Derrick Barnes facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Derrick Barnes
Barnes at BookExpo 2019
Born	United States
Occupation	Children's author
Notable awards	Ezra Jack Keats Book Award Caldecott Honor Newbery Honor Coretta Scott King Award Kirkus Prize

Derrick Barnes is an American author who writes amazing books for kids and young adults. He's famous for his popular children's book series. Before becoming a full-time author, he even wrote greeting cards for Hallmark!

In 2018, Barnes won several big awards for his 2017 book, Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut. These awards included the Newbery Honor and the Coretta Scott King Award. His books often celebrate African American culture. They show positive images of black children living their everyday lives.

Derrick Barnes's Writing Journey

Derrick Barnes started his writing career in 1999. He was the first full-time black male copywriter for Hallmark greeting cards. In 2003, he left Hallmark and moved to New Orleans. There, he worked different jobs. Later, he signed a deal to write many books for Scholastic, a big children's book publisher.

In 2011, Barnes began working part-time at the Kansas City Public Library. He joined their "Stories to Go" program. His job was to visit schools, daycares, and churches. He would read stories and share them with children.

Books by Derrick Barnes

Scholastic published Barnes's first books in 2004. These were The Low-down, Bad-day Blues and Stop, Drop, and Chill. His first book for young adults was The Making of Dr. Truelove. It came out in 2008. The New York Public Library even named it one of the top 100 books for teens.

The Ruby and the Booker Boys Series

One of Barnes's most popular series is Ruby and the Booker Boys. It's about Ruby Booker, a sassy third grader. She tries to stand out even though she has three older brothers. The series began in 2008 with two books released at the same time: Brand New School, Brave New Ruby and Trivia Queen, 3rd Grade Supreme.

Two more books followed: The Slumber Party Payback (2008) and Ruby Flips For Attention (2009). Critics loved how Barnes created positive stories for young readers. They said the series showed a loving family and a strong community spirit. It also celebrated diversity, which was important for African American children's literature.

We Could Be Brothers

We Could Be Brothers is a novel for young teenagers. It tells the story of two middle school boys. They come from different backgrounds but go to the same school. The book explores what it means to grow up. It talks about friendship, self-respect, and being a black kid in America. Scholastic published it in 2010. Critics praised its story and its focus on friendship and community.

Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut

Barnes's first picture book was Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut. Gordon C. James illustrated it. The book came out in 2017 and got a lot of praise. It's about a young black boy's experience getting a haircut at a barbershop. The story celebrates African American culture. It also shares messages of self-confidence and pride.

Crown was very successful. It won many awards at the 2018 ALA Youth Media Awards. These included a 2018 Newbery Honor (for the writing) and a Caldecott Honor (for the illustrations). It also won a Coretta Scott King Award for both Barnes and the illustrator. Plus, it received the Ezra Jack Keats Book Award and the $50,000 Kirkus Prize.

The King of Kindergarten

Another picture book by Barnes is The King of Kindergarten. Vanessa Brantley-Newton illustrated this book. It was released in July 2019.

I Am Every Good Thing

Barnes's 2020 book, I Am Every Good Thing, also won a major award. It received the 2020 Kirkus Prize for young people's literature.

Who Inspired Derrick Barnes?

Derrick Barnes has said that Stevie Wonder and Langston Hughes influenced his writing. He learned about dialogue and characters from Hughes's short stories. Wonder's album notes inspired him to use language in a rhythmic way. Barnes remembers reading these notes when he was only seven years old. He was amazed by the words.

In an interview, Barnes explained why he writes. He said there aren't enough books about kids of color written by people of color. He wants to create books that his own children will be proud of. He also wants to change how children see themselves. He hopes his books will fight negative ideas and show kids they are loved.

Derrick Barnes's Life

Derrick Barnes grew up in Kansas City, Missouri. He loved reading picture books from a very young age. He went to Jackson State University and earned a degree in Marketing. Today, Barnes lives in Charlotte, North Carolina. He lives there with his wife, Dr. Tinka Barnes, and their four sons.

List of Works

• The Low-down, Bad-day Blues (2004)
• Stop, Drop and Chill (2004)
• The Making of Dr. Truelove (2008)
• Ruby and the Booker Boys series:
  • Brand New School, Brave New Ruby (2008)
  • Trivia Queen, 3rd Grade Supreme (2008)
  • The Slumber Party Payback (2008)
  • Ruby Flips For Attention (2009)
• We Could Be Brothers (2010)
• Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut (2017)
• The King of Kindergarten (2019)
• Who Got Game?: Baseball (2020)
• I Am Every Good Thing (2020)