Kelly Starling Lyons is a founding member of The Brown Bookshelf, teaching artist and award-winning children’s book author. Her mission is to center Black heroes, celebrate family, friendship and heritage and show all kids the storyteller they hold inside. Her eighteen titles span picture books, easy readers and chapter books, fiction and nonfiction, standalone and series. Many of her books have won awards and honors including:
Going Down Home with Daddy (Caldecott Honor, Kirkus Best Picture Books of 2019, School Library Journal Best Picture Books of 2019, Notable Children’s Books in the Language Arts, Bank Street Best Children’s Books)
Tiara’s Hat Parade (Christopher Award, 2021 national featured book for Read Across America Day, Black Caucus of the American Library Association ‘Best of the Best’ Booklist)
Dream Builder: The Story of Architect Philip Freelon (Junior Library Guild selection, Orbis Pictus Award Recommended Title, CCBC Choices )
Ty’s Travels series (Geisel Honor for Zip, Zoom, Chicago Public Library’s Kids Best of the Best Books for All Aboard and Zip, Zoom)
Sing a Song: How Lift Every Voice & Sing Inspired Generations (ALSC Notable Children’s Books, Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People, Bank Street Best Children’s Books, CCBC Choices)
Ellen’s Broom (Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor, Junior Library Guild selection, Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People)
She is the 2021 Piedmont Laureate for the Triangle area of North Carolina and was named to Good Morning America’s 2021 Inspiration List: Who’s Making Black History. Kelly is on the roster of the United Arts Council of Raleigh & Wake County and the Arts & Sciences Council in Charlotte, NC. She regularly presents at schools, libraries and conferences across the nation.
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Availability and Honorariums
Please contact Carmen Oliver for rates and availability for school & library visits, conference keynotes & workshops and all special event appearances.
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