Walter Dean Myers facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Walter Dean Myers
Myers in 2001
Born	Walter Milton Myers (1937-08-12)August 12, 1937 Martinsburg, West Virginia, U.S.
Died	July 1, 2014(2014-07-01) (aged 76) New York City, U.S.
Occupation	Writer
Period	1969–2014
Genre	Young adult novels, nonfiction, poetry
Notable works	Fallen Angels Monster
Notable awards	Margaret Edwards Award 1994 Michael L. Printz Award 2000

Walter Dean Myers (born Walter Milton Myers; August 12, 1937 – July 1, 2014) was a famous American writer. He wrote many books for children and young adults. He was born in Martinsburg, West Virginia, but grew up in Harlem, New York City. Walter had a tough childhood, and his teachers encouraged him to write as a way to share his feelings. He wrote over 100 books, including picture books and non-fiction. He won the Coretta Scott King Award five times for his amazing stories about African-American characters. His book Fallen Angels is about the Vietnam War and is known for its realistic language.

Walter Dean Myers was also the third U.S. National Ambassador for Young People's Literature. He held this special job in 2012 and 2013. He also helped guide the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI).

About Walter Dean Myers

Walter Milton Myers was born in Martinsburg, West Virginia, on August 12, 1937. When he was three years old, he went to live with Florence and Herbert Dean. They raised him in Harlem, New York City. Herbert Dean was African-American, and Florence was German and Native American. She taught English at a high school. Later, Walter took "Dean" as his middle name to honor his foster parents.

Childhood and Early Life

As a child, Walter's life revolved around his neighborhood and church. His neighborhood felt like a safe place, and the church gave him guidance. He was very smart but sometimes struggled in school. He was known for being a bit disruptive. Walter had trouble speaking and was often teased for it. This made him upset, and he sometimes got into fights.

A teacher saw him struggling and told him to try writing. She thought it would help him express himself better. This is how he started writing poetry and short stories. He also developed a strong love for reading early on.

High School and Writing Dreams

Walter wrote well in high school. His teacher, Bonnie Liebow, noticed his talent. She also worried he might drop out of school. So, she advised him to keep writing no matter what happened. He didn't fully understand her words at the time. Years later, while working a construction job, he remembered her advice.

Walter began to write at night. He often wrote about his difficult teenage years. When asked what was most important to him, he said, "My books. They were my only real friends growing up." Walter went to Public School 125 and Stuyvesant High School. He left school at age 17 to join the U.S. Army.

Finding His Path as a Writer

After leaving the army, Walter found it hard to find work and his purpose. This struggle made him think about his high school teacher's advice again. He started writing articles for men's magazines. He wasn't truly inspired until he read Sonny's Blues by James Baldwin. This book was set in Harlem and featured African-American characters. It made Walter want to write stories based on his own life experiences.

Walter Dean Myers lived in Jersey City, New Jersey, with his family. He had a wife, two sons named Christopher and Michael, six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. His son, Christopher Myers, is also a writer and illustrator. Walter's daughter, Karen, passed away before him.

A Champion for Young Readers

Walter Dean Myers was a very productive author. He wrote over 100 books for children and young adults during his 45-year career. His writing often focused on the tough experiences of teenagers. He wanted to show young people that reading is very important.

From 2012 to 2013, Walter was the National Ambassador for Young People's Literature. The Library of Congress chose him for this two-year role. The job was created to help everyone understand how important reading and education are for life. As Ambassador, Walter traveled across the United States. He encouraged young people to read with his slogan, "Reading is Not Optional."

Walter Dean Myers passed away on July 1, 2014, in Midtown Manhattan, after a short illness. His last written work was an article for The New York Times. In it, he asked for more books that show different kinds of people, especially African Americans. A special grant and award were later named after him by the We Need Diverse Books organization.

Awards and Recognition

Myers in 2013

Walter Dean Myers received many important awards for his writing. In 1994, the American Library Association gave him the Margaret Edwards Award. This award honors writers who have made a big and lasting impact on young adult literature.

In 2010, he was nominated for the international Hans Christian Andersen Award. This award recognizes a writer's entire contribution to children's literature.

Margaret A. Edwards Award

The Margaret A. Edwards Award celebrates a writer and their specific works that have greatly helped young adult literature. Walter Dean Myers won this award in 1994. The award recognized four of his books published between 1983 and 1988: Hoops (1983), Motown and Didi (1985), Fallen Angels (1988), and Scorpions (1988).

Librarians who work with young adults noted that these books showed African-American youth in a real way. They also said that the books appealed to all young people, no matter their background. They felt Walter Dean Myers' writing showed that teenage experiences in cities are similar for everyone.

Newbery and Printz Awards

Walter was a runner-up for the annual Newbery Medal twice. This medal is given for the "most distinguished contribution to American literature for children." He was a runner-up in 1989 for The Scorpion and in 1993 for Somewhere in the Darkness.

Later, the American Library Association created a new award just for young adult literature, called the Michael L. Printz Award. Walter Dean Myers was the very first winner of this award in 2000 for his book Monster (published in 1999). This meant Monster was chosen as the year's "best book written for teens, based entirely on its literary merit."

Other Honors

Walter Dean Myers' first published book was a contest winner. It was called Where Does the Day Go?, written by Myers and illustrated by Leo Carty (1969). It won a Council on Interracial Books for Children Award in 1968.

He was also a finalist for the National Book Award for Young People's Literature three times. These nominations were for Monster in 1999, Autobiography of My Dead Brother in 2005, and Lockdown in 2010. Walter Dean Myers is even mentioned in Sharon Creech's 2001 book Love That Dog. In that story, a young boy looks up to Myers and wants him to visit his class.

Works

Complete bibliography in publication order

• The Life of a Harlem Man (Parents Magazine Press, 1968). Illustrated by Gene Riarti.
• Where Does a Day Go? (Parents Magazine Press, 1969). Ages 4–8. Illustrated by Leo Carty.
• The Dragon Takes a Wife (Bobbs-Merrill, 1972). Ages 4–8. Illustrated by Ann Grifalconi.
  • Republished, The Dragon Takes a Wife (Scholastic, 1995). Ages 4–8. Illustrated by Fiona French.
• The Dancers (Parents Magazine Press, 1972). Ages 5–8. Illustrated by Anne Rockwell.
• Fly, Jimmy, Fly! (Putnam, 1974). Ages 5–8. Illustrated by Moneta Barnett.
• The World of Work: A Guide to Choosing a Career (Bobbs-Merrill, 1975).
• Fast Sam, Cool Clyde, and Stuff (Viking Press, 1975). Ages 8–12.
• Social Welfare (Franklin Watts, 1976). Ages 12+.
• Brainstorm (Franklin Watts, 1977). Ages 12+. Illustrated with photographs by Chuck Freedman.
• Mojo and the Russians (Viking, 1977). Ages 10–14.
• Victory for Jamie (Scholastic Books, 1977). Ages 12+.
• It Ain't All for Nothin' (Viking, 1978). Ages 12+.
• The Young Landlords (Viking, 1979). Ages 8–12.
• The Black Pearl and the Ghost; or, One Mystery after Another (Viking, 1980). Ages 9–11. Illustrated by Robert Quackenbush.
• The Golden Serpent (Viking, 1980). Ages 6–9. Illustrated by Alice Provensen and Martin Provensen.
• Hoops (Delacorte Press, 1981). Ages 12+.
• The Legend of Tarik (Viking, 1981). Ages 12+.
• Won't Know Till I Get There (Viking, 1982). Ages 10–14.
• The Nicholas Factor (Viking, 1983). Ages 8–12.
• Tales of a Dead King (William Morrow and Company, 1983). Ages 8–12.
• Mr. Monkey and the Gotcha Bird (Delacorte, 1984). Ages 4–8. Illustrated by Leslie Morrill.
• Motown and Didi: A Love Story (Viking, 1984). Ages 12+.
• The Outside Shot (Delacorte, 1984). Ages 12+.
• Adventures in Granada (Viking 1985). Ages 8–12. Arrow Series.
• The Hidden Shrine (Viking, 1985). Ages 8–12. Arrow Series.
• Duel in the Desert (Viking, 1986). Ages 8–12. Arrow Series.
• Ambush in the Amazon (Viking, 1986). Ages 10–14. Arrow Series.
• Sweet Illusions (New York Teachers & Writers Collaborative, 1986). Ages 13+.
• Crystal (Viking, 1987). Ages 12+.
• Scorpions (Harper & Ross, 1988). Ages 8–12.
• Me, Mop, and the Moondance Kid (Delacorte, 1988). Ages 8–12.
• Fallen Angels (Scholastic, 1988). Ages 13+.
• The Mouse Rap (HarperCollins, 1990). Ages 12+.
• Now Is Your Time! The African-American Struggle for Freedom (HarperCollins, 1991).
• Somewhere in the Darkness (Scholastic, 1992). Ages 13+.
• Mop, Moondance, and the Nagasaki Knights (Delacorte, 1992). Ages 8–12.
• The Righteous Revenge of Artemis Bonner (HarperCollins, 1992). Ages 10–14.
• Malcolm X: By Any Means Necessary (Scholastic, 1993). Ages 12+.
• Young Martin's Promise (Raintree Steck-Vaughn, 1993). Ages 8–12.
• A Place Called Heartbreak: A story of Vietnam (Raintree Steck-Vaughn, 1993). Ages 8–12.
• Brown Angels: An Album of Pictures and Verse (HarperCollins, 1993). Ages 8–12.
• Sort of Sisters (Delacorte, 1993). Writing as Stacie Johnson.
• The Party (Delacorte, 1993). Writing as Stacie Johnson.
• The Prince (Delacorte, 1993). Writing as Stacie Johnson.
• "Things that go Gleep in the Night" in Don't Give Up the Ghost: The Delacorte Book of Original Ghost Stories edited by David Gale (Delacorte Books for Young Readers, 1993).
• The Glory Field (Scholastic, 1994). Ages 13+.
• Darnell Rock Reporting (Delacorte Press, 1994). Ages 8–12.
• The Story of the Three Kingdoms (HarperCollins, 1995). Ages 4–8. Illustrated by Ashley Bryan.
• Shadow of the Red Moon (1995) (Scholastic, 1995). Ages 8–12. Illustrated by son Christopher Myers.
• Glorious Angels: A Celebration of Children (HarperCollins, 1995). Ages 4–8.
• Turning Points: When Everything Changes (Troll Communications, 1996). Ages 4–6. With Mireille Eckstein and Judith Viorst. Part of the Troll Target Series.
• Sniffy Blue: Ace Crime Detective Case of the Missing Ruby and Other Stories (Scholastic, 1996). Ages 7–10. Illustrated by David J. Sims .
• One More River to Cross: An African American Photograph Album (Harcourt Brace, 1996). Ages 8–12.
• How Mr. Monkey Saw the Whole World (Doubleday, 1996). Ages 4–8. Illustrated by Synthia Saint James.
• Toussaint L'ouverture: The Fight for Haiti's Freedom (Simon & Schuster, 1996). Ages 8–12. Illustrated by Jacob Lawrence.
• "Reverend Abbott and those Bloodshot Eyes" in When I was Your Age: Original Stories About Growing Up edited by Amy Ehrlich (Candlewick Press 1996).
• Harlem (Scholastic, 1997). Ages 8–12. Illustrated by son Christopher Myers
• Amistad: A Long Road to Freedom (Dutton, 1997). Ages 8–12.
• "Stranger" in No Easy Answers edited by Donald R. Gallo (1997)
• "Sunrise Over Manaus" in From One Experience to Another: Award-Winning Authors Sharing Real-Life Experiences Through Fiction edited by M. Jerry Weiss and Helen S. Weiss (1997).
• Angel to Angel: A Mother's Gift of Love (HarperCollins, 1998). Ages 8–12.
• Slam! (Scholastic, 1998). Ages 12+.
• "The Escape" in Trapped! Cages of Body and Mind edited by Lois Duncan (1998).
• At Her Majesty's Request: An African Princess in Victorian England (Scholastic, 1999). Ages 8–12.
  • Also known as An African Princess: From African Orphan to Queen Victoria's Favorite
• The Journal of Joshua Loper: A Black Cowboy, the Chisholm Trail, 1871 (Scholastic, 1999). Ages 8–12. Part of the My Name is America series.
• Monster (HarperCollins, 1999). Ages 13+.
  • Republished Monster: A Graphic Novel (Amistad, 2015). Adapted by Guy Sims and illustrated by Dawud Anyabwile.
• "The Beast is in the Labyrinth" in Places I Never Meant to Be: Original Stories by Censored Writers (1999) edited by Judy Blume.
• We Were Heroes: The Journal of Scott Pendleton Collins, a World War II Soldier, Normandy, France, 1944 (Scholastic, 1999). Ages 10–14. Part of the My Name Is America series.
• Malcolm X: A Fire Burning Brightly (HarperCollins, 2000). Ages 8–12. Illustrated by Leonard Jenkins.
• The Blues of Flats Brown (Holiday House, 2000). Ages 4–8. Illustrated by Nina Laden.
• 145th Street: Short Stories (Delacorte, 2000). Ages 13+.
• The Greatest: The Life of Muhammad Ali (Scholastic, 2000). Ages 12+.
• Bad Boy: A Memoir (HarperCollins, 2001). Ages 12+.
• Down to the Last Out: The Journal of Biddy Owens: The Negro Leagues, 1948 (Scholastic, 2001). Ages 8–12. Part of the My Name is America series.
• Patrol: An American Soldier in Vietnam (HarperCollins, 2012). Ages 8–12. Illustrated by Ann Grafalconi.
• Three Swords for Granada (Holiday House, 2002). Ages 8–12. Illustrated by John Speirs.
• Handbook for Boys: A Novel (HarperCollins, 2002). Ages 10+. Illustrated by Matthew Bandsuch.
• "Block Party - 145th Street Style" in Big City Cool: Short Stories about Urban Youth edited by M. Jerry Weiss and Helen S. Weiss (2002)
• Somewhere in the Darkness (2003).
• A Time to Love: Stories from the Old Testament. (Scholastic, 2003). Ages 12+. Illustrated by son Christopher Myers.
• Blues Journey (Holiday House, 2003). Ages 6–11. Illustrated by son Christopher Myers.
• The Dream Bearer (HarperCollins, 2003). Ages 10–14.
• The Beast (Scholastic, 2003). Ages 13+.
• Shooter (HarperCollins, 2004). Ages 13+. T
• I've Seen the Promised Land: the Life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (HarperCollins, 2004). Ages 2–8. Illustrated by Leonard Jenkins.
• USS Constellation: Pride of the American Navy (Holiday House, 2004). Ages 10–13.
• Antarctica: Journeys to the South Pole (Scholastic, 2004). Ages 8–12.
• Here in Harlem: Poems in Many Voices (Holiday House, 2004). Age 12+.
• Autobiography of My Dead Brother (HarperCollins, 2005). Ages 13+. Illustrated by son Christopher Myers.
• "The Prom Prize" in Every Man for Himself: Ten Short Stories about Being a Guy edited by Nancy E. Mercado (2005).
• Harlem Hellfighters: When Pride Met Courage (HarperCollins, 2006). Ages 8–12. With Bill Miles
• Jazz (Holiday House, 2006). Ages 5–8. Illustrated by son Christopher Myers.
• Street Love (HarperCollins, 2006). Ages 13+.
• Harlem Summer (Scholastic, 2007). Ages 9–14.
• What They Found: Love on 145th Street (Random House, 2007) Ages 14–17.
• Game (HarperCollins, 2008). Ages 8–12+.
• Sunrise Over Fallujah (Scholastic, 2008). Ages 13+.
• Ida B. Wells: Let the Truth be Told (HarperCollins, 2008). Ages 4–8. Illustrated by Bonnie Christensen.
• Amiri & Odette: A Love Story (Scholastic, 2009). Ages 12+. Illustrated by Javaka Steptoe.
• Riot (Egmont USA, 2009). Ages 12+.
• Looking Like Me (Egmont USA, 2009). Ages 5–8. Illustrated by son Christopher Myers.
• Muhammad Ali: The People's Champion (HarperCollins, 2009). Ages 5–8. Illustrated by Alix Delinois.
• "Midnight Bus to Georgia" in This Family is Driving Me Crazy: Ten Stories about Surviving Your Family edited by M. Jerry Weiss and Helen S. Weiss (2009)
• Lockdown (HarperCollins, 2010). Ages 13+.
• The Cruisers (Scholastic, 2010). Ages 10–14. The News Crew Series.
• Kick (HarperCollins, 2011). Ages 13+. Co-authored with Ross Workman
• Looking for the Easy Life (HarperCollins, 2011). Ages 4–8. Illustrated by Lee Harper.
• We Are America: A Tribute from the Heart (HarperCollins, 2011). Ages 6–10. Written with son Christopher Myers.
• Carmen (Egmont USA, 2011). Ages 12+.
• The Cruisers Book 2: Checkmate (Scholastic, 2011). Ages 10–14. The News Crew Series.
• "Pirate" in Thriller (HarperCollins, 2011). Ages 8–12. Edited by Jon Scieszka. Illustrated by Brett Helquist. Guys Read Library of Great Reading Series.
• "Cage Run" in Pick-Up Game: A Full Day of Full Court edited by Mark Aronson and Charles R. Smith Jr. (Candlewick Press, 2011)
• All the Right Stuff (HarperCollins, 2012). Ages 13+.
• Just Write: Here's How! (HarperCollins, 2012) Ages 13+.
• The Cruisers Book 3: A Star is Born (2012). Ages 10–14. The News Crew Series.
• Forward to A Poem as Big as New York City: Little Kids Write About the Big Apple (2012)
• Introduction to A Time to Break Silence: The Essential Works of Martin Luther King, Jr., for Students (2013)
• Tags (HarperCollins, 2013). Ages 13+.
• The Get Over (HarperTeen Impulse, 2013).
• Darius & Twig (HarperCollins, 2013). Ages 13+.
• The Cruisers Book 4: Oh, Snap! (Scholastic, 2013). Ages 10–14. The News Crew Series.
• Invasion (Scholastic, 2013). Ages 12+. World War II.
• On A Clear Day (Crown Books for Young Readers, 2014). Ages 12+.
• Juba! (Crown Books for Young Readers, 2015). Ages 12+.
• "Roach" in Taking Aim: Power and Pain, Teens and Guns edited by Michael Cart (HarperTeen, 2015)
• Frederick Douglass: The Lion Who Wrote History (HarperCollins, 2017). Illustrated by Floyd Cooper.
• "Sometimes a Dream Needs a Push" in Flying Lessons and Other Stories, edited by Ellen Oh (Crown Books for Young Readers, 2017). Ages 8–12.