STREET LITERATURE BOOK AWARD MEDALS (SLBAM) ANNOUNCED FOR 2015 PUBLICATIONS

**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**  

STREET LITERATURE BOOK AWARD MEDALS (SLBAM) ANNOUNCED FOR 2015 PUBLICATIONS

Honolulu -- The 2016 Street Literature Book Award Medal (SLBAM) Committee is excited to announce the award winners for 2015 publications. The following winners and honorees were nominated based on popular demand of books as read and circulated by the reading public in school, academic, and public library settings throughout the nation. SLBAM honors what street lit readers are reading and deeming as their best authors and titles for the 2015 publication year.

ADULT NON-FICTION WINNER:             
Between The World And Me / Ta-Nehisi Coates

ADULT NON-FICTION HONOREE:         
The short and tragic life of Robert Peace: a brilliant young man who left Newark for the Ivy League / Jeff Hobbs

ADULT FICTION WINNER:                       
King Divas / De’nesha Diamond

ADULT FICTION HONOREE:                   
Animal III: Revelations / K'wan

GRAPHIC NOVEL WINNER:                   
March: Book Two / John Lewis (author), Andrew Aydin (author), and Nate Powell (illustrator)

GRAPHIC NOVEL HONOREE:               
Legend of the Mantamaji Book 3 / Eric Dean Seaton  (author), Brandon Palas (illustrator), and David Ellis Dickerson (editor)

EBOOK NON-FICTION WINNER:            
Slug: A Boy’s Life in the Age of Mass Incarceration / Tony Lewis Jr.

EBOOK FICTION WINNER:                      
King Divas (Diva Series Book Series) / De'nesha Diamond

YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE WINNER:
Brown Girl Dreaming / Jacqueline Woodson

EMERGING CLASSIC WINNER:              
The Crossover / Kwame Alexander

AUTHOR OF THE YEAR:                          
Kwame Alexander

Note: Honoree awards were conferred upon titles/authors who were within a 1-2 vote margin of the winner. 

The Street Lit Book Award Medals (SLBAM) are conferred annually and have proven to be a useful collection development resource for librarians, teachers, community leaders, and researchers. For a historical listing of the SLBAMs (1999 - present), visit the StreetLiterature.com website or email: SLBAM.Awards@gmail.com.

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Methodology: The Street Literature Book Award Medal (SLBAM) Committee conducted three nomination rounds where they reported on field research of patron readership and reader response to contemporary street literature in libraries across the United States. In response to evolving readership of the genre, two new categories were added this year: eBooks and Graphic Novels. Other special categories include the "Emerging Classic" category, which recognizes a street lit-plotted or -themed book that was published during or before the year of nomination but continues to be in popular demand by the reading public. Another special category, "Author(s) of the Year", recognizes an author or writing team whose publications were particularly well-received by the reading public during the nomination year. Aside from the "Emerging Classic" category, books eligible for SLBAM nomination were required to be published between January 1, 2015 - December 31, 2015.

2015-2016 SLBAM Committee Members:
K.C. Boyd, M.Ed., M.L.S., Chicago, IL
Marvin DeBose, Sr., M.L.S., Philadelphia, PA
D.L. Grant, Jr., M.L.S., San Antonio, TX
Patrice Grimball-Smith, Charleston, SC
Takiyah Jemison, M.L.S., Colorado Springs, CO

Vanessa Irvin, M.L.S., Ed.D., is the convener of the Street Literature Book Award Medal (SLBAM) Committee. As convener, Dr. Irvin is a non-voting member of the committee, and focuses on facilitating the committee’s research and nomination round process. Vanessa is the author of the StreetLiterature.com blog, and the award-winning publication, The Readers Advisory Guide to Street Literature (2012). A librarian with over 30 years' experience, Dr. Irvin teaches library and information science at the University of Hawai’i, in Honolulu, HI.

Note: This announcement was corrected on March 21, 2016, to add Mr. Nate Powell as the illustrator of March: Book Two, the Graphic Novel Winner for this year. /vi, 03.21.2016.

In the Margins Presents 2015 Book List Nominations

In the Margins (ITM) is proud to present the official nominations for our 2015 book list, to date. New titles are still being considered, and ITM is seeking teen feedback to assist in producing a list of finalists. Anyone is welcome to nominate a title; click here for the nomination form. A committee member will review the information and consider it for official nomination.

ITM, under the umbrella of Library Services for Youth in Custody, strives to bring to light self-published and small press published titles by, for, and about people in poverty, on the streets, in custody, or otherwise living in the margins. Books from larger publishers are also considered if they fit our charge. Teens are the target audience for the lists we create and promote.

We hope our book list will empower librarians working in difficult situations to legitimize their book choices in order to promote positive reading and literacy activities for teens in the margins.

We will have openings to serve in January 2015 for the 2016 list (click here for membership application). Please let us know of your interest!!

In the Margins Official Nominations, 2015

Beaty, Daniel. Knock, Knock: My Dad’s Dream for Me. Little, Brown. December 2013. 40p. HC $18.00. ISBN 9780316209175. Why isn't his dad around to play Knock, Knock jokes anymore?

Booth, Coe. Kinda Like Brothers. Scholastic. August 2014. 256p. HC $17.99. ISBN 9780545224963. Jarrett is kinda mad he has to share a room with Kevon, a foster kid. They aren’t friends, they aren’t brothers, and they aren’t exactly enemies. But sometimes it sure feels like it.

Burgess, Melvin. The Hit. Chicken House. February 2014. 304p. HC $17.99. ISBN 9780545556996. Take the hit. Live the most intense week of your life. Then die. Is life during these hard times so bad that this sounds like a great idea?

Butler, Pacc. From God’s Monster to the Devil’s Angel. CreateSpace. January 2014. 170p. PB $14.95. ISBN 9781494771669. After a childhood full of abuse, is a life of crime on the streets with gangs his only option?

Canion, Ebony. Left for Dead. Life Changing Books. February 2014. 228p. PB $15.99. ISBN 9781934230596. Ebony's tragedy-filled life takes a deadly turn when a woman with a grudge deliberately drives over her and drags her body through the street under her car.

Chappell, Crissa-Jean. More Than Good Enough. Flux. January 2014. 216p. PB $8.99. ISBN 978-0738736440. Trent doesn’t fit in on the Rez with his dad, who just got out of jail, or with his mom, who dumped him, but he does fit with Pippa. Will her acceptance be enough to help him realize that it’s enough to just be himself?

De Vries, Maggie. Rabbit Ears. HarperTrophy Canada. September 2014. 288p. PB $8.99. ISBN 9780062332905. Will Kaya escape her demons on the drug-infested streets?

Dragon, Laura Roach. Hurricane Boy. Pelican. March 2014. 160p. PB $8.95. ISBN 9781455619160. When their broken family is left homeless and separated from their sick grandmother, siblings must struggle to stay together after Hurricane Katrina.

Ewing, Lynne. The Lure. Balzer + Bray. February 2014. 288p. HC $17.99. ISBN 9780062206886. Gangs, girls, and guns: a deadly combination.

Giles, Gail. Girls Like Us. Candlewick. May 2014. 224p. HC $16.99. ISBN 9780763662677. Quincy and Biddy rely on their natural sense of survival to make it in the real world after a lifetime of abuse and abandonment.

Hall, Shyima. Hidden Girl: The True Story of a Modern-Day Child Slave. Simon & Schuster. January 2014. 240p. HC $17.99. ISBN 9781442481688. Sold into servitude by her Egyptian parents, Shyima sees no hope of escape when her captors bring her to the United States.

Hillman, Bill. The Old Neighborhood. Curbside Splendor. April 2014. 500p. PB $15.95. 9781940430003. Joe can’t seem to escape his destiny as a Chicago gang member, even as drug addiction and violence threaten to destroy his family and friends.

Jones, Patrick. Bridge. Darby Creek. August 2014. 96p. HC $27.99. ISBN 9781467739030. PB $7.95. ISBN 9781467744829. José’s life just got harder when his dad has a medical emergency and lands in jail.

Jones, Patrick. Controlled. Darby Creek. August 2014. 112p. HC $27.99. ISBN 9781467739023. PB $7.95. ISBN 978-1467744836. Misty is out of control, especially since her mother just died. But it's nothing new - except to Rachel, her cousin. Because now Misty is moving in with Rachel and taking over. Drama, trouble and just possibly, good girl Rachel going bad.

Jones, Patrick. Target. Darby Creek. August 2014. 128p. HC $27.99. ISBN 9781467739009. PB $7.95. ISBN 9781467744850.  Native American Frankie's trying to leave the gang and start new at Rondo High. His mom moved so that he would get away from the negative influences he had before. His dad's in prison and is egging him on to take revenge, and his cousins are in his new neighborhood doing the same. What will Frankie do?

Knight, Michelle. Finding Me: A Decade of Darkness, a Life Reclaimed. Weinstein. May 2014. 280p. HC $14.98. ISBN 9781602862562. Kidnapped and tortured for 11 years, Michelle survives the horrors of captivity under the control of psychopath Ariel Castro.

Kuehn, Stephanie. Complicit. St. Martin’s Griffin. June 2014. 256p. HC $19.95. ISBN  9781250044594. Jamie has tried hard to fit in with his adoptive parents, but his sister hasn’t done anything but get into trouble, finally landing in jail for attempted murder. Now she’s out, and Jamie is sure she’s coming for him.

K’Wan. Black Lotus. Akashic. May 2014. 128p. HC $19.95. ISBN 9781617752650. PB $11.95. ISBN 9781617752667. Murder! Mystery! Intrigue! Can you figure out the assassin's game?

Miles, Michelle. The High Price I Had to Pay 2: Sentenced to 30 Years as a Nonviolent, First Time Offender. Voices International. November 2013. 66p. PB $7.99.  ISBN 9780991104109. She had it all and didn’t think twice until she got arrested by the Feds.

Morgan, Kass. The 100. September 2013. Little, Brown. 336p. HC $18.00. ISBN 978-0316234474. PB $10.00. ISBN 978-0316234498. One hundred teens, chosen to return to Earth after nuclear war has exiled humanity to life on spaceships, have one thing in common: criminal pasts. Given no choice, they face a dangerous world and a more dangerous enemy – each other.

Reynolds, Jason. When I Was the Greatest. Atheneum. January 2014. 240p. HC $17.99. ISBN 9781442459472. Friends + bad choices = deadly circumstances.

Shiraz, Yasmin. Accused. Still Eye Rise. May 2014. 274p. PB $11.95. ISBN 9780971817487. Date rapist on campus. Can Tashera stop him? Can Ahmed prove it's not him?

Sitomer, Alan Lawrence. Caged Warrior. Disney Hyperion. May 2014. 224p. HC $15.99. ISBN 9781423171249. Will M.D.’s killer instincts in MMA lead him to a better life?

Stein, Deborah Jiang. Prison Baby. Beacon. March 2014. 176p. PB $14.00. ISBN 9780807098103. Born in a prison to an addicted mother, can Deborah ever fit in?

Van Diepen, Allison. On the Edge. HarperTeen. November 2014. 304p. HC $17.99. ISBN 9780062303448. The only witness to a homicide, Maddie is protected by Lobos, the sexy leader of Destino's gang.

Workman, P.D. Ruby: Between the Cracks. PD Workman. February 2014. 486p. PB $16.90. ISBN 978-0992153953. Ruby's life is filled with gangs, drugs, foster families, and pregnancies but she is tough and wants to run her life on her terms.  Can she ever find happiness?

Yamini, Omar. What’s Wrong With You! Smashwords. January 2014. PB $19.95. ISBN 9780991574605. A gritty eyewitness account of life behind bars that tears to shreds its hip-hop illusion of urban coolness.

Zusman, Angela Beth. The Griots of Oakland. Story for All. October 2013. 206p. HC $59.99. ISBN 9780988763111. PB $14.99. ISBN 978-0988763104. 100 African-American young men from Oakland, California tell it like it is.

Current committee:

Chair: Amy Cheney, Librarian, Juvenile Justice Center, Alameda County, CA Sabrina Carnesi, Librarian, Crittenden Middle School, VA Dale Clark, Fraser Park Secondary, Burnaby Youth Custody Services, Burnaby, BC Canada Joe Coyle, Project Coordinator, Mix IT Up!, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL Marvin DeBose Sr., Adult – Teen Librarian, Free Library of Philadelphia, PA.

Mackenzie Magee, Maggie Novario, Teen Librarian, Fort Vancouver Regional Library District, WA Dr. Kerry Sutherland, Youth Services Librarian, Akron-Summit County Public Library, OH Amy Wander, Public Services Manager, Lafayette Public Library, LA

Contact:

Amy Cheney

Write to Read Juvenile Hall Literacy

San Leandro, CA 94578

http://juviewrite2read.aclibrary.org/-----------------------------------------------------

Spring 2013 Reads: StreetLiterature.com's Recommendations

Hi there; Happy Spring! Listed below are my top Street Lit recommendations for this season. If you are a librarian, feel confident to purchase these titles for your patrons. If you are a teacher, you may see your students walking around with these titles in their backpacks or bumping into walls while walking and reading these fantastic stories. I hope you will read them too!

Souljah, Sister. 2013. A Deeper Love Inside: The Porsche Santiaga Story. NY: Atria. 

Hardback | ISBN-13: 978-1439165317 | $26.99 USD | 432 pages

Finally, after a decade or more of a wait, we get the answers to all the questions that The Coldest Winter Ever left us with. What happened to Winter? What happened to the fallout of the Santiaga family? How did Midnight wind up with the twins? How did life turn out for everyone?

Through the eyes and experiences of the middle child, Porsche, we learn the devastating effects of the disintegration of a drug lord's family. A must read. A must have for all public library collections.

I was interviewed by Drexel University about my reading response to A Deeper Love Inside. Feel free to read my review.

Blue, Treasure E. 2013. Fly Betty: A Harlem Girl Lost Novel. NY: Cash Money Content.

Paperback | ISBN-13: 978-1936399314 | $14.95 USD | 416 pages

Author Treasure Blue is a rare writer who can really tell a women's story. In this installment of his Harlem Girl Lost series. Fly Betty is a mother-daughter story, illustrating how the sins of the parent are often paid with the life experiences of the child.  

All the elements of Street Lit ring strong in this story: girl from the hood who tries to move up and out of poverty by any means necessary, overcoming the street violence of prostitution, and surviving drug addiction. 

Fly Betty is a redemptive story of a young woman seeking to break the cycle of her mother's past and pain. Highly recommended for all public libraries.

Clark, Wahida. 2013. Honor Thy Thug. NY: Cash Money Content.
Hardcover | ISBN-13: 978-1936399390 | $22.99 USD | 320 pages
Ebook | ISBN-13: 978-1-936399-40-6 | $9.99 USD |  

Released just 2 weeks ago, Clark's latest Thug Love novel is already boasting a 5-star rating on Amazon.com (with 217 customer reviews). Clark hit the New York Times Bestsellers list during the first week of the novel's release, making it her fourth appearance on the stellar publication roll call. Needless to say, Honor Thy Thug is a must-have title for your library or personal collection.

Book Description: "Urban lit’s favorite ride or die couple, Trae and Tasha, are back as they fight to hold onto their volatile relationship which gets closer to exploding with each passing day. Their friends, Angel and Kaylin, are caught up in their own drama which pits brother against brother in a final showdown. Faheem and his wife Jaz, face their worst nightmare which almost takes them totally out of the game. Meanwhile, Kyron, who brought Trae to the brink of murder and Tasha to the edge of insanity, is back and hell bent on revenge.

When Trae makes the deadly decision to work for the most violent Chinese crime organization in the city and renew a business relationship with Charli Li, the one woman who can never be trusted, his rocky marriage and life are threatened. Tasha is forced to step in, and things get really crazy. Can Trae escape the grips of the mob with his life and hold on to his wife? Honor Thy Thug will leave you gasping for more." - Amazon.com.

Other titles to consider:

T. Styles. 2013. RedBone 2: Takeover at Platinum Lofts.
NY: Urban Books. 

Pprbck | ISBN-13:  978-1601625403 | $14.95 USD | 343 pp.

What readers are saying:
Action packed. "Thrilling." "3 thumbs up." "T.Styles is one of the best in the game."

Santiago, Nisa. 2013. Face Off: Part 4. The Baddest Chick Series.
NJ: Melodrama Publishing. 

Paperback | ISBN-13: 978-1934157664 | $14.99 USD | 272 pages

What readers are saying: 

"Great Read!" "I read this book in one day." "I love all of Nisa Santiago's work."

Mill, Meek. 2013. Tony Story. G Street Chronicles Presents. 

Jonesboro, GA: G Street Chronicles.

Paperback | ISBN-13: 978-1938442704 | $14.99 USD | 256 pages

Set in the streets of Philadelphia, from which hip hop star Meek Mill hails, this story is sure to please.

Mothership: Tales from Afrofuturism and Beyond (Call for Submissions)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Forthcoming anthology gathers “tales from Afrofuturism and beyond”

Co-editors Bill Campbell and Edward Austin Hall are pleased to announce that their forthcoming anthology, Mothership: Tales from Afrofuturism and Beyond, has already attracted a diverse array of story submissions. Nonetheless, with the May 1 deadline looming for the end of the collection’s submissions phase, the editors hope to see yet more genre fiction by, for, and/or about persons of color.

Washington, D.C.-based Campbell, who initiated the project, describes its genesis and goals this way: “When we look up at the night sky, space is black as far as the eye can see. Yet when we read novels about it or watch something on TV or in the movie theater, it is white beyond all comprehension. With this collection, we hope to give space some much needed … color, shall we say (and other genres, of course).”

Hall, a longtime Atlantan, said of the acquisition process for Mothership, “We’ve been extraordinarily lucky. In just the last few days we accepted several stories, including ones from Nisi Shawl, Eden Robinson, and Junot Diaz. I can’t wait to see the stories yet to come, though, whether from practiced hands or exciting new talents.” 

More information about the project (including guidelines for submission) and the anthologists appears online: http://mothershipconnect.com/index.html

 

Hall and Campbell are available for interview via edwardahall@gmail.com and 404.755.7575 or muthaship1@gmail.com and 301.456.6439, respectively.

2013 SLBAM Winners and Honorees

The Street Lit Book Award Medal (SLBAM) Committee is proud to announce the award winners for 2012 publications. The following winners and honorees were nominated based on popularity of books as read by the public in school, academic, and public library settings. In other words, the SLBAM honors what street lit readers are reading and deeming as the best authors and titles for the 2012 publication year.

ADULT NON-FICTION WINNER: THE NEW JIM CROW BY MICHELLE ALEXANDER (reprint, 2012)

Honorees: 
1) A Father First: How My Life Became Bigger Than Basketball by Dwayne Wade
2) Empire State of Mind:  How Jay-Z Went from Street Corner to Corner Office by Zack O'Malley Greenburg
3) Purpose: An Immigrant's Story by Wyclef Jean

SLBAM Feedback:
-- “The New Jim Crow has seen an amazing resurgence in its reprint edition, becoming an important read for many.”
-- "People won't stop asking for The New Jim Crow."
-- "My students enjoy A Father First … learning how Wade, a homeboy from Chicago, juggles fatherhood and the NBA."

ADULT FICTION WINNER: ANIMAL BY K'WAN
Honorees:
1) Get It Girls by Treasure Blue
2) Murder Was the Case by Kiki Swinson
3) Coca Kola by Nisa Santiago

SLBAM Feedback:
-- "For a second year in a row, K'wan keeps readers flocking to the library looking for his latest release."
-- "It always boils down to K'wan and Treasure Blue. This year, the battle between K'wan and Treasure Blue can be compared to Holyfield and Tyson."  

YOUNG ADULT FICTION WINNER: ON THE FLIP SIDE: A FAB LIFE NOVEL by NIKKI CARTER
Honorees:
1) How to Get Out of Your Own Way by Tyrese Gibson
2) Shattered by Kia Dupree
3) Back to Me by Earl Sewell

SLBAM Feedback:
-- "Many of my students began their pre-teen years reading Nikki Carter’s So For Real series and now have graduated to her Fab Life series. It's great to see Nikki Carter honored."
-- "My young library patrons love Nikki Carter."
-- "Tyrese Gibson's book is the talk among teens at my school."
-- "DuPree does it again and takes her readers on an emotional rollercoaster ride."
-- "My teens can't get enough of books written by Sewell."

EMERGING CLASSIC: ANIMAL BY K'WAN

SLBAM Committee Feedback:

-- "Readers are voraciously enjoying Animal!"

-- "The character Animal is one of the most ruthless yet misunderstood characters in modern day Street Literature."

-- "Animal is a masterpiece... a continuation of setting the high standard for Street Lit..."

AUTHOR OF THE YEAR: K'WAN

For 2013, the SLBAM Committee honors Essence (magazine) bestselling author K'wan, for his continuous commitment to raising the bar for the literary quality of Street Lit. K'wan approaches his stories with a Dickens-esque quality, paying deep attention to social ills that motivate his characters to live the lives they live in his stories. K'wan is also cited for his prolific writing career with having authored 20 very popular novels, plus two novellas, and has been featured in three anthologies, all within the past decade, offering a solid foundation upon which contemporary Street Lit continues to evolve. Readers love K'wan. Case in point, one SLBAM Committee member shared: "After an intense debate, my book discussion group picked K'wan."

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Methodology: The SLBAM Committee conducted three nomination rounds where they reported on field research of patron readership and reader response to street lit in libraries. The committee discussed all nominated titles. The "Emerging Classic" category recognizes a street lit-plotted or -themed book that was published during or before the year of nomination but continues to be in popular demand by the reading public. Another special category, "Author(s) of the Year", recognizes an author or writing team whose publications were particularly well-received by the reading public during the nomination year. Aside from the "Emerging Classic" category, books eligible for SLBAM nomination were required to be published between January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2012.

For more information about the Street Lit Book Award Medal (SLBAM) or if you are interested in participating on the committee, contact: vanirvimorris@gmail.com. For a historical listing of SLBAM Awards, visit: http://www.streetliterature.com/p/slbam.html.

2013 SLBAM Committee Members:

K.C. Boyd, M.Ed., M.L.S., is the Library Media Specialist at the acclaimed Wendell Phillips Academy High School in Chicago, IL. Boyd is a nationally sought-out lecturer on street lit, and she blogs about young adult street lit/urban fiction at http://theaudaciouslibrarian.blogspot.com/.

Marvin DeBose, Sr., M.L.S., is an Adult/Teen Librarian with the Free Library of Philadelphia (PA). An often sought-out panelist for discussing street lit in libraries, Marvin manages the largest street lit public library collection in Philadelphia, and also runs a teen street lit book club where they discuss their readings at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/277733218945733/.

Connie Farley is Reference Technician for St. Louis (MO) Public Library where she runs an Urban Lit Discussion Group that boasts a diverse membership coming from several African and Caribbean nations.

D.L. Grant, Jr., M.L.S., is an Assistant Branch Manager with the San Antonio Public Library System. Grant is studying for his doctorate's degree in English studies.

Patrice Grimball-Smith is a Librarian Assistant in Young Adult Services for the Charleston County Public Library System in Charleston, South Carolina.  She is also President of the Readers in Motion Bookclub, http://facebook.com/ReadersInMotion.

Takiyah Jemison, M.L.S., is currently Head of the Cataloging Department at Fayetteville State University. She has a B.A in History and she received her Master in Library Science from North Carolina Central University. She is an avid reader of different genres such as psychological thrillers, urban literature, and true crimes.

Vanessa Irvin Morris, M.L.S., Ed.D., is the convener of the Street Lit Book Award Medal (SLBAM) Committee. She is the author of the Street Literature blog at http://www.streetliterature.com, and the award-winning publication, The Readers Advisory Guide to Street Literature (2011). Vanessa teaches library and information science at a private research university in Northeast USA.