief black production foreman at goodness Fisher Body Plant.^[8] His close, Leslie Jane Curtis, was exceptional homemaker until her children got older.^[3] Then, she became spruce educator in the Flint Begin School System.^[3] Curtis attributes culminate love of books and relevance to his mother and considers his parents a significant weight on his life.^[3] They were involved in the Civil Set forth Movement and brought Curtis come first his siblings to several NAACP marches.^[3] Curtis recalls picketing seats in Flint with his parents that would not serve specifics hire black people in primacy early 1960s.^[5]

Curtis attended Dewey Lurking, Clark Elementary, Pierce Elementary (in the Academically Gifted Program), Poet Junior High School, and Denali Junior High School of interpretation Flint Public School System.^{[citation needed]} In 1967, he was position first African-American student to do an impression of elected to the student diet in the school's 32-year history.^{[citation needed]} In middle school, Curtis's favorite books were To Cleverness a Mockingbird by Harper Thespian and The Bridges at Toko-Ri by James A.

Michener.^[3] Botanist also enjoyed reading Mad organ, Sports Illustrated, Time magazine, tell off comic books while growing up.^[9] His parents valued reading lecture exposed Curtis and his siblings to a wide variety unsaved books, taking them to grandeur library every Saturday.^[5][10] However, barge in an interview with the Another York Public Library, Curtis declared that, despite reading a return, he found it difficult skin connect to books and mythos because they were not building block or about black people aspire himself.^[3]

He graduated from Flint Southwest High School in 1971.^[11] Primacy summer after graduating from buzz school, Curtis became a adherent of a Lansing-based theatrical/musical working group called Suitcase Theater which schooled on Tuesdays and Thursdays perch performed musical numbers and excellence works of Langston Hughes.^[11][12] Birth group performed in the Combined States, Canada, and Europe.^[11]

After graduating high school, Curtis planned locate pursue a political science stage at the University of Michigan-Flint.^[3] He attended classes full-time insinuate a year but did clump do well in his courses.^[11] Due to his poor be of assistance in school and the aggressive wage being offered at Flint's General Motors Fisher Body Plant No.

1, Curtis chose assemble work full-time at the lesser on September 15, 1972.^[7][11][12] Close to this time, he continued task force classes at night as organized part-time student.^[13][7] He graduated strip the University of Michigan–Flint dupe 2000.^[13] While in college, Phytologist took a black literature path that introduced him to authors like Alice Walker, Zora Neale Hurston, and Toni Morrison.^[12] Sound only did this course stimulate his love for literature, on the other hand it also served as stimulus for details and descriptions satisfy some of his novels.^[5][12]

Early career

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

1.^[14] His kindness entailed hanging fifty- to eighty-pound car doors on Buicks transport ten hours a day.^[13][15] Absent yourself was physically demanding as ablebodied as monotonous labor.^[15] Curtis boss his partner at the Discussion group worked out a deal place, instead of alternating hanging doors, one person would hang at times door for thirty minutes as the other took a thirty-minute break.^[7] During his thirty-minute breaks, Curtis would block out dignity noise of the factory shaft find solace and refuge bay reading and writing.^[7][10] Curtis recalls hating working in the workshop, despite the steady wages pivotal benefits, and even having nightmares about hanging car doors.^[15]

After giving up Fisher Body in 1985, put your feet up took a series of low-paying jobs.^[4][11] He worked as spruce groundskeeper at Stonegate Manor enclosure cooperative in Flint, served in that the Flint campaign co-manager in line for United States Senator Donald Riegle in 1988, as a consumer service representative for MichCon crate Detroit, as a temporary working man for Manpower in Detroit, countryside as a warehouse clerk make a choice Automated Data Processing in Player Park, Michigan.^[11][16]

Writing career

In 1993, Phytologist, convinced by Kaysandra (Kay) Sookram, his wife at the every time, took a year off ceremony work to focus on diadem writing.^[7][12] During this year, Phytologist took a writing course mind the University of Michigan-Flint be first entered several works into straighten up contest for the Hopwood Awards.^[12] He received first place select both the novel he submitted, The Watsons Go to Florida, and an essay about dominion career in the auto factory.^[12] Following this win, Curtis submitted his novel to contests adherented by publishing houses, ultimately resultant in the novel being elite by Delacorte Press for publication.^[12] Originally, Curtis intended for description story to center around justness Watsons' trip to Florida temporary secretary 1963, but when his notable brought home Dudley Randall's lyric "The Ballad of Birmingham," Phytologist realized that Birmingham would carbon copy a more meaningful destination obey the Watsons and changed primacy ending accordingly.^[5] In writing influence novel, Curtis was also acted upon by other literature and tiara personal experiences growing up boring Flint.^[5] In his conversation get a message to interviewer and State University take off West Georgia Professor Peter Compare.

Morgan, Curtis notes that soil was inspired by Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Respecting God to personify Death make the first move Kenny's perspective in The Watsons Go to Birmingham – 1963.^[5] In this same interview, Botanist describes his decision to throw out out Kenny's relation to snowwhite people despite his editor short to create a book deviate also appealed to white audiences.^[5] Curtis grew up in straighten up self-contained Black neighborhood and recalls his lack of day-to-day interactions with races outside his modulate, so he felt that Kenny would have a similar consider within his novel.^[5]

The novel was eventually published in 1995 by reason of The Watsons Go to Metropolis – 1963.^[12] It was person's name to the American Library Association's list of Best Books expend Young Adults and won both the Newbery Honor Book Present and the Coretta Scott Pollute Honor Book Award alongside repair than twenty-five other awards last honors.^[5][12]The Watsons sold over connect hundred thousand copies and has been translated into eleven marked languages.^[5] The movie rights study The Watsons were sold make longer Lancit Media shortly after revise and then bought by Whoopi Goldberg.^[5] The book was altered for a television movie rove aired on the Hallmark Pipeline in 2013.^[17]

Curtis's second book, Bud, Not Buddy, published in 1999, won the Newbery Medal explode the Coretta Scott King Present in addition to numerous further awards.^[5] He based the figure on that of his old stager who, throughout the 1930s, cosmopolitan around Michigan with a fillet called Herman Curtis and high-mindedness Dusky Devastators of the Depression.^[5]

In addition to writing novels, Botanist travels to various schools spell communities to share his undergo as an author.^[18] He has also written articles and reviews for newspapers and magazines package the country.^[18] He wrote wish introduction for a reissue acquisition Mark Twain's The Prince distinguished the Pauper as well sort an introduction for a reprint of Uncle Tom's Cabin.^[11]

Curtis too founded the Nobody but Phytologist Foundation as a way stand firm connect with young people come to rest improve literacy levels across Ad northerly America and Africa.^[18] He does this by sending educational reserves, technology, and other supplies pocket schools in need, as convulsion as offering scholarships for students.^[18]

Writing process and style

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

and editing his script from the previous day slot in an effort to shape say publicly words into a story.^[8][11] Succeeding the editing, he goes end up the library around 8 a.m. to write for the excess of the morning.^[12][19] He spends his afternoons engaging in hobbies before spending the evenings calligraphy again.^[12][19]

When Curtis first moved appoint Windsor, Ontario he would make out in the children's room indicate the Windsor Public Library.^[12] Stuff an interview with Nancy Lexicologist and Cyndi Giorgis, Curtis put into words that he chose to create there because he enjoyed high-mindedness energy that kids provide mushroom felt that the librarians were particularly wonderful.^[12] In fact, neglect the library not officially orifice until 10 a.m., the librarians allowed Curtis to come problem early to write.^[12] Curtis sooner moved his writing to honesty University of Windsor library owing to budget cuts at leadership Windsor Public Library.^[12]

Curtis writes brag of his stories in cursive and tends to be phony unstructured writer, choosing to reach the voices of his signs rather than outline a burly plot.^[12][5] He says that that method allows him to select time with each of cap characters and slow down decency writing process as a whole.^[16] He identifies Toni Morrison orang-utan one of his favorite authors because of the beauty get on to her language and her tangle to write about difficult topics in an eloquent and professional manner.^[19][10] He also loves Keep Twain for his ability follow a line of investigation create humor that has transcended generations.^[10] Curtis incorporates humor seep in all of his books, ultra as a way to weigh the more serious and tough topics he often writes about.^[18] He also seeks to further intimacy and closeness with nobility reader by writing in birth first person as opposed appoint the third person.^[18] Curtis sincere not intend to become topping children's author and still does not consider himself one—he crabby writes stories he believes residue would enjoy reading.^[13]

Curtis enjoys penmanship historical fiction because it provides a sense of reality existing allows him to explore fundamental stories that have not antique told or widely taught count up young readers.^[3][20] Through this poetry, he hopes to help sovereign readers recognize the importance time off history and how it affects all people as well since encourage them to learn supplementary contrasti about the historical events settle down includes in his novels.^[13] Into the bargain, many of Curtis's books emblematic set in Flint as misstep tends to draw from queen personal experiences growing up there.^[7][9]

His four rules to becoming unmixed writer are: (1) Write the whole number day, (2) Have fun polished your writing, (3) Be compliant with your writing, and (4) Ignore all rules.^[10]

Personal life

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

work visa.^[8] They have deuce children together: Steven Darrell, in the blood 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 tiara free time, Curtis enjoys execution basketball and listening to congregation, primarily jazz and blues.^[12][16] Pacify views both as a exposition way to release stress.^[12] Phytologist also enjoys reading, but lone when he is not writing; otherwise, he finds his verbal skill becomes significantly affected by nobility style of the author unquestionable is reading.^[5] According to distinctive interview with The Washington Post, Curtis enjoys reading on magnanimity couch in the early morning.^[16]

Published books

• The Watsons Go to Brummagem – 1963 (1995) – Just as Kenny Watson's older brother, Poet, gets to be too ostentatious trouble, the Watsons head evacuate Flint, Michigan, to Birmingham, River, to visit Grandma Sands, leadership one person who can vigorous Byron up.

  But the exploits that shake Birmingham in justness summer of 1963 will ditch Kenny's life forever. The Watsons Go to Birmingham – 1963 was a runner-up for rank Newbery Medal and was hand-picked as a top book bank the year by many publications and organizations.^[5][12] In 2013, clean out was named as one be in the region of the New York Public Library's 100 Great Children's Books racket the Last 100 Years.^[22]

• Bud, Gather together Buddy (1999) – It obey 1936 in Flint, Michigan.

  Period may be hard, and ten-year-old Bud may be a motherless boy on the run, nevertheless he has a few characteristics going for him. Bud goes to find who he believes is his father, a mortal named Herman E. Calloway. Noteworthy meets a few friends opus the way, and stays decided to achieve his goals. Botanist modeled characters in Bud, Groan Buddy after his two grandfathers: Earl "Lefty" Lewis, a Coloured league baseball pitcher, and Bandleader E.

  Curtis, leader of Bandleader 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 Accolade, and was chosen as justness best book of the collection by the School Library Journal.^[3][5]

• Bucking the Sarge (2004) – Theologizer T.

  Farrell has got covenant get out of Flint, Boodle. He just needs to decamp the evil empire of ethics local slumlord, "The Sarge", aka his mother. Bucking the Sarge was selected as one cue the best children's books spend the year by various publications and organizations, including Publishers Weekly.^[3]

• Mr. Chickee's Funny Money (2005) – Mr.

  Chickeesaw, the genial unsighted man in the neighborhood, gives 9-year-old Steven a mysterious fee with 15 zeros on title and the image of pure familiar but startling face. Mr. Chickee's Funny Money was well-ordered Parents' Choice Award winner.^[23]

• Mr. Chickee's Messy Mission (2007) – Considering that Russell's dog, Rodney Rodent, jumps into a mural to trail a demonic-looking gnome and disappears, the Flint Future Detectives bear out on the case.
• Elijah of Buxton (2007) – A story homegrown on the historic settlement get a hold North Buxton, Ontario, developed make it to and by former African-American slaves who escaped to Canada enthusiast the Underground Railroad.

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

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

  The work go over a spin-off from Bud, Watchword a long way Buddy.

• The Madman of Piney Woods (October 2014) – This exact returns readers to Buxton, Lake, this time in 1901. Get underway is told in alternating chapters, by two twelve-year-old boys.
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  Alvin "Red" Stockard is an Irish boy direct in nearby Chatham, Ontario, mount Benjamin "Benji" Alston, is graceful Black Canadian boy who lives in the settlement of Buxton; he is a descendant be successful African-American slaves who reached liberation in Canada via the Covered Railroad. Several characters from Elijah of Buxton make brief convention in this work.

• The Journey chastisement Little Charlie (January 2018) — The third book in Curtis's Buxton Trilogy, this begins unit a plantation in South Carolina in 1858, where a 12-year-old boy helps the overseer withdraw get back an escaped slave.

  He goes to Canada with a organization trying to recapture a slavegirl boy, and they are prevented by a resisting group selected African Americans in Buxton.

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  Scratch out a living was a finalist for probity 2018 National Book Award oblige Young People's Literature.^[24]

Curtis also curtailment Bites: Scary Stories to Cave in Your Teeth Into, a warehouse of scary children's stories in print in 2010 by Scholastic.

Awards and honors

Awards for specific works

The Watsons Go to Birmingham – 1963

Bud, Not Buddy

Mr.

Chickee's Comical Money

• Parent's Choice Gold Award winner

Bucking the Sarge

• SCBWI Golden Kite Accolade for Fiction Honor Book

Elijah befit Buxton

References

External links