Kelly Starling Lyons is one of the founding member of The Brown Bookshelf, a teaching artist, and an award-winning author of more than 30 books for young readers. Her mission is to center Black heroes, celebrate family, friendship, & heritage, and show all kids the stories they hold inside. Among her acclaimed picture books are Caldecott Honor winner Going Down Home with Daddy, Christopher Award winner Tiara’s Hat Parade (which has been adapted into a touring play), Anna Dewdney Read-Together Award winner My Hands Tell a Story and Bank Street Best Book selection, Sing a Song: How Lift Every Voice & Sing Inspired Generations. Kelly is also the author of three popular series for young people—chapter books starring her characters Jada Jones and Miles Lewis, and the Ty’s Travels easy readers. Two books in the latter won national acclaim. All Aboard was named the 2024 Book for the Military Child and Zip, Zoom won a Geisel Honor for Zip, Zoom. Her nonfiction titles include two books in Chelsea Clinton’s She Persisted series, chapter books on Dr. Dorothy I. Height and Mrs. Coretta Scott King. Kelly was named to Good Morning America’s 2021 list, Who’s Making Black History. She regularly presents to schools, libraries, festivals, and conferences around the country. For more information visit her at her website!

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TESTIMONIALS

“Hosting Ms. Kelly Starling Lyons at our library was an absolute joy.  Her presentation was beautifully paced and thoughtfully designed to engage a wide range of ages.  She effortlessly connected with the audience, weaving together insights into her writing process, real-life inspirations, and interactive moments that invited everyone to share their own stories.

One especially touching moment came when she read from her picture book My Hands Tell a Story.  As she described the lines on the grandmother’s hands, a young girl in the audience quietly turned her palms upward, studying her own lines and visibly connecting the story to her own life.  It was a powerful reminder of how storytelling can spark reflection and build bridges across generations.

After the event, a mother approached me with heartfelt enthusiasm.  She shared that she homeschools her children, who are currently studying plot and writing styles.  She expressed how much she appreciated the connections Ms. Starling Lyons made during her presentation, noting that while she can explain literary concepts herself, having an actual author reinforce those ideas was incredibly validating.  She hoped the experience helped her children grasp the concepts more deeply and felt it was a rewarding complement to their unit of study.

Ms. Starling Lyons created a space where children and adults alike felt seen and inspired.  Her ability to draw out personal connections, encourage participation, and share her creative journey made for a well-rounded, engaging, and memorable experience.  We would be fortunate to have Ms. Starling Lyons return to our library or any library with our system.” – Librarian Patricia Ramos Ballentine, Parklands-Turner Library

“In my 22 years hosting more than 100 authors I can tell you that Kelly is a star presenter. She is engaging and informative, and connects beautifully with the students. Audience management? In a very very warm but decisive way she commands the room. That’s a gift! Our kindergarteners and first graders got a very rich understanding of character development and story writing, all age-appropriate and explained in an inspiring way. Kelly shared about her family, read her books, and even did a dinosaur dance with the children. Highly recommended!”  –Tara Phethean, Teacher Librarian, Todd Elementary

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