Don Tate facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Don Tate
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Tate at the 2022 Texas Book Festival
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| Born | December 21, 1963 |
| Occupation | Illustrator, author |
| Nationality | American |
| Genre | Children's books, African-American literature |
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Don Tate, born on December 21, 1963, is an American author and illustrator who creates amazing books for kids. He writes and draws both true stories (nonfiction) and made-up stories (fiction) in his picture books. Don Tate especially likes to write about real people from history who aren't very well known.
He also strongly believes that all young people should see themselves and their lives reflected in the books they read. When he was a kid, he noticed that most children's books showed a world that seemed mostly white. He had to read encyclopedias to learn about different cultures. Because of this, he helped start The Brown Bookshelf. This is a blog that helps people learn about African Americans who write and illustrate books for young readers. Don Tate also supported the #WeNeedDiverseBooks campaign. This effort aimed to get more books with diverse characters into the hands of young readers.
Contents
Becoming an Author and Illustrator
Don Tate started his career as an illustrator. His first book was Say Hey: A Song of Willie Mays, which came out in 2000. Peter Mandel wrote this book.
It Jes’ Happened: When Bill Traylor Started to Draw
His first book as an author was It Jes’ Happened: When Bill Traylor Started to Draw. R. Gregory Christie illustrated this book, and it was published in 2012. This book tells the interesting life story of Bill Traylor, a folk artist who was born into slavery. The book won many awards. These included a Lee & Low New Voices Honor Award and an Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Honor. It was also chosen as a Kirkus Best Children’s Books List Selection. Booklist magazine named it an Editors’ Choice in 2012. The New York Public Library picked it as one of its Top 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing.
Poet: The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton
In 2015, Tate illustrated a picture book called Poet: The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton. This book tells the story of a man from the 1800s. George Moses Horton was enslaved in Chatham County, North Carolina. He later became the first African American in the Southern United States to publish a book. Don Tate was inspired to write about Horton by a friend. He did a lot of research about Horton's life. He found information in the University of North Carolina archives.
The Wilson Library at UNC held the book's national launch event in September 2015. A review in the School Library Journal called the book "A lovely introduction to an inspirational American poet." The Boston Globe described it as "a moving biography of a slave who taught himself to read." In 2016, Don Tate won an Ezra Jack Keats Book Award for this book. He also received a Christopher Award and a Texas Institute of Letters book prize.
Honors and Awards
In 2021, Don Tate received the Texas Writer Award from the Texas Book Festival. The next year, in 2022, he was welcomed into the Texas Institute of Letters.
Telling Important Stories
In his books, Don Tate often writes about historical figures who showed great strength. These people lived during the time of American slavery. He believes that children's books need to show a wide range of experiences. This includes stories about people who faced hardship and kept going. In a 2016 TV show called Texas Country Reporter, Don Tate talked about his work. He spoke about telling the true stories of enslaved people. He emphasized how important it is to tell children the truth about history.
Other Creative Work
Besides writing children's books, Don Tate also licenses his art. This means he lets companies use his designs on their products. For example, KIDZ is a line of products for kids' bedrooms and bathrooms. It includes things like wallpaper, light switches, and drawer knobs. He also has a line of children’s fabric with his designs.
My Peepz is a group of African American characters he created. These characters are popular on calendars. Don Tate created these calendars because he noticed there weren't many African American characters on existing products.
Sharing His Knowledge
Don Tate often visits schools and public libraries. He also speaks at writing conferences. These include events at the Vermont College of Fine Arts and the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.
He has been a featured illustrator and speaker at many literary festivals. These include the Texas Book Festival and The Savannah Children’s Book Festival. He has also spoken at conferences like The International Reading Association.
About His Life
Don Tate and his family live in Austin, Texas.
