Lynn Joseph facts for kids

Lynn Joseph is an American writer and lawyer who creates amazing books for kids and young adults. She is famous for her stories that often share the vibrant culture of Trinidad and the Dominican Republic. Her book, The Color of My Words, even won special honors like the Américas Award and the Jane Addams Children's Book Award.

About Lynn Joseph

Her Early Life and Education

Lynn Joseph was born in Trinidad, a beautiful island country. When she was nine years old, she moved to the United States with her family. Even after moving, she spent her summers back in Trinidad, keeping a strong connection to her roots.

From a young age, Lynn loved to write. She wrote many poems and stories. Some of her early works were even published in her school's student magazines.

After high school, she went to the University of Colorado. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree there in 1986. Later, she studied law at Fordham University Law School, getting her law degree in 1993. Before becoming a lawyer, she worked as an editor's assistant at Harper & Row Children's Books. As a lawyer, she worked for New York City and a law firm in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Her Career as a Writer

Lynn Joseph started publishing books for children in 1990. Her first book was Coconut Kind of Day: Island Poems. This book has 13 poems told by a child living in Trinidad. It gives readers a peek into island life.

In 1991, she released A Wave in Her Pocket: Stories from Trinidad. This book shares traditional folk tales from Trinidad. She followed it up in 1994 with The Mermaid's Twin Sister: More Stories from Trinidad. In 1992, she also wrote An Island Christmas, which describes Christmas in Trinidad through a child's eyes. Another book from 1994, Jasmine's Parlour Day, tells a sweet story about a mother and daughter.

Later, in 1998, Lynn Joseph published Jump Up Time: A Trinidad Carnival Story. This book is about two sisters enjoying the lively Trinidad Carnival. That same year, she also wrote Fly, Bessie, Fly, a book about Bessie Coleman. Bessie Coleman was the first Black woman to become a pilot.

In 2000, Lynn Joseph released The Color of My Words. This is a novella, which is a short novel, for children. It tells the story of a young girl growing up in the Dominican Republic.

More recently, in 2013, she published Flowers in the Sky. This novel follows a teenage girl's life in the Dominican Republic and the Washington Heights area of New York City. In 2015, she released Dancing in the Rain. This novel explores the experiences of Dominican children after the events of September 11, 2001.

Awards and Recognition

Lynn Joseph has received several important awards for her books. She won the Américas Award for Children's and Young Adult Literature in 1994 for her book The Mermaid’s Twin Sister. She won this award again in 2000 for The Color of My Words.

The Color of My Words also earned the Jane Addams Children's Book Award. This award honors books that promote peace and social justice. Her book manuscript, The Truth Is, was also a finalist for the 2015 Burt Award for Caribbean Literature.

Where She Lives

Lynn Joseph currently lives in New York and Bermuda.