Читать книгу Virginia Hamilton - Julie K. Rubini - Страница 7

Author’s Note

I’VE KNOWN of Virginia Hamilton for a long time. I knew she was an amazing author. I was also aware that she had received every major award in children’s literature.

A number of years ago, I attended the Virginia Hamilton Conference, which was established while she was still with us. The event continues as the longest-running conference to focus exclusively on multicultural literature for children of all ages.

I went to the conference specifically to meet author Angela Johnson. Angela was a participating author that year at the conference. (Years later, Angela received the Virginia Hamilton Literary Award.) My husband and I had established a children’s book festival in memory of our late daughter, Claire. We wanted Angela to join us at Claire’s Day. I attended the event and convinced Angela to share her talent at our festival. (It didn’t take much effort.)

While attending the conference, I was amazed at how much I didn’t know about Virginia. So began my journey to learn more about this incredible writer, mother, presenter, wife, and human being.

Along the way, I’ve come to know the characters that Virginia created. Mayo Cornelius Higgins. Zeely and Geeder. Junior Brown and Buddy Clark. Thomas Small. And so many more.

I’ve come to know her husband, Arnold Adoff.

And I’ve come to know a woman who wore many labels on her chest, and wore them well. I wished I had been given the chance to meet her. Yet, after a great amount of time researching and writing about her life, I feel as though I have.

I hope you feel the same after reading Virginia Hamilton: America’s Storyteller—Virginia’s story.

And that you feel inspired to read her magnificent work.