PRESS

Fall

• Savvy Summers and the Po’boy Perils is included on Kings River Life Magazine‘s “Delicious Fun Food Cozy Mysteries for Your September TBR” list.
• Fourteen Serendipity books are selected for the Obama Presidential Library.
• Captain Nia Gilliam is interviewed on the Monoculture Moments in Memoir podcast.
• Regina Brooks is interviewed on the SCBWI podcast.
• Seven Million Steps is included on School Library Journal‘s list of “51 Informational and Inspiring Texts for Elementary Readers.”
• Afia in the Land of Wonders, Danilo Was Here, Class Pet Ghost Detective #1, and Go Tell It are selected for the New York Public Library’s “Vibrant Voices: New Books from Authors of Color” list.

Summer

• Afia in the Land of Wonders by Mia Araujo is nominated for a Nile Book Award.
• Regina Brooks is interviewed by The Wall Street Journal about the impacts of AI on the publishing industry.
• Seven Million Steps is selected by the National Education Association for the Read Across America initiative.
• The Golden Hoops is chosen for the Belonging Lounge Book Nook at the 2026 Girl Scouts Unite conference.
• Dr. George James is interviewed for a New York Times article on how couples can navigate conflict.
• Seven Million Steps is selected for School Library Journal’s July 4th celebration.
• Artist Alex Bostic is Mississippi Free Press‘s person of the day.
• A Flag for Juneteenth is featured on the Brooklyn Public Library’s “250 for 250” list celebrating the 4th of July.
• Seven Million Steps is one of The New York Times‘ selections to show “How Four Children’s Picture Books See America at 250.”
• Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes is one of CrimeReads‘ best paperback releases of the month.
• Afia in the Land of Wonders is a finalist for a 2026 Ignyte Award in the middle grade category.
• Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes is nominated for a Macavity Award by Mystery Readers International.
• The Incredibly Human Henson Blayze, Go Tell It, and Danilo Was Here are named some of the best children’s books of the year by the Bank Street College of Education.
• Girls Walking with Wolves is included on LGBTQ Reads‘ list of most anticipated LGBTQ+ YA fiction.
• Shawn Martinbrough is interviewed by Bookstr.
• And Then Came the Blues is a finalist for the Next Generation Indie Book Awards in the “Memoirs (Overcoming Adversity/Tragedy)” category.
• Madison Margolin and Shelby Hartman are interviewed about their book, The DoubleBlind Guide to Psychedelics, on the Psychedelics Design podcast.

Spring

• The DoubleBlind Guide to Psychedelics is spotlighted by Forbes.
• The new BLK Bestsellers List is announced in partnership with The Grio.
• Go Tell It wins the Norman A. Sugarman Children’s Biography Award.
• The DoubleBlind Guide to Psychedelics is a Tricycle Day book of the week and is included in Cool Hunting‘s plant medicine gift guide.
• jessica Care moore is interviewed about her career by Rolling Out.
• The DoubleBlind Guide to Psychedelics is spotlighted by High Times.
• Ruby and the Booker Boys is included on The New York Times‘ list of “23 Great Chapter Books for Beginning Readers.”
• Dr. Christian Gregory is interviewed about Seven Million Steps on NBC.
• I Got You wins, and The Incredibly Human Henson Blayze is nominated for, the Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters Award for youth literature.
• Regina Brooks is interviewed on the Freelance Writing Direct podcast.
• Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes is named a “Best (and Coziest) Cozy Mystery Book” by BookBub.
• Goodbye, French Fry is featured on Cracking the Cover.
• Never Wear Red Lipstick is included on The Root‘s “Books By Black Authors We Can’t Wait to Read in March 2026” list.
• Regina Brooks is interviewed as part of “Ask an Agent” on Book Brunch.
• Derrick Barnes’ poem “latch key kid,” from the anthology This Is Not a Small Voice, is featured in book critic Ron Charles’ Substack.

Winter:

• Goodbye, French Fry is featured on Book Riot‘s All the Books podcast.
• Traci Saulsberry and her book This Is How You Love Her are spotlighted in People Magazine.
• Who Better Than You? wins an NAACP Image Award in the “Outstanding Literary Work” category.
• Rin-rin Yu is interviewed about her debut novel Goodbye, French Fry by Publishers Weekly.
• Goodbye, French Fry is included in the Children’s Book Council’s feature “Big Stories for Growing Readers.”
• Go Tell It is named an ALSC Notable Children’s Book.
• The Incredibly Human Henson Blayze is a Walter Award winner.
• Treating Violence is a finalist for Uncommon Bold‘s 2026 Procedure Awards.
• Afia in the Land of Wonders is named one of the “30 Best Middle Grade Books of 2025” by Imagination Soup.
• The reopening of Victoria Scott-Miller’s Liberation Station Bookstore, the first Black-owned children’s bookstore in North Carolina, is covered by Essence.
• The Incredibly Human Henson Blayze is a 2026 Coretta Scott King Author Honor book.
• Go Tell It: How James Baldwin Became a Writer is a 2026 Robert F. Sibert Honor book.
• The Incredibly Human Henson Blayze is a Jane Addams Children’s Book Award honoree.
• Will Packer is a SOVAS Voice Arts Award winner for the Who Better Than You? audiobook.
• Go Tell It is a Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books Blue Ribbon Award winner.
• The Incredibly Human Henson Blayze is inducted into the Velshi Banned Book Club on MS Now.
• Dr. George James is interviewed about his debut book I Give Myself Permission on NBC.
• The Incredibly Human Henson Blayze is a finalist for The Southern Bookseller Review‘s Southern Book Prize in the young readers category.
• At Night, They Danced is included on the Chicago Public Library’s 2025 list of “Best Fiction for Younger Readers.”
• The Incredibly Human Henson Blayze and Go Tell It are named best books of 2025 by Common Sense Media.
• Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes is named a best of crime fiction/mystery by Library Journal.
• AfroCentric Style is included on Essence‘s list of “9 Books That Showcase the Legacy of Hip Hop.”
• Danilo Was Here and The Incredibly Human Henson Blayze are named best middle grade fiction books of 2025 by Kirkus.
• The Incredibly Human Henson Blayze and Go Tell It are named best books of 2025 by the Center for the Study of Multicultural Children’s Literature.
• Will Packer is interviewed on V-103 Atlanta about his book, Who Better Than You?
• Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes is featured by Good Housekeeping as a “Most Giftable Book.”
• Who Better Than You? is named one of the “12 Best Productivity Books of 2025” by Next Big Idea Club.
• Katrina Brownlee and her new memoir, And Then Came the Blues, are featured in an article in The Guardian.
• The audiobook of The Incredibly Human Henson Blayze, narrated by Miles J. Harvey, is named one of the “10 Best Kids Listens of 2025” by Audible.

Fall

• Go Tell It is named a “Best Picture Book of 2025” by Kirkus.
• Danilo Was Here is a 2026-2027 Texas Bluebonnet Award winner.
• I Got You is named a best picture book of 2025 by the Chicago Public Library.
• Go Tell It is named a best nonfiction elementary book of 2025 by School Library Journal.
• Shawn Martinbrough wins the 2025 Fern Schair Award for the Judge Kim and the Kids’ Court series.
• The Incredibly Human Henson Blayze is featured in an article in The New York Times.
• Regina Brooks is interviewed on the Real Eisman Playbook podcast.
• Joy in the Belly of a Riot is included on Essence‘s list of “Best Books to Wrap Yourself In This Fall.”
• Dr. Shannon Dowler, author of Never Too Late: Your Guide to Safer Sex After 60, is interviewed on the Doctors Making a Difference podcast.
• Go Tell It is included on School Library Journal‘s “101 Great Books for Kids” list.
• The Incredibly Human Henson Blayze is named one of the best books of 2025 by Publishers Weekly.
• Regina Brooks is a guest on the Memoir Nation podcast.
• Katrina Brownlee and her memoir, And Then Came the Blues, are featured in La Presse.
• Derrick Barnes is interviewed about his new book Seven Million Steps for School Library Journal‘s “Day of Dialogue” event.
• Sandra Jackson-Opoku’s flash fiction “Ghost Waters” is nominated for a Torch Literary Arts Best of the Net award.
• Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut is named one of the best picture books of the past 25 years by Slate.
• Danilo Was Here was included on Book Riot’s list of “Middle Grade Reads by Latine Authors.”
• Who Better Than You? is featured on Shondaland‘s “Year of Yes” self-improvement reading list.
• The Golden Hoops is included on Black Enterprise‘s list of “14 Black Children’s Books for Young Readers on International Literacy Day.”
• Will Packer is interviewed about his book Who Better Than You? on The Mel Robbins Podcast.
• The Incredibly Human Henson Blayze is longlisted for the National Book Award in Young People’s Literature.
• Victoria Scott-Miller is accepted into the Château D’Orquevaux International Artists and Writers Residence.

Summer

• Gordon C. James’s illustrations for Go Tell It are selected by jury for the Society of Illustrators’ children’s book exhibition “The Original Art 2025.”
• Nia Gilliam receives the Inspiring Excellence Award from the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals.
• The Incredibly Human Henson Blayze is a finalist for the 2025 Kirkus Prize in Young Readers’ Literature.
• Katrina Brownlee discusses And Then Came the Blues on the Mind Over Murder podcast.
• Serendipity Literary Agency is included on Bookstr‘s “7 Important Black-Owned Editing and PR Agencies to Keep on Your Radar” list.
• Katrina Brownlee is interviewed about her memoir And Then Came the Blues on PIX11 news.
• Afia in the Land of Wonders is shortlisted for the 2025 Barnes & Noble Children’s and YA Book Awards.
• Derrick Barnes is interviewed by The Black Man Can about his new picture book, I Got You.
• Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes is selected by Woman’s World Book Club as a July 2025 must-read.
• Class Pet Ghost Detective #1 is featured by Booklist on their “50 Anticipated Kids Graphic Novels for Summer 2025” list.
• Katrina Brownlee is interviewed on Good Day, New York about her debut memoir, And Then Came the Blues.
• And Then Came the Blues is featured in an article in the NY Daily News.
• jessica Care moore is named the 2025 Poet Laureate Fellow by the Academy of American Poets.
• Shirley Neal is interviewed about her book AfroCentric Style on WOIO-TV.
• Katrina Brownlee and her book And Then Came the Blues are featured in an article in Black Star News.
• Your Crown Shines and Go Tell It are included in School Library Journal‘s list of “35 Impressive Nonfiction Elementary Titles.”
• Regina Brooks is interviewed in a Publishers Weekly article on the role of agents in promoting YA authors.
• I Got You is named an Amazon best book of the month, ages 6–8, for July 2025.
• Regina Brooks is interviewed on the Reed, Write, and Create podcast.
• jessica Care moore and her debut picture book, Her Crown Shines, are featured on ABC News Live.
• Denise Rosario Adusei is named to the 2025 Bronx Power 100 list for the third year in a row.
• AfroCentric Style wins a 2025 BCALA Outstanding Contribution to Publishing citation.
• Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes is a LibraryReads pick for July 2025.
• Tiffany Yu, author of The Anti-Ableist Manifesto, is interviewed on Access for All: Integrating Accessibility.
• Your Crown Shines is featured by Ebony as one of June’s great reads from Black authors.
• Vanessa Reiser, author of Narcissistic Abuse, is interviewed by The Daily Mail.
• Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes is included in Goodreads’ list of “72 of the Summer’s Hottest New Mysteries and Thrillers.”
• Patrick Dougher is interviewed by The Guardian about his debut memoir, Concrete Dreamland.
• Dr. Donna Oriowo is a guest on the Therapy for Black Girls podcast.
• I Am Every Good Thing is recommended by James Patterson in a People article on great books for dads to read to their kids.
• Dr. Donna is interviewed on the Sex with Ashley podcast.
• Drink Water and Mind Your Business by Dr. Donna Oriowo is a #1 Amazon bestseller in the “General Sexual Health” category.
• Tiffany Yu is named to the Curious 100 list of innovators.

Spring

• Sandra Jackson-Opoku is interviewed by The Clog Blog on her book Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes.
• Victoria Scott-Miller, owner of Liberation Station Bookstore, is featured on NPR’s Morning Edition, discussing the new book Prose to the People: A Celebration of Black Bookstores.
• Cesaria Feels the Beat is included on the 2025 Kansas NEA Reading Circle Primary List.
• Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut is included on Kirkus‘s “Best Books of the 21st Century (So Far)” list.
• Tiffany Yu is interviewed about the LA fires and disability justice on the Climate Curious podcast.
• Shirley Neal is interviewed about her book, AfroCentric Style, on Good Day LA.
• jessica Care moore gives her first annual address as the poet laureate of Detroit.
• Tiffany Yu contributes an article to Metro UK centered on her experiences with ableism.
• The Museum Lives in Me: Miss Edmonia’s Class of WILDFIRES is named to the Association for Library Service to Children’s 2025 Día booklist.
• Go Tell It: How James Baldwin Became a Writer is a Common Sense Media selection for families.

Winter:

• Who Better Than You? is a New York Times and Amazon bestseller.
• Will Packer’s epic press tour for his book Who Better Than You? includes: “The Sherri Show”, CNBC, ABC, “Good Morning, America”, “The View”, ET, The Washington Post, Essence, “Baby, This is Keke Palmer”, “Across the Table”, Entrepreneur, ESPN, Business Traveller, “The AR Bernard Show”, Extra, “Access Hollywood”, “Gayle King in the House”, “The Rich Eisen Show”, The Atlanta Voice, “Roland Martin Unfiltered”, “Higher Learning”, The Quintessential Gentleman, KTLA5, WFLA, “Good Day Atlanta”, “The James Altucher Show”, WGN9, ABC7, “The Breakfast Club”, “Spolitics with Jemele Hill”, “Angie Martinez Radio”, “Orlando and the Freakshow”, “The Big Tigger Morning Show”, and “Black Money Tree”.
• Go Tell It is a USA Today bestseller.
• Go Tell It, illustrated by Gordon C. James, receives a starred review from Book Page and is featured The Washington Post Book Club newsletter.
• Illustrator April Harrison wins the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor for Go Forth and Tell: The Life of Augusta Baker, Librarian and Master Storyteller.
• Who Better Than You? is spotlighted by the New York Association of Black Journalists
• Danilo Was Here by Tamika Burgess is one of Book Riot’s 10 best children’s books published in January 2025, and is a Kirkus Editors’ Pick.
• Vanessa Reiser, LCSW is interviewed on the “From Now On” podcast.
• Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes by Sandra Jackson-Opoku is included on Goodreads’ guides to 2025’s biggest mysteries and thrillers and to diverse releases of 2025.
• Who Got Game?: Basketball, written by Derrick Barnes, is a TLA Texas Topaz nonfiction reading list pick.
• Ellie Yang Camp is interviewed on “Asian America: The Ken Fong Podcast”.
• AfroCentric Style by Shirley Neal is nominated for an NAACP Image Award in the category of Outstanding Literary Work by a Debut Author.
• Who Better Than You? by Will Packer is featured on Oprah Daily’s list of the best self-help books of 2025.
• Go Forth and Tell: How James Baldwin Became a Writer, illustrated by Gordon C. James, is named by author Alicia D. Williams as her most anticipated children’s release of 2025.

Fall

• Shirley Neal is interviewed on the “Women of Color Roar” radio show.
• Danilo Was Here by Tamika Burgess and Afia in the Land of Wonders by Mia Araujo are included on the Teen Librarian Toolbox’s list of most anticipated middle grade reads.
• Tiffany Yu is interviewed by The Christian Science Monitor about her book, The Anti-Ableist Manifesto.
• Ellie Yang Camp is a guest on the “Worst Quality Crab” and “From the Ashes” podcasts.
• Cesaria Feels the Beat, written by Denise Rosario Adusei, is included on the Kirkus Best Picture Books of 2024 list and the School Library Journal Best Picture Books of 2024 list.
• Go Forth and Tell, illustrated by April Harrison, is included on the Horn Book 2024 Fanfare list and the Kirkus Best Picture Books of 2024 list.
• Ellie Yang Camp, author of the new book Louder Than the Lies, is interviewed by the Asian Writers’ Collective and on the “Brazn Azn” podcast.
• Jack Jokinen is interviewed on NBC NY about his dog Suzy and the book she inspired, A Stray Dog for Christmas.
• Shirley Neal is interviewed on “Dreamleapers” about her new book, AfroCentric Style.
• The Anti-Ableist Manifesto by Tiffany Yu is selected for the Non-Obvious Book Award longlist, which honors the year’s best nonfiction.
• Will Packer, author of the forthcoming book Who Better Than You?, is featured on the cover of CEO Magazine.
• Tiffany Yu, author of The Anti-Ableist Manifesto, writes an article for The Guardian on the “disability tax”.
• Dr. Rob Gore is interviewed on The Visible Voices about his life’s work promoting community-centered care and healing in underserved neighborhoods.
• Celebrity hairstylist Kiyah Wright is interviewed on the “Keep It Positive, Sweetie” podcast hosted by Crystal Renee Hayslett.
• Vanessa Reiser, LCSW is interviewed on the “Next Up: Narcissism” podcast about her new book, Narcissistic Abuse.
• Jack Jokinen is interviewed on the “Verbal Shenanigans” and “JTrain” podcasts.
• Dr. Donna Oriowo is interviewed on the “No Ordinary Love” podcast about cultivating self-esteem.
• Relationship counselor Dr. George James appears on CBS Mornings to discuss some of the challenges faced by married couples.
• Poets Brad Walrond and jessica Care moore are interviewed on WDET’s “The Metro”.
• Author Jack Jokinen is interviewed on the “Superpowers for Good” podcast about his new book, A Stray Dog for Christmas.
• Tiffany Yu is interviewed on the “Inclusive Dad” podcast about her book, The Anti-Ableist Manifesto.
• Miss Edmonia’s Class of WILDFIRES, written by Victoria Scott-Miller, is a winner of the 2024 Creative Child Book of the Year Award, selected by Creative Child Magazine.
• Kwame Dawes, Poet Laureate of Jamaica, is honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Furious Flower IV conference.
• Shirley Neal is interviewed on Creative Reverberations about her book, AfroCentric Style.
• Victory. Stand!, written by Dr. Tommie Smith and Derrick Barnes, is the 2024 teen selection for the One Book, One San Diego community reading program.

Summer

• Diane Richards is interviewed on CBS about her new book, Ella.
• The Social Justice Investor by Andrea Longton, CFA is included in the Wall Street Journal as a “Personal Finance Book to Put on Your Summer Reading List”.
• People Magazine announces legendary producer Will Packer’s forthcoming book, Who Better Than You?
• Tricia Elam Walker is spotlighted in the Miami Times.
• The King of Kindergarten by Derrick Barnes is featured in an article in the New York Times on male kindergarten teachers and the importance of representation.
• Cesaria Feels the Beat by Denise Rosario Adusei is recommended for summer reading by Libby Life.
• Sincerely Sicily by Tamika Burgess is a 2024 Américas Award Commended Title.
• Ella by Diane Richards is included on Kirkus‘s “20 Great Books for Your Vacation” list.
• The New Brownies’ Book by Karida L. Brown and Charly Palmer wins the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award in the Special Citation category.
• Denise Rosario Adusei is named to the Bronx Power 100 list for the second year in a row, for her work as Executive Director of the Bronx Children’s Museum.
• Tamala Edwards and her family’s ties to Juneteenth are featured in the Philadelphia Tribune.
• Diane Richards is interviewed by the African American Literature Book Club.

Spring

• The highly successful 2024 US Book Show, co-produced by Regina Brooks, is covered by Publishers Lunch, Publishers Weekly, and Publishing Trends.
• Ella by Diane Richards is spotlighted in The Times Weekly.
• Dr. Rob Gore and his book Treating Violence are featured on PBS.
• Cesaria Feels the Beat is named one of the best new children’s books in June 2024 by We Are Teachers.
• Cesaria Feels the Beat by debut author Denise Rosario Adusei, illustrated by Priscila Soares, receives starred reviews from Booklist, Kirkus, and School Library Journal.
• Like Lava in My Veins by Derrick Barnes and Shawn Martinbrough is named one of the best children’s books of the year by the Bank Street College of Education.
• Diane Richards is featured on the cover of Publishers Weekly.
• Ella by Diane Richards is chosen for Sarah Gelman’s “Sarah Selects” book club, and is featured on CBS Mornings as a perfect pick for Mother’s Day.
• Victory. Stand!, written by Dr. Tommie Smith and Derrick Barnes, is nominated for the New Mexico Land of Enchantment Book Award.
• Andrea Longton, CFA appears on the “Progressive Pockets” podcast.
• Tammi Lawson is quoted in Our Time Press in an article about Augusta Savage.
• jessica Care moore is named Poet Laureate of Detroit.
• Kwame Dawes is named Poet Laureate of Jamaica.
• Andrea Longton, CFA is interviewed on the “A Matter of Faith” podcast.
• Shawn Martinbrough speaks at the Women’s Air & Space Power Symposium.

Winter:

• Dr. Marcus Anthony Hunter is interviewed by news anchor Tamala Edwards for the Free Library of Philadelphia.
• KINDergarten by Vera Ahiyya and Joey Chou wins the 2024 Anna Dewdney Read-Together Award.
• Augusta Savage: The Shape of a Sculptor’s Life by Marilyn Nelson is included on School Library Journal’s list of “15 Middle Grade Nonfiction Titles About Dynamic Women for Women”.
• Victory. Stand! by Dr. Tommie Smith, Derrick Barnes, and Dawud Anyabwile is nominated for the Rebecca Caudill Young Readers’ Book Award and the Illinois Teen Readers’ Choice Lincoln Award.
• Cesaria Feels the Beat, written by Denise Adusei with illustrations by Priscila Soares, receives a starred review from Publishers Weekly.
• Treating Violence by Dr. Rob Gore receives a starred review from Booklist.
• Ella by Diane Richards receives a starred review from Publishers Weekly.
• Andrea Longton, CFA is interviewed by Medium about her book The Social Justice Investor and leading with heart.
• Radical Reparations by Dr. Marcus Anthony Hunter receives a starred review from Publishers Weekly.
• Bill Lester is Interviewed about his career in racing on the “Alan Alford Sports Talk Show”.
• Dr. Rob Gore is interviewed by Marlon Rice on “Hip Hop Closet” about his life and career, and about his book Treating Violence.
• Dr. Marcus Anthony Hunter is interviewed on MSNBC about his book Radical Reparations.
• Charly Palmer’s portrait of Constance Baker Motley is featured on this year’s USPS Black Heritage Stamp.
• Victoria Scott-Miller, Shawn Martinbrough, and Gordon C. James are literary guests at the 32nd Annual African American Children’s Book Fair in Philadelphia.
• Regina Brooks and ghostwriter Pauleanna Reid are prominent voices at the first annual Gathering of the Ghosts Conference.
• The New Brownies’ Book by Dr. Karida L. Brown and Charly Palmer wins an NAACP Image Award. Like Lava in My Veins by Derrick Barnes and Shawn Martinbrough is a nominee.
• The New Brownies’ Book by Dr. Karida L. Brown and Charly Palmer is featured in a panel discussion at the Schomburg Center.
• April Harrison is interviewed by the Horn Book Magazine.
• Who Got Game?: Basketball is reviewed by The Philadelphia Tribune.
• Dr. George James is a guest on NPR’s “1A” podcast, discussing changes in marriage practices in the US.
• Khnum “Stic” Ibomu is included on Black Love‘s list of “14 Black Male Wellness Influencers You Should Follow”.
• Dr. Marcus Hunter writes about reparations for The Daily Beast.
• Shawn Martinbrough is interviewed about the Judge Kim series on “Roland Martin Unfiltered”.
• Al B. Sure! partners with Al Sharpton to launch a health equity coalition.
• Will Packer is interviewed about his career by The Hollywood Reporter.
• Shawn Martinbrough is honored by the African American Children’s Book Project, and interviewed by WHYY/PBS/NPR and Fox 29 Philadelphia.
• Derrick Barnes is interviewed about Who Got Game?: Basketball on WREG.
• Madison Margolin is interviewed on the People Are the Answer podcast.
• The Vibration of Grace by gina Breedlove is reviewed by Library Journal.
• Who Got Game?: Basketball by Derrick Barnes is one of Amazon’s picks for the Best Books of January 2024.

Fall

• A Flag for Juneteenth by Kim Taylor is spotlighted in the Horn Book Magazine.
• Former president Barack Obama read Santa’s Gotta Go, written by Derrick Barnes, to children at a Chicago school as a special holiday treat.
• Go Forth and Tell: The Life of Augusta Baker, Librarian and Master Storyteller, illustrated by April Harrison, receives starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Booklist, Kirkus, and The Horn Book Magazine.
• Like Lava in My Veins by Derrick Barnes, Shawn Martinbrough, and Adriano Lucas is included in NPR’s 2023 “Books We Love” list.
• Khnum “Stic” Ibomu makes an appearance at Marcus Books in Oakland, California to discuss his book The 5 Principles: A Revolutionary Path to Health, Inner Wealth, and Knowledge of Self.
• Associate Agents Ameerah Holliday and Kelly Thomas are faculty for the 2023 Online Writing Workshop of Chicago.
• Sound healer gina Breedlove hosts an event with actress Gina Torres discussing gina’s new book, The Vibration of Grace: Sound Healing Rituals for Liberation.
• Regina Brooks is a faculty member at this year’s Kauai Writers Conference in Hawaii.
• Tamika Burgess is a panels at the Conexiones Annual Convention, discussing intergenerational stories and her novel, Sincerely Sicily.
• The New Brownies’ Book is recommended by Oprah Daily as a perfect gift for the holidays.
• Derrick Barnes’ book tour for Like Lava in My Veins is spotlighted by Publishers Weekly.
• Serendipity author and personal branding expert Goldie Chan is featured in a Microsoft commercial.
• Madison Margolin discusses her new book, Exile and Ecstasy: Growing Up With Ram Dass and Coming of Age in the Jewish Psychedelic Underground, on the “Psychedelics Today” podcast.
• Shitty Craft Club is named a Best Book of 2023 by Barnes & Noble.
• Shitty Craft Club by Sam Reece is spotlighted by the Los Angeles Times.
• Associate Agent Kelly Thomas is a panelist for New York Women in Film and Television, talking about the business of adaptations.
• The New Brownies’ Book by Karida L. Brown and Charly Palmer is spotlighted by the New York Times, Publishers Weekly, AALBC, CNN, School Library Journal, the Philadelphia Tribune, Essence, and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
• Tamika Burgess is spotlighted by Bookstr as one of “5 Emerging Hispanic Authors Too Good to Miss”.
• Santa’s Gotta Go, written by Serendipity Lit author Derrick Barnes and illustrated by Courtney Lovett, receives a starred review from School Library Journal.
• Associate Agents Ameerah Holliday and Kelly Thomas are faculty for the two-day Fall 2023 Online Seattle Writing Workshop.

Summer

• H Is for Harlem, illustrated by April Harrison, receives a 2023 Pure Wow Happy Kids Award in the Best Books for Ages 5-8 category.
• Augusta Savage and Victory. Stand! are included on the New York Public Library’s Vibrant Voices book list.
• The New Brownies’ Book by Karida L. Brown and Charly Palmer receives a starred review from Publishers Weekly.
• Shawn Martinbrough and Derrick Barnes are spotlighted on ABC for Judge Kim and Like Lava in My Veins.
• Dr. Jenny Wang speaks at the Creating Space community session on mental health at Barclay’s Center, presented by the Brooklyn Nets and Phillip Lim.
• Dr. Jenny Tzu-Mei Wang and Dr. George James discuss minority mental health disparities on NBC News.
• Sincerely Sicily by Tamika Burgess is included on Parents‘ “10 Children’s Books That Celebrate Caribbean Culture” list.
• Tiffany Yu and her work as a disabled changemaker are celebrated by Forbes.
• Serendipity CEO Regina Brooks takes part in “The Black Writer’s Guide to Being Agent-Ready” panel presented by the Hurston/Wright Foundation and Hachette Book Group.
• Like Lava in My Veins and How We Do It are included on Ebony’s recommended reading list for July.
• How We Do It is spotlighted in the Boston Globe.
• Mighty Inside by Sundee T. Frazier is recommended by My Edmonds News as a book that will “keep kids reading all summer”.
• Donna Oriowo is a guest at Essence Fest 2023.
• Kim Taylor talks about story quilts and A Flag for Juneteenth in a special Juneteenth discussion hosted by Book Passage.
• Victoria Scott-Miller opens Liberation Station Bookstore, the first Black-owned children’s book store in North Carolina.
• Denise Adusei is named to this year’s Bronx Power 100 list for her work as Executive Director of the Bronx Children’s Museum.

Spring

• A Flag for Juneteenth by Kim Taylor is turned into a story walk at the Dunwoody Nature Center in Georgia.
• The Hurston/Wright Foundation’s How We Do It, edited by Jericho Brown, receives a starred review from Kirkus.
• Like Lava in My Veins by Derrick Barnes, Shawn Martinbrough, and Adriano Lucas receives a starred review from Kirkus.
• Tamika Burgess is a guest author at the 2023 Bronx Book Festival.
• Victory. Stand!: Raising My Fist for Justice by Dr. Tommie Smith, Derrick Barnes, and Dawud Anyabwile is included by Today‘s Jenna Bush Hager’s “Read With Jenna Jr.” 2023 children’s book recommendation list.
• Augusta Savage: The Shape of a Sculptor’s Life by Marilyn Nelson and Victory. Stand!: Raising My Fist for Justice by Dr. Tommie Smith, Derrick Barnes, and Dawud Anyabwile, are BCALA/SLJ 2023 Children & Young Adult Literary Honor books.
• Serendipity CEO Regina Brooks, Vice President of the Association of American Literary Agents (AALA), co-produces AALA Day at the 2023 U.S. Book Show.
• H Is for Harlem, illustrated by Serendipity’s April Harrison, wins a Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Award in the non-fiction category.
• Associate Agent Ameerah Holliday is interviewed by The Darling Axe.
• Dr. Shannon Dowler discusses her book, Never Too Late, with the Daily Mail.
• Serendipity Lit author Denise Adusei helps launch the Bronx Children’s Museum. The launch is attended by First Lady Dr. Jill Biden and Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor.
• Tamika Burgess is interviewed by Christina Consolino about Sincerely Sicily, which was also included on Re Mezcla‘s list of recommended books by Latine authors.
• Augusta Savage: The Shape of a Sculptor’s Life is included on the Black Children’s Books and Authors National Poetry Month list.
• Serendipity CEO Regina Brooks shares advice for aspiring poets with Poets & Writers.
• Serendipity Associate Agent Ameerah Holliday is reviewing pitches at the 2023 San Diego Writing Workshop.
• Tamika Burgess is a guest author at TXLA 2023.
• Serendipity Associate Agent Kelly Thomas is participating in one-on-one pitches at the 2023 Writing Workshop of San Francisco.
• Shawn Martinbrough and his work are spotlighted on Fox29.
• Award-winning poet Marilyn Nelson is interviewed by Nadine Pinede of Diverse Verse.
• Akim Aliu: Dreamer by Akim Aliu, Serendipity Lit author Greg Anderson Elysée, Karen De la Vega, and Marcus Williams is reviewed in the Toronto Star.
• Dr. Shannon Dowler discusses her new book, Never Too Late: Your Guide to Safer Sex After 60 on the KevinMD podcast.
• Dr. Jenny Wang and her mental health activism are spotlighted as part of Nordstrom’s celebration of AAPI Heritage Month.
• Serendipity Associate Agent Ameerah Holliday is a story reviewer for Journey to Kidlit’s Critique-A-Palooza.
• Author Vera Ahiyya is a mentor for the 2023 We Need Diverse Books BCF Mentorship.
• Augusta Savage: The Shape of a Sculptor’s Life by Marilyn Nelson; Victory. Stand!: Raising My Fist for Justice by Dr. Tommie Smith, Derrick Barnes, and Dawud Anyabwile; and The Queen of Kindergarten by Derrick Barnes and Vanessa Brantley-Newton are included on the BCALA Best Books of 2022 list.
• Goldie Chan, writer and social media strategist, wins a 2023 Communitas Leadership Award for Diversity in Journalism Coverage.
• Sincerely Sicily by Tamika Burgess is reviewed by Andrea Rodés in Al Día.
• Shawn Martinbrough is interviewed by Popverse about his career in comics and the Judge Kim and the Kids’ Court series.
• Khnum “Stic” Ibomu is featured on the “Hip Hop Wellness Explorer” podcast.
• Victory. Stand! by Dr. Tommie Smith, Derrick Barnes, and Dawud Anyabwile is included on the Texas Library Association’s Maverick Graphic Novel Reading List.
• Author Larry Jackson’s work is included on the New York Times’ “The New Black Canon: Books, Plays and Poems That Everyone Should Know” book list.
• Akim Aliu Dreamer: Growing Up Black in the World of Hockey, Akim Aliu’s memoir co-written by Serendipity Lit’s Greg Anderson Elysée, is reviewed in the Chicago Sun Times.
• Serendipity CEO Regina Brooks attends the AWP23 conference.
• The Judge Kim and the Kids’ Court series and its creative team are spotlighted in Forbes.
• The King of Kindergarten and The Queen of Kindergarten by Derrick Barnes and Vanessa Brantley-Newton were among 1,800 books chosen to be donated to Richmond, Petersburg kindergarteners by the Urban League of Greater Richmond.

Fall

• Regina Brooks is a faculty member at this year’s Kauai Writers Conference in Hawaii.
• Khnum “Stic” Ibomu and his new book, The 5 Principles, are featured on “Good Morning America”.
• Christian Gregory is interviewed on ABC Prime Live.
• Tommie Smith is interviewed on ABC Prime Live.
• Associate Agent Kelly Thomas teaches classes on writing at the 2022 Hampton Roads Writers Conference.
• Serendipity CEO Regina Brooks is a panelist on the “Books You May Never Get to Read” panel at
• Tommie Smith is interviewed by Kirkus about his new autobiography.
• Victory. Stand! by Serendipity authors Tommie Smith and Derrick Barnes is chosen for the longlist for the 2022 National Book Award.
• Katrina Brownlee appears on “The Kelly Clarkson Show” alongside Hillary and Chelsea Clinton.
• Katrina Brownlee is featured on the Apple TV+ show “Gutsy”.
• Regina Brooks is on a panel at the Milford Readers and Writers Festival.
• Mighty Inside by Sundee T. Frazier wins the 2022 Washington State Book Award in the Books for Young Readers category.
• Regina Brooks is part of a panel hosted by the Women’s Media Group called “What Is an Author Platform?: How Every Writer Can Be a Powerful Partner in Her Own Success”.

Summer

• Associate Agent Ameerah Holliday will be a panelist at the UCLA YA Symposium: “The Young and the Reckless: Writing for Teens”.
• Regina Brooks is a faculty member at the 2022 NABJ-NAHJ Convention.
• Madison Butler is featured in Fortune and Bloomberg for sharing her abortion story in response to the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
• Christian Gregory, Dick Gregory’s son and editor of the forthcoming book The Essential Dick Gregory, is featured in the A&E documentary “Right to Offend: The Black Comedy Revolution”.
• Victory. Stand!: Raising My Fist for Justice by Serendipity authors Tommie Smith and Derrick Barnes and illustrator Dawud Anyabwile receives starred reviews from Kirkus and Publishers Weekly.
• Shawn Martinbrough co-curates and has work featured in “The Artist’s Experience: From Brotherman to Batman” exhibition for the Society of Illustrators
• Marilyn Nelson is a featured performer at 2022 Old Lyme Juneteenth commemoration.
• Regina Brooks is an agent faculty member for the 2022 Roots. Wounds. Words. Summer Writers’ Retreat.
• H is for Harlem receives starred reviews from School Library Journal, Horn Book Magazine, and Booklist, bringing its total number of starred reviews up to four.
• Gordon C. James attends the 2022 ALA Conference

Spring

• Kiyah Wright is interviewed on “The Cut Life Podcast”.
• KINDergarten by Vera Ahiyya is reviewed by Kirkus.
• Derrick Barnes is interviewed by Publishers Weekly about The Queen of Kindergarten.
• Dr. Jenny Wang writes for CNBC’s “Make It” on how to reframe failure.
• Dr. Jenny Wang is featured on Good Morning America‘s inspiration list.
• Regina Brooks moderates the “Black Women, Black Voices: Debut Memoirists on Career and Publishing” panel at the U.S. Book Show, spotlighted by Publishers Weekly.
• Dr. Jenny Wang is interviewed on “All Of It with Alison Stewart”.
• jessica Care moore is featured in Beautiful Machine Magazine.
• Dr. Jenny Wang speaks on ABC’s AANHPI Month: “Tides of Change” panel.
• Shelter is reviewed by the Washington Post.
• The Queen of Kindergarten by Derrick Barnes and Vanessa Brantley-Newton, companion book to bestseller The King of Kindergarten, is included on Publishers Weekly‘s list of noteworthy picture book and novel sequels arriving May 2022.
• The Museum Lives in Me by debut author Victoria Scott-Miller is reviewed by Kirkus.
• Permission to Come Home is one of Bustle‘s most anticipated books of May 2022.
• Dr. Jenny Wang appears on Good Morning America to discuss her new book, Permission to Come Home.
• H is for Harlem, illustrated by April Harrison, receives a starred review from Kirkus.
• Celebrity hairstylist Kiyah Wright is interviewed by The Tease about her forthcoming book, From Beauty to Business.
• Arturo Nuñez is appointed to the Estee Lauder Board of Directors.
• J. Dillard and Akeem S. Roberts attend the 2022 Texas Library Association Conference.
• Shelter by Lawrence Jackson is reviewed in the Baltimore Sun.
• jessica Care moore read her new poem, “Her Crown Shines”, at a #WinWithBlackWomen prayer gathering to honor Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson’s Supreme Court appointment. Oprah Winfrey shared a video of the reading on Oprah Daily.
• Dream Street is included on School Library Journal‘s “Read Woke” picture book recommendation list.
• Mia Araujo’s illustration for the Washington Post wins an Award of Excellence at the Society for News Design Awards.
• jessica Care moore and the Daughters of Betty perform at the Charles H. Wright Museum.
• Ameerah Holliday is on the faculty for the SCBWI 2022 Tahquitz Writer’s Retreat.
• Augusta Savage receives its 5th starred review, this one from School Library Journal.
• Will Packer produces the 2022 Oscars ceremony.
• Serendipity CEO Regina Brooks is a faculty member for the Author Accelerator 2022 Nonfiction Book Incubator.
• Regina Brooks, Charles Kim, Kelly Thomas, Ameerah Holliday, Emma Loy-Santelli, and Sarah Leonard offer one-on-one sessions with prospective authors at the Association of Writers and Writing Programs (AWP) Conference, .
• Mighty Inside by Sundee T. Frazier is a 2022 Golden Kite Award finalist.
• Tommie Smith’s forthcoming graphic memoir, Victory. Stand!: Raising My Fist for Justice, is spotlighted by the Associated Press.

Winter:

• Gordon C. James and Sundee Frazier attend the 2022 African American Children’s Book Fair.
• “The Good Cop”, a 48 Hours special about decorated NYPD Detective and abuse survivor Katrina Brownlee, airs on CBS and Paramount+.
• Dr. Connie Wun is interviewed on “The ReidOut”.
• Cleo Edison Oliver and J.D. and the Great Barber Battle are used in EconEdLink’s webinar on young entrepreneurs in children’s chapter books.
• Augusta Savage: The Shape of a Sculptor’s Life is included on Kirkus‘ “Books for All Ages About Black Women Trailblazers” list.
• Dream Street is included on USA Today‘s list of children’s books to read for Black History Month.
• Vera Ahiyya is a panelist for Scholastic’s Share Black Stories: Parents Night event.
• Papa’s Free Day Party by Marilyn Nelson is included on the Children’s Book Council’s Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People list.
• Liberation Station Bookstore, founded by Serendipity author Victoria Scott-Miller, is spotlighted in Our State Magazine.
• Winning in Reverse, the biography of former NASCAR driver Bill Lester, inspires the creation of a short film titled “Defy the Odds”.
• “The One and Only Dick Gregory” is nominated for an NAACP Image Award.
• J.D. and the Great Barber Battle is reviewed by the Madison Public Library. J.D. and the Hair Show Showdown is recommended by Achievement First.
• Augusta Savage by Marilyn Nelson is included in Stacked‘s list of early 2022 YA nonfiction books.
• Augusta Savage by Marilyn Nelson and The Truth About White Lies by former Serendipity author Olivia A. Cole are both included in Book Riot‘s “Ultimate Guide to New Winter YA Books” list.
• The Black Comic Book Festival, co-organized by Deirdre Hollman of the Black Comics Collective, celebrates its 10th anniversary.
• Shirley Chisholm Dared! receives the 2022 Jane Addams Children’s Book Award.
• jessica Care moore performs at the 2022 songSLAM Festival.
• Mighty Inside by Sundee Frazier is the Cooperative Children’s Book Center’s Book of the Week.
• Tricia Elam Walker and Ekua Holmes’ Dream Street is featured on NPR’s Book of the Day series.
• Cleo Edison Oliver: Playground Millionaire by Sundee Frasier and J.D and the Great Barber Battle by J. Dillard are featured in EconEdLink‘s “Black History Month: Children’s Chapter Books Featuring Young Entrepreneurs” webinar.
• Serendipity client and acting coach Tracey Moore joins actor Joe Morton as a co-host of “Inside the Black Box”, a new series that spotlights people of color in the entertainment industry.
• J.D. and the Great Barber Battle is named a 2022 Charlotte Huck honor book.
• Shelter: A Black Tale of Homeland, Baltimore by Lawrence Jackson receives a starred review from Kirkus.
• Serendipity CEO Regina Brooks is interviewed on Musings with Jo Muse.
• Madison Butler of the Black Speakers Collection is featured in Forbes.
• Mighty Inside by Sundee Frazier is the Cooperative Children’s Book Center‘s Book of the Week.

Fall

• Junior Agent Ameerah Holliday is interviewed on From the Mixed-Up Files … of Middle-Grade Authors.
• Dream Street and J.D. and the Great Barber Battle are both included in School Library Journal’s “Best Books of 2021” list.
• Nana Akua Goes to School by Tricia Elam Walker and April Harrison is one of WMFE‘s diverse children’s media recommendations.
• Author, quilter, and activist Kim Taylor is interviewed about her work by the LI Herald.
• The reprinted edition of Dick Gregory’s Natural Diet for Folks Who Eat is included in Press Herald‘s “The Best Vegan and Vegetarian Cookbooks of the Year” list.
• Dream Street is included on the New York Times’ “25 Best Children’s Books of 2021” list and spotlighted on NPR’s “Picture This” series.
• J.D. and the Great Barber Battle is spotlighted by Brightly
• Stone Mims is interviewed about his writing process by The New School.
• The King of Kindergarten is adapted into a story walk by the East Hartford Public Library.
• Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut is included in the Fades, Fros, & Books Initiative to encourage reading among kids in barbershops.
• J.D. and the Great Barber Battle is selected as a 2022 NCTE Charlotte Huck Award Honor book.
• Mighty Inside by Sundee T. Frazier receives a starred review from Publishers Weekly. 
• The King of Kindergarten by Derrick Barnes is featured on the BBC’s “CBeebies Bedtime Story” series, read by “Bridgerton” star Regé-Jean Page.
• Marilyn Nelson participates in We Are Teachers’ Young People’s Poetry Day celebration.
• Regina Brooks is featured in a Publishers Weekly article about the current middle grade literary landscape.
• Dead Prez’s legacy of political and social commentary is spotlighted in New York Magazine.
• I Am Every Good Thing is included on Brightly‘s list of picture books to help raise resilient kids.
• jessica Care moore is honored with a Courage award by the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History.
• Junior agent Ameerah Holliday participates in the SCBWI First Pages panel, and is a judge for the Fall Writing Frenzy contest.
• Junior agent Jiton Sharmayne Davidson is a faculty member for the SCBWI L.A. Working Writer’s Retreat.
• Celebrity hairstylist Kiyah Wright is spotlighted by Forbes.
• Junior Agent Kelly Thomas participates in a New York Women in Film and Television panel on the business of film and TV adaptations.
• jessica Care moore’s poetry is included in Davóne Tines’ devised work Concerto No 1: SERMON.
• Will Packer is selected to produce the 2022 Oscars telecast.
• Sundee Frazier’s acclaimed middle grade book Mighty Inside is spotlighted in the Spokane Spokesman.
• Augusta Savage: The Shape of a Sculptor’s Life by Marilyn Nelson receives a starred review from Booklist.
• I Am Every Good Thing is shortlisted for the 2021 Hampshire Illustrated Book Award.
• Sundee Frazier is interviewed about Mighty Inside by Kiantha Duncan of Northwest Passages Book Club.
• Mackenzie Littledale becomes a contributor to Psychology Today, writing about mental health issues in BIPOC communities.
• Tricia Elam Walker and Ekua Holmes are interviewed about Dream Street by Roger Sutton of The Horn Book.
• The McClure Twins are interviewed about Make It Fashion by fellow Serendipity client Victoria Scott-Miller of Liberation Station Bookstore.
• Dream Street is included on Book Riot’s list of “12 Must-Read November Children’s Book Releases”.
• Jesse Byrd talks about children’s literature with The Grio.
• Derrick Barnes takes part in the book launch event for The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story.
• Dream Street is featured in the New York Times.
• Augusta Savage: The Shape of a Sculptor’s Life by Marilyn Nelson receives a starred review from Publishers Weekly and is reviewed by Shelf Awareness
• J.D. and the Great Barber Battle is included on the New York Public Library’s list of book recommendations for classroom libraries.
• Shelter: A Black Tale of Homeland, Baltimore by Lawrence Jackson is reviewed by Publishers Weekly.
• Regina Brooks is a faculty member of the Funny Women of Kidlit Confab, hosted by the Writing Barn.

Summer

• Marcus Hunter begins writing a new column for USA Today.
• Shawn Martinbrough illustrates ABC’s “Mike Tyson: The Knockout”.
• Junior agent Kelly Thomas participates in ThrillerFest 2021.
• Shawn Martinbrough is nominated for an Eisner Award for Prométhée 13:13.
• Papa’s Free Day Party by Marilyn Nelson is included on Poets.org’s “Summer Poetry Reading List for Young Readers”.
• “The One and Only Dick Gregory” documentary premieres at the Tribeca Film Festival, and is discussed on “Good Morning America”.
• I Am Every Good Thing by Derrick Barnes and Gordon C. James wins a 2021 Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor.
• Lera Auerbach wins a Marsh Hawk Press Poetry Prize for her poem “Morning Music”.
• J.D. and the Great Barber Battle is included in the Raptors 905 Summer Reading Challenge
• Ava and Alexis McClure and their book, Make It Fashion, are spotlighted by Black Enterprise, “Good Day Sacramento”, and WTKR.
• Mighty Inside by Sundee Frazier is reviewed by LIT Lessons.
• Ted and Yong Kim of Seoul Sausage and Han Hwang of Kim Jong Grillin’ make it to the final round of the Food Network’s “Great Food Truck Race All Stars”.
• Tommie Smith provides commentary on protests and the Olympics for the New York Times.
• Khnum “Stic” Ibomu discusses mental health and meditation on the RBG Fit Club Podcast.
• I Am Every Good Thing is nominated for a Black-Eyed Susan Award.
• Dream Street by Tricia Elam Walker and Ekua Holmes receives starred reviews from Kirkus, Horn Book Magazine, Booklist, Publishers Weekly, and School Library Journal.
• Regina Brooks and junior agent Ameerah Holliday take part in the 2021 SCBWI BIG FIVE-OH Conference.
• Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut by Derrick Barnes and Gordon C. James is included in Greater Good Magazine’s list of “Nine Picture Books That Illuminate Black Joy”.
• Ria Sim’s artwork is featured on NY1’s “Feel Good Friday”.
• The King of Kindergarten by Derrick Barnes is included on Today’s list of “The 21 Best Back-to-School Books for Kids to Calm First Day Jitters”.
• Dream Street by Tricia Elam Walker and Ekua Holmes is included on We Are Teachers’ list of “6 Books and Activities to Reinforce Classroom Community”.
• jessica Care moore is featured on Common’s new album, “A Beautiful Revolution Pt. 2”.
• J.D. and the Family Business by J. Dillard is included on Black Children’s Books and Authors’ list of books to celebrate National Black Business Month.
• MaryAnne Howland, author of the book Warrior Rising, shares scriptwriting tips on the Hollywood Creative Forum.
• Denise Adusei participates in the Author’s Guild’s discussion on “Centering Black Voices: Short-Term Progress or Sustainable Change?”.

Spring

• Nana Akua Goes to School wins a 2021 Children’s Africana Book Award for its authentic and empowering depiction of Ghanaian culture.
• I Am Every Good Thing is included on the Horn Book’s 2021 Summer Reading List
• Gordon C. James creates the cover artwork for Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich’s new novel, It Doesn’t Take a Genius.
• Dr. Claire Nicogossian is featured on WFLA.
• J. Dillard appears at the 2021 San Antonio Book Festival
• Ava and Alexis McClure interview former First Lady Michelle Obama to help promote her new show, “Waffles and Mochi”.
• John Legend’s album “Bigger Love”, with cover artwork by Serendipity client Charly Palmer, wins Best R&B Album at the 2021 GRAMMYs.
• Regina Brooks is a panelist on the “Call My Agent: Launch a Creative Career” panel for the Center for Communication.
• NASCAR racer Bill Lester’s return to the track is spotlighted in The Charlotte Observer.
• Regina Brooks is quoted in a Publishers Weekly article on the impact of the COVID lockdown.
• Dream Street by Tricia Elam Walker and Ekua Holmes and Shirley Chisholm Dared, illustrated by April Harrison, are featured in a Publishers Weekly article announcing Anne Schwartz Books’ inaugural list.
• Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut by Derrick Barnes and Gordon C. James is recommended in a USA Today article on increasing diversity in children’s toys and literature.
• J. Dillard is interviewed in School Library Journal about J.D. and the Great Barber Battle.
• Winning in Reverse: Defying the Odds and Achieving Dreams by Bill Lester is reviewed in Jalopnik.
• Tricia Elam Walker takes part in a conversation on WBUR about the withdrawal of several Dr. Seuss books for containing offensive imagery.
• jessica Care moore takes part in National Sawdust’s “Fire This Time” series.
• jessica Care moore’s poem “Where Are the People”, a love letter to the Cass Corridor neighborhood of Detroit, is turned into a mini-film directed by Booker Snow, with cinematography by Donavan Glover and music by Trey Simon.
• Dr. Claire Nicogossian is quoted in a KPIX article on the psychological impacts of anti-Asian hate incidents.
• jessica Care moore presents her work at the Obsidian Theatre Festival and contributes to the Daughters of Sonia Sanchez Poetry Salute.
• Shawn Martinbrough gives a workshop on storytelling in comics at the 2021 Comic and Cartoon Art Week.
• jessica Care moore is included in Essence‘s “20 Poets You Should Know” list, and is a session facilitator at the 2021 Black Women’s Wellness Retreat.
• Marilyn Nelson discusses her new book, Papa’s Free Day Party, during her book launch with AALBC.
• Regina Brooks is a panelist at the 2021 Belize Writers’ Conference, ASJA Writers Conference, the 2nd Annual National Antiracist Book Festival, and Muse and the Marketplace.
• I Am Every Good Thing by Derrick Barnes and Gordon C. James wins the Bank Street Claudia Lewis Award.
• Derrick Barnes is selected Male Author of the Year at the 2021 AAMBC Awards.
• Kiyah Wright appears on Access Daily.
• Marilyn Nelson is included on USA Today’s list of “Black YA Authors You Should Read”, and is spotlighted on “A Writer’s Moment”.
• Marcus Anthony Hunter moderated a panel at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books about the Black experience across book genres, and was quoted in a Los Angeles Times article about Richard Wright’s newly restored novel, The Man Who Lived Underground.
• Nana Akua Goes to School is nominated for a Red Clover Book Award.
• Jerry Won, creator and host of “Dear Asian Americans”, partners with McDonald’s for their #WeAreAPA photo series.
• Nana Akua Goes to School is included on The Baltimore Sun‘s list of beach reads.
• Dream Street by Tricia Elam Walker and Ekua Holmes is spotlighted at the 2021 U.S. Book Show.
• jessica Care moore comments on the lasting impact of Marvin Gaye’s song “What’s Going On” for USA Today.
• Gordon C. James’ cover art for It Doesn’t Take a Genius by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich is selected by the Society of Illustrators for their Illustrators 64 exhibition.
• I Am Every Good Thing wins the 2021 Charlotte Huck Award. 
• Tricia Elam Walker wins the 2021 Ezra Jack Keats Writer Award for Nana Akua Goes to School.
• Derrick Barnes and J. Dillard are panelists at the 2021 Kweli Color of Children’s Literature Conference.
• The McClure twins are featured in a photoshoot for American Girl Doll.
• J.D. and the Great Barber Battle is spotlighted by Black Nerd Problems.

Winter

• J.D. and the Great Barber Battle is spotlighted by Lipstick Alley
• Trailblazing NASCAR driver Bill Lester is interviewed by JTG Racing owner Brad Daugherty, SpeedFreaks, “All Of It with Alison Stewart”, and CBS This Morning about his new memoir, Winning in Reverse: Defying the Odds and Achieving Dreams.
• Poet and activist jessica Care moore is spotlighted as a trailblazer of social justice by Ford as part of their celebration of Black History Month.
• Dr. Claire Nicogossian is featured on VeryWell Health, KLAS, KMGH, and Inside Scoop.
• I Am Every Good Thing wins a BookPal OWL (Outstanding Works of Literature) Award.
• Barberpreneur” J. Dillard talks with Kokila editor Joanna Cárdenas about bad haircuts and his debut children’s book, J.D. and the Great Barber Battle.

Fall

• Nana Akua Goes to School by Tricia Elam Walker and April Harrison is Booklist’s Top of the List 2020 Picture Book selection, and is included on NBC’s list of “10 Amazing Books to Inspire Young Girls to Know Their Value” and Owasso Library’s Top 10 Picture Books of 2020 list.
• Ed Gordon is featured on an episode of “Reid This Reid That” with Joy-Ann and Jacque Reid
• Let ‘Er Buck: George Fletcher, the People’s Champion, illustrated by Gordon C. James, is nominated for a 2022 Grand Canyon Reader Award.
• I Am Every Good Thing is included on the TIME Best YA and Children’s Books of 2020 list, the Chicago Public Library’s Best Picture Books of 2020 list, the New York Public Library’s Best Books for Kids 2020 list, Book Riot’s 20 Must Read 2020 Picture Books list, NPR’s Best Books of 2020 list,the Smithsonian’s Ten Best Children’s Books of 2020 list, the Horn Book’s Fanfare 2020, Booklist, Today’s 25 Best Books for Kids, Tweens and Teens in 2020 list, Owasso Library’s Top 10 Picture Books of 2020 list, and GMA Book Club’s 2020 book picks list.
• I Am Every Good Thing by Derrick Barnes and Gordon C. James receives a starred review from Horn Book.
• Dr. Claire Nicogossian is featured on FoxLA, Fox26 Houston, and Huffington Post.
• jessica Care moore’s poetry collection We Want Our Bodies Back is featured in Essence.
• Gordon C. James is selected as a finalist for the 2020 Will Rodgers Medallion Awards for his work on the picture book Let ‘Er Buck: George Fletcher, the People’s Champion.
• “Bookmarks”, a new Netflix show that aims to highlight Black voices in children’s literature, selects Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut by Derrick Barnes and Gordon C. James as part of its lineup. It will be read aloud by “Stranger Things” star Caleb McLaughlin.
• Aaron Smith, author of In the Black, is featured in the New York Times.
• Dr. Claire Nicogossian discusses Mama, You are Enough on WUSA9.
• Ed Gordon is interviewed about Conversations in Black in Lead360 Magazine.
• Derrick Barnes and Gordon C. James appear on the “Drew Barrymore Show”.
• Olivia A. Cole discusses her picture book Time to Roar with Gabrielle Union.
• jessica Care moore’s work is featured in Wayne State Galleries’ “In the Air: Voices from Detroit and Beyond” exhibition.
• Dr. Robert Gore is #9 on The Root’s list of the 100 most influential African Americans in 2020 for his work combatting COVID-19.
• Regina Brooks and Serendipity Literary Agency are featured in Forbes.
• Dr. Marcus Hunter speaks at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation conference.
• Ed Gordon and jessica Care moore are honored at the 2020 African American Literary Awards. Gordon’s Conversations in Black wins Best Nonfiction and Best Anthology, and moore’s We Want Our Bodies Back wins Best Poetry.
• Dr. David Warmflash appears on the “Weekly Space Hangout” show.
• I Am Every Good Thing by Derrick Barnes and Gordon C. James is featured on Walmart Storytime.
• jessica Care moore presents her work at Revolution Books’ “A Night of Bold Verse” poetry event.
• Derrick Barnes and Gordon C. James are interviewed by John Schu on Scholastic Book Fairs’ Book Joy Live.
• I Am Every Good Thing is included on Publishers Weekly‘s “Best Books of 2020” list.
• Derrick Barnes and Gordon C. James are interviewed on NPR.
• Gordon C. James is spotlighted on WBTV.
• Ed Gordon anchors an NAACP-sponsored election night event.
• Derrick Barnes and Gordon C. James win the 2020 Kirkus Prize for I Am Every Good Thing, becoming the first multi-year recipients in the award’s history.
• jessica Care moore is an opening keynote speaker at the National Black Writers Conference 2020.
• Dr. Claire Nicogossian is interviewed on PIX11.
• Ed Gordon and his book, Conversations in Black, are spotlighted in The Network Journal.
• Serendipity junior agent Kelly Thomas appears on the “Manuscript Academy” podcast.
• Shawn Martinbrough talks with SYFY Wire about his new graphic novel, Prometheé 13:13.
• Dr. Claire Nicogossian is featured on KTVU.
• jessica Care moore discusses her book, We Want Our Bodies Back, on “Beyond the Mic” with Sean Dillon.
• I Am Every Good Thing by Derrick Barnes and Gordon C. James debuts at #5 on the NYT Bestsellers List.
• I Am Every Good Thing by Derrick Barnes and Gordon C. James wins the 2020 NCTE Charlotte Huck Award for Outstanding Fiction for Children.
• I Am Every Good Thing by Derrick Barnes and Gordon C. James receives starred reviews from Booklist, School Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, and the Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books.
• Conversations in Black: On Power, Politics, and Leadership by journalist Ed Gordon is included on Essence’s list of “6 Books That Celebrate Being Black and Proud”.
• Shawn Martinbrough contributes illustrations to Vanity Fair‘s “The Great Fire” issue.

Summer

• Award-winning illustrator Charly Palmer creates cover artwork for TIME Magazine and John Legend’s album “Bigger Love”.
• jessica Care moore’s poetry collection We Want Our Bodies Back is featured in Vogue, Teen Vogue, and Popsugar.
• Emergency physician Dr. Rob Gore’s work combatting the Covid-19 pandemic is spotlighted by the BBC and in National Geographic.
• Derrick Barnes writes Percy and the Lioness, a Thomas & Friends-affiliated bedtime story, for the Calm relaxation app.
• Retired NASCAR driver Bill Lester is interviewed on CNN about racism within the motorsports industry.
• Nana Akua Goes to School by Tricia Elam Walker and April Harrison receives starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, and School Library Journal.
• Derrick Barnes and Gordon C. James discuss their picture book collaborations on Drew Barrymore and Dr. Aliza Pressman’s parenting series.
• Derrick Barnes is interviewed about his prolific writing career by Entertainment Weekly.
• I Am Every Good Thing by Derrick Barnes and Gordon C. James receives a starred review from Kirkus.
• Serendipity Literary Agency and president/lead agent Regina Brooks are spotlighted by Publishers Weekly in honor of the agency’s 20th anniversary.
• Psychologist Dr. Claire Nicogossian is interviewed about her book, Mama, You Are Enough, on WJAR.
• I Am Every Good Thing is the September 2020 selection for Parents’ Raising the Future book club.
• Regina Brooks take part in a panel called “Changing the Narrative: Diversity in the Publishing Industry”, hosted by the Aspen Institute.
• Regina Brooks interviews Maurice Carlos Ruffin, author of We Cast a Shadow, as part of the Virtual AWP series.
• Derrick Barnes and Gordon C. James are interviewed by BookPage about their picture book, I Am Every Good Thing.
• Regina Brooks and jessica Care moore are interviewed in Poets & Writers about the relationship between poets and their agents.
• Dr. Claire Nicogossian is featured on the Courageously.u podcast.
• Serendipity agents-in-training Nadine Pinede and Jiton Davidson are recipients of the We Need Diverse Books 2020 internship grant.
• Gordon James takes part in a discussion about creating and preserving a literary space for Black boys and young men, hosted by Just Us Books.

Spring

• Ed Gordon is featured on The Real.
• Dr. Marcus Hunter, creator of the Black Lives Matter hashtag, co-authors legislation to establish the first U.S. Commission on Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation.
• Nana Akua Goes to School by Tricia Elam Walker and April Harrison receives a starred review from Booklist.
• jessica Care moore’s poetry collection We Want Our Bodies Back is featured in Your Tango and Amsterdam News.
• Derrick Barnes’ nonfiction debut Who Got Game? Baseball receives a starred review from School Library Journal. 

Winter

• Conversations in Black: On Power, Politics, and Leadership by journalist Ed Gordon is featured on The Root, “Make It Plain with Mark Thompson”, “The Breakfast Club” with Chalemagne the God,  BET, “Jemele Hill is Unbothered”, and is included on Essence’s list of “6 Books That Celebrate Being Black and Proud”.
• Record executive Drew Dixon’s story of her 1995 rape by her boss is featured in the HBO Max documentary “On the Record”, which premiers at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival.

Fall

• Derrick Barnes’ nonfiction debut Who Got Game? Baseball receives a starred review from Kirkus. 

Spring

• Joshunda Sanders announces first picture book in a two-book series being published by Six Foot Press, I Can Write the World, at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair during a panel titled “Black Books Matter.”
• Award-winning author and journalist Joshunda Sanders wins 2019 Voices of Color Fellowship from Martha’s Vineyard Institute for Creative Writing.

Winter

• Let ‘Er Buck!: George Fletcher, The People’s Champion, a new picture book written by acclaimed author Vaunda Micheaux Nelson and illustrated by Caldecott Honoree and Serendipity client Gordon James, receives four starred reviews (from Publisher’s Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Booklist, and School Library Journal).

Fall

• Newbery Honor-winning author Derrick Barnes and Caldecott Honor-winning illustrator Gordon James win the 2018 Kirkus Prize for Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut.
• Turn Me Loose, the one-man play depicting writer, comedian, and civil rights activist Dick Gregory’s extraordinary life, moves to DC from Sept 6th- Oct 14th, 2018. The play will feature Obie Award winner and former stand up comic Edwin Lee Gibson in the leading role.

Summer

• Chester B. Himes: A Biography, Lawrence Jackson’s Edgar Award-winning biography, is part of the select few to be chosen as semi-finalists for the inaugural MAHH Stone Book Award
• Lead agent and CEO of Serendipity Literary Agency, Regina Brooks is featured in Poets & Writers.
• Author, sports enthusiast, and founder of RFL Communications, Bob Lederer is featured on Joe & Evan, a New York- based sports talk radio, to talk about his book Beyond Broadway Joe: The Super Bowl TEAM That Changed Football.
• Artist, author, TEDx speaker, and art educator Shawn Martinbrough is featured in USA Today in an article entitled, How I Became a Black Panther, Hellboy, and Deadpool Comic Artist.
• Award-winning author and journalist Joshunda Sanders wins Bronx Recognizes Its Own Award (BRIO) from Bronx Council on the Arts.
• Author Michelle Gadsden-Williams is nominated for the 2018 African American Literary Awards for her book, Climb:Taking Every Step with Conviction, Courage, and Calculated Risk to Achieve a Thriving Career and a Successful Life.

Spring

• Award-winning global diversity expert, activist, and philanthropist Michelle Gadsen-Williams is featured in a blog titled From Counting to Inclusion: Diversity Director’s Climb To Success by Take the Lead, following the release of her book, CLIMB: Taking Every Step with Conviction, Courage, and Calculated Risk to Achieve a Thriving Career and Successful Life.
• Lawrence P. Jackson, a writer, historian and Bloomberg distinguished professor, wins the Edgar Award for Best Critical/Biographical work with his book Chester B. Himes: A Biography.
• Saru Jayaraman, activist and author of Forked: A New Standard for American Dining, is being recognized by InStyle as one of their “Badass 50” for her work with immigrant workers.
• Gordon James wins the 2018 Sonia Lynn Sadler Award for Illustration during Salisbury University’s 17th Annual Children’s and Young Adult Literature Festival. 

Winter

• Author, poet, blogger, and winner of Serendipity’s 5th YA Discovery Contest, Olivia Cole receives great reception at the successful launch party for her YA novel, A Conspiracy of Stars.
• Defining Moments in Black History: Reading Between the Lies, the last important book by the legendary comedian and activist Dick Gregory, wins the 2018 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work of Nonfiction.

Fall 2017

• Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut selected as one of Publishers Weekly’s Best Books of 2017
• Lawrence Jackson’s Chester B. Himes: A Biography is nominated by NAACP in the category of Best Outstanding Literary Work- Biography/ Autobiography

Spring 2017

• Saru Jayaraman helps organize women’s rally at the Department of Labor in Washington, D.C
• Tracey Moore is interviewed by WSJ about hosting new show on experience of Black actors
• Valerie Graves and Regina Brooks talk new book and becoming a writer on BK Live
• Regina Brooks teaches She Writes University class, Secrets to Securing an Agent!

Fall 2016

• Marilyn Nelson Wins 2017 NSK Neustadt Prize in Children’s Literature
• The Writer Magazine features advice From Regina Brooks

Winter 2016

• Eclipse, co-produced by Randolph Sturrup, featured in Broadway World Media article
• Forked by Saru Jayaraman is featured in NPR article “‘Forked’ Rates Restaurants On How They Treat Their Workers”
• Saru Jayaraman is interviewed by The Leonard Lopate Show in episode titled “When Restaurants Exploit Workers, Customers Can’t Ignore It”
• Forked by Saru Jayaraman is featured in Grist article “‘U.S. food industry workers are pretty forked over”
• Forked by Saru Jayaraman is featured in Food & Wine article “New Book Slams Restaurants That Treat Workers Poorly
• Kent Babb’s Not a Game: The Incredible Rise and Unthinkable Fall of Allen Iverson is short-listed for 2016’s PEN/ESPN Award for Literary Sports Writing
• Saru Jayaramn writes on the realities of the restaurant industry in Time article “The Hidden Cost of Waiting Tables”
• Serendipity author Marilyn Nelson is featured in Buzzfeed’s “5 YA Books You Should Be Reading This January,”for her novel-in-verse American Ace

Fall 2015

• Beth speaks on the Kathryn Zox Show episode “Weight Wagering and Embracing Imperfection”
• At 2015’s Stevie Awards, the world’s top honors for women entrepreneurs, executives, employees, and the organizations they run, Regina Brooks is named one of the Bronze Stevie Award Winners for Female Executive of the Year in her category
• Kent Babb’s Not a Game: The Incredible Rise and Unthinkable Fall of Allen Iverson is long-listed for 2016’s PEN/ESPN Award for Literary Sports Writing
• My Seneca Village by Marilyn Nelson receives Booklist Starred Review
• American Ace by Marilyn Nelson receives Kirkus Starred Review
• Regina Brooks is announced as a finalist for 2015’s Stevie Awards, the world’s top honors for women entrepreneurs, executives, employees, and the organizations they run.
• Regina Brooks is announced as one of the forty honorees of Publisher’s Weekly’s inaugural Star Watch Program

Fall 2014

• Regina Brooks conducts a webinar for Writers Digest University for anyone interested in getting their memoirs published

Summer 2014

• Regina Brooks speaks at Writer’s Digest Conference in NYC