Walter Dean Myers, Author
- Bio: 1937-2014; American writer of books for young people; raised in Harlem; used writing to escape tough childhood; dropped out of high school to join the Army on his 17th birthday; inspired to write novels after reading Sonny’s Blues by James Baldwin; wrote over 100 books during his 45-year career; National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature from 2012-2013 and used the slogan, “Reading is Not Optional”; We Need Diverse Books named a grant and award after him for his call for a more complete representation of Black people in children’s books
- Other Works: Fast Sam, Cool Clyde, and Stuff (1975); The Golden Serpent (1980); Hoops (1981); Motown and Didi: A Love Story (1984); Invasion (2013)
- Awards: Coretta Scott King Award (1997); ALA Best Book for Young Adults (1997); M.