Most Popular Books by Angela Johnson

Thirteen-year-old Bird runs away to convince her stepfather to return home, and soon becomes entwined in the lives of three people. This eloquent story by the three-time Coretta Scott King Award winner shows how one individual''s warmth and kindness can heal so many hurts.

Coretta Scott King Award–winning author Angela Johnson writes a poignant young adult novel of deception, self-discovery, and knowing what to do when truth is at hand. You never know what’s gonna come down—in Heaven.At fourteen, Marley knows she has Momma’s hands and Pops’s love for ice cream, that her brother doesn’t get on her nerves too much, and that Uncle Jack is a big mystery. But Marley doesn’t know all she thinks she does, because she doesn’t know the truth. And when the truth comes down with the rain one stormy summer afternoon, it changes everything. It turns Momma and Pops into liars. It makes her brother a stranger and Uncle Jack an even bigger mystery. All of a sudden, Marley doesn’t know who she is anymore and can only turn to the family she no longer trusts to find out. Truth often brings change. Sometimes that change is for the good. Sometimes it isn’t.

There''s a sweet, sweet smell in the air as two young girls sneak out of their house, down the street, and across town to where men and women are gathered, ready to march for freedom and justice. Inspired by countless children and young adults who took a stand, two Coretta Scott King honorees offer a heart-lifting glimpse of children''s roles in the civil rights movement.

Bobby''s a classic urban teenager. He''s restless. He''s impulsive. But the thing that makes him different is this: He''s going to be a father. His girlfriend, Nia, is pregnant, and their lives are about to change forever. Instead of spending time with friends, they''ll be spending time with doctors, and next, diapers. They have options: keeping the baby, adoption. They want to do the right thing. If only it was clear what the right thing was.

Winner of the Coretta Scott King AwardA School Library Journal Best BookA Booklist Editor''s Choice One Last LookEmmie and her mother are headed for the desert to help Grandmama Ola pack up her life. Box by box, the pieces of Ola''s past are neatly tucked away, and a collection of memories is opened. As the end of their final visit draws closer, Emmie, Mama, and Ola come to terms with the history they share. Each holds on to a separate truth -- a truth about life, about death, and about themselves.

From two-time Coretta Scott King Award winner Angela Johnson, here are 12 heartrending and uplifting stories exploring the notions of home and hope.

"[A] rallying cry for girls to reject limitations others might place on them and their dreams."—starred,The Horn Book Magazine "Once I dreamed I swam / the ocean / and saw everything deep, cool / and was part of the waves. / I swam on by the people / onshore / hollering, / ''A girl like you needs to / stay out of the water / and be dry / like everyone else.''" Empower young readers to embrace their individuality, reject societal limitations, and follow their dreams. This inspiring picture book brings together a poem by acclaimed author Angela Johnson and Nina Crews''s distinctive photocollage illustrations to celebrate girls of color.

A child imagines being old with Grandaddy and joining him in such activities as playing cards all day, visiting the ocean, and eating bacon on the porch.

A humorous and joyful celebration of love and sharing by the award-winning and bestselling duo, Angela Johnson and Dav Pilkey. When Maya''s grandfather comes to visit from Alaska, he brings a surprise in a crate -- something, he says, to teach her "fun and sharing." Maya hopes it''s a horse or a big brother. But instead, it''s a huge, pink pig named Julius! Maya''s parents see Julius as a slob, but Maya feels differently. She sees a playmate, a protector, and a sharer in all that''s magical and wild. This brand-new edition of the classic picture book by award-winning author Angela Johnson and illustrator Dav Pilkey will teach a new generation of readers about friendship, affection, and sharing, with lots of laughs along the way.

Twelve-year-old Mike -- short for Michaela -- loves the ocean. The sights, sounds, and smells of her coastal home are embedded in her very soul. But Michaela loves her brother, Red, even more. Then one day Red disappears. One minute he''s there, the next...gone. No warning. No time to prepare. And Mike must come to terms with that loss or risk never finding comfort in what remains of the life she and her brother once shared.

In 1865, members of a family start their day as slaves, working in a Texas cotton field, and end it celebrating their freedom on what came to be known as Juneteenth.

The Crossover: An Instructional Guide for Literature provides lesson plans and activities for this award-winning literary work. This valuable resource helps teachers add more rigor to their instruction with complex literature. Text-dependent questions help students analyze the text with higher-order thinking skills, with lessons focused on story elements, vocabulary, and more. Close reading activities throughout the literature units encourage students to use textual evidence as they revisit passages to respond more critically about the text. With various methods of assessing comprehension, this instructional guide offers strategies for cross-curricular activities as students build a greater understanding of this great literary work.

With artfully spare prose, acclaimed and award-winning author Johnson explores the ramifications of unexpected death in this compelling coming-of-age story.

In four vibrant verses and spectacular oil paintings, a young boy revels in the everyday pleasures of growing up in a family of fine artists. A still life of shoes inspires Noah to measure his own little ones against the big ones of his father. With its bold colors and arresting perspectives, this book is a celebration of art and an exaltation of family.

Papa says it''s the sound of leaving that speaks to my soul... The poignant words of two-time Coretta Scott King Award-winning author Angela Johnson and striking images from fine artist Loren Long join forces in this heartbreaking yet uplifting picture book about a boy, his love for trains, and his adulation of one legendary engineer. It''s the story of a hero lost and a hero discovered, of a dream crushed then reawakened, but mostly it is a story of the force that sustains the human spirit -- hope.

A little girl imitates her big sister Kyla all day, until in the evening Kyla imitates her. Kyla is a loving big sister and an excellent role model for her younger sibling. Story about sisterly love and the special relationship that can exist between sisters.

Vow Of Gold Sworn to support King Edward, Sir Alex de Beaumont had to leave his new bride on their wedding night to fight in the Crusades. Captured and left to languish in a lonely prison, the warrior knight is kept alive by the memory of love--and of Lady Katherine''s innocent passion as she cried out his name in ecstasy and made him her own. Upon his escape and return to England, he is shocked to find his beloved is about to marry another man. . . Kat refuses to forgive him. But Alex will not be gainsaid. He vows to seduce her all over again and his searching kisses reawaken the sensual fire they once knew--until an enemy determined to destroy them both closes in. Now Alex must risk everything for the one woman whose love he wants forever. . . Angela Johnson''s two favorite subjects are history and romance--and Vow of Seduction is the result. A full time writer, Angela lives in Topeka, Kansas, with Joe, her very own hero of twenty-one years.

Your first allegiance is to your heart. . . As a knight, Sir Rand Montague''s allegiance is to King Edward I. But when the king orders Rand to escort Rosalyn Harcourt to court in order to wed her off to Sir Golan--a crass knight Rand abhors--he''s torn between duty and desire. For Rand has never forgotten the woman he spent one incredible night of passion with. . . After suffering abuse at the hands of her deceased husband, Rose wishes to never wed again. But when Rand rescues her after Sir Golan attempts to compromise her, she agrees to marry Rand in name only. However, sharing such close quarters with Rand brings back memories of their torrid rendezvous--and tempts Rose to give in to an all-consuming desire. . . Praise for Angela Johnson''s Vow of Seduction "Outstanding!" --Susan Johnson "Johnson is one to watch." --Romantic Times

The story goes... Grandmama could hit the ball a mile, catch anything that was thrown, and do everything else -- just like Josh Gibson. But unfortunately, no matter how well a girl growing up in the 1940s played the game of baseball, she would have faced tremendous challenges. These challenges are not unlike those met by the legendary Josh Gibson, arguably the best Negro-League player to never make it into the majors. In a poignant tribute to anyone who''s had a dream deferred, two-time Coretta Scott King Award-winning author Angela Johnson and celebrated artist Beth Peck offer up this reminder -- that the small steps made by each of us inspire us all.

A young boy tells the story of his Great-great-uncle who loved to fly and who became a Tuskegee Airman in World War II.

Contains two novels about ten-year-old Charlie who moves into a new neighborhood and makes new friends.

The We Belong Bunch: Pookie J.’s School Day is a children’s story about understanding and embracing each other’s differences to foster healthy relationships. The story is told from the perspective of Pookie J., a fifth-grade boy who wants to one day be a college professor like his father. He and his friends are the We Belong Bunch. Although the kids in the We Belong Bunch come from different places, cultures, and religious backgrounds, they are just kids being kids. They are kids who have dreams, love life, and enjoy learning. The adults in their lives create the environment of warmth and care that the We Belong Bunch enjoy. The story echoes the idea that we can all learn and support each other to improve our environment. The book is a great learning tool to help build a strong sense of self and belonging in our schools and community.

After Heaven and The First Part Last, three-time Coretta Scott King Award-winning author Angela Johnson concludes her acclaimed trilogy with a poignant tale of finding where you belong and who you belong with. Shoogy left home with all her jeans still in the washer because she couldn’t think of a reason to stay. She’s not sure where she belongs, until she meets Curtis. Curtis knows for certain where he does not want to be and that’s to be back in the army. He is happy to be in Ohio, where it is quiet and he can spend time with Shoogy. But when Curtis gets orders to return to Iraq, will belonging with each other be enough to keep Shoogy and Curtis together? Angela Johnson takes us back to Heaven, Ohio in this bittersweet tale of first love found and lost.

Leaving home is hard when to you have to say goodbye to everyone you know. A boy and his sister experience moving day: saying goodbye to shopkeepers, friends, cousins; watching men in blue load the truck; giving a last glance around their rooms; and driving off to their new home.

The beginnings of this book of poetry, essays, short stories, and childrens bedtime stories took shape when my children came into my life. They came through hills and valleys, glorious sunlit mornings, sweet barefoot beaches, fields of gold, and firefly nights.

There''s nothing Violet loves more than music, and she plays or sings every chance she gets. But where are the other kids like her-kids who think and dream music all day long? As a baby, in kindergarten, at the beach and the zoo, she never gives up looking for companions. And then one summer day... Bright, lively, and lyrical, this is a book for kids who march to a different drummer. Violet''s Music sings to us that the right friend is always out there-as long as we keep looking and hoping, and above all, staying true to ourselves.

Born with a rare and dangerous allergy to sunlight, Lila''s spent her life hidden from the daylight-staying covered up and indoors until dark, only venturing outside after the sun has set and the moon''s cool light shines. Almost every night, she is visited by two young girls who wear tutus over their jeans and costume fairy wings, and the three of them dance and tell wonderful stories. But while Lila adores her family and her new friends, still she longs to feel the sun''s touch. Lila''s mysterious friends have promised to help her . . . but how?

The annual summer visit to the country home of the Old Ones, the uncles and aunts who raised Daddy, brings joy and good times.

A young girl and her mother remember together all the girl''s favorite stories about her mother''s childhood.

Award-winning author Angela Johnson and illustrator Scott Fischer take you inside the mind of a spunky girl and the imaginative world she lives in with this delightful story now available as a Classic Board Book! Lottie Paris may be precocious, but she still knows how to act like a kid. She dresses up, plays on the slide, and prefers to eat cookies instead of vegetables. She has a great imagination and sees the possibilities in the simplest pleasures. Plus, she’s sassy, so there’s no chance of getting bored. Join Lottie Paris in her world and you’ll never look at yours the same again!

Sophy fears that she will become like her older sister Nicole who has schizophrenia.

When The Aunt comes to live with them, the entire family enjoys her company and helps her forget about the home she has lost.

A collection of poems reminiscent of growing up as an African-American girl in Shorter, Alabama.

A Collection of poetry honoring African American fathers is presented in this multicast production. The mingling of poems by such writers as Angela Johnson, Davida Aded journa, and E. Ethelbert Miller, artwork by Javaka Steptoe, and innovative performances by these outstanding narrators make this package a stunning collaboration!

A series of candid reflections by the youngest of three sisters on her daily relationships with her older sisters and family.