Eloise Greenfield

Eloise Greenfield photo

Eloise Greenfield is a 1-Time AALBC.com Bestselling Author

Eloise Greenfield (May 17, 1929 – August 5, 2021) was famous for her descriptive, rhythmic style and positive portrayal of the black experience. Her impressive list of books for young people includes The Friendly Four, a Texas 2x2 Reading List book for 2007, and In the Land of Words, an NCTE 2005 Notable Children’s Book in the Language Arts, both illustrated by Jan Spivey Gilchrist, as well as Honey, I Love and Other Love Poems, named a distinguished book by the Association of Children’s Librarians. She is a recipient of the Virginia Hamilton Literary Award; the Coretta Scott King Award; the Milner Award; the Hope S. Dean Award from the Foundation for Children’s Literature; and the NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children. Ms. Greenfield lives in Washington, D.C.

Dismayed by the depiction of blacks and black communities in popular media, Greenfield has focused her work on realistic but positive portrayals of African-American communities, families and friendships. These relationships are emphasized in Sister (1974) a young girl copes with the death of a parent with the help of other family members, Me and Nessie (1975) about best friends, My Daddy and I (1991) and Big Friend, Little Friend (1991) about mentoring.  Her first book, Bubbles (1972), “sets the tone for much of Greenfield’s later work: Realistic portrayals of loving African American parents working hard to provide for their families, and the children who face life’s challenges with a positive outlook.”

…my mission has been to write for children and to try to enhance their love for words, because I think that children are all born with this love for language and words, and I want to enhance that. I want make them laugh. I want to give them ideas. I want them to see how beautiful they are. I want them to be reflected their work … I want them to love literature.”

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34 Books by Eloise Greenfield