Jess Mowry facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jess Mowry
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| Born | March 27, 1960 near Starkville, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Occupation | Author |
| Notable awards | PEN Oakland/Josephine Miles Literary Award (1991) |
Jess Mowry (born March 27, 1960) is an American author. He writes books and stories for children and young adults. He has written many books and short stories about Black children and teens. His stories are set in different places, from cities to forests. Many of his novels are set in Oakland, California. They explore real-life challenges and growing up.
Contents
Jess Mowry's Early Life
Jess Mowry was born near Starkville, Mississippi. His father was African-American, and his mother was Caucasian. When he was a baby, his mother left. Laws at that time made it hard for parents from different races to be together. His father took Jess to Oakland, California. His father worked hard as a crane operator and truck driver. He also collected scrap metal to support them.
Jess's father loved to read. He introduced Jess to books when he was very young. Jess went to public school. Even though he loved reading, he was not a top student. He left school at age thirteen, during eighth grade. After leaving school, Mowry worked with his father. They worked in the scrap-iron business. Later, in his late teens, he moved to Arizona. There, he worked as a truck driver. He also operated heavy machines. He lived and worked in Alaska too. He was an engineer on a tugboat. He also worked as an aircraft mechanic on Douglas C-47 planes.
Becoming an Author
In the early 1980s, Mowry returned to Oakland. He started working with kids at a youth center. He would read to them. Often, he made up stories because there were few books for city kids. Later, he began to write these stories down.
In 1988, Mowry sent one story to Howard Junker. Junker was the editor of Zyzzyva magazine. Junker did not publish that story. But he asked to see more of Mowry's writing. He published the second story Jess sent. Mowry bought an old 1923 Underwood typewriter for eight dollars. Within a year, his work was in many magazines. These magazines were in the United States and other countries.
Mowry's Published Works
In 1990, Mowry's first collection of stories came out. It was called Rats in the Trees. This book won a PEN Oakland/Josephine Miles Literary Award. It was also published in the United Kingdom, Germany, and Japan. In 1991, his first novel was published. It was called Children of the Night.
In 1992, his second novel, Way Past Cool, was published. This book was also published in many countries. These included the United Kingdom, Italy, and Japan. Way Past Cool was later made into a film. Mowry helped write the movie script. The film came out in 2000.
Other novels followed. These include Six Out Seven, Babylon Boyz, Bones Become Flowers, Skeleton Key, Phat Acceptance, and When All Goes Bright.
Themes in Mowry's Stories
Mowry's characters are diverse. They include teens in Oakland. They also include young people learning about local traditions in New Orleans. His stories feature teenage airplane pilots. They also show young people in challenging situations in Africa.
Mowry explains his writing this way: "Almost all my stories and books are for and about Black kids. They are not always cute and cuddly. My characters often face tough situations. They are like real kids. They often live in difficult places. They are sometimes forced into hard lifestyles."
Jess Mowry became known in the mid-1990s. He is seen as an important Black writer. He prefers to keep a low profile. He has not sought fame or money. He chooses to write stories that are true to life. He wants to help improve the lives and self-image of Black street kids.
Jess Mowry lives in Oakland, California.
