December Bestsellers, The Best Picture Books of 2020, Eric Jerome Dickey Passes - 1/5/2021

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In honor of Zora Neale Hurston’s birthday and the paperback publication of Hitting a Straight Lick with a Crooked Stick, Amistad is proud to offer this unprecedented free audiobook giveaway of Their Eyes Were Watching God. The giveaway is only valid Thursday, January 7th 2021. Redeem Your Free Audiobook ▶

The Best African American Children’s Picture Books for 2020

This list was compiled by the African American Children’s Book Project (AACBP). They have supported the literary needs of the nation since 1992. The not-for-profit organization was formed to promote and preserve children’s literature written by or about African Americans. Since its inception they have emphasized, “A Book Opens Up a World of Opportunities.” Their signature event is The African American Children’s Book Fair — since 1992 — is one of the largest single-day gatherings for diverse children’s books in the country. Picture books are one of the most popular categories purchased at this event. Twenty-Twenty was a banner year for Black picture books. While there was a lot of buzz about children’s social justice titles many missed some of the best books of our generation featured on our list. The AACBP believes if you want to educate on social justice you have to teach Black history. Review the entire list and consider purchasing a book for a youngster in your life.

Bestselling Books for November/December - 2020

Our bestsellers list has been published continuously since 1998 and is the most visible list focused on Black Books in existence. You will learn about books selling well, in the Black community, that may never show up on lists published by larger corporate entities. There were 61 bestselling books in the four categories we track; Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, and Children’s Books (which includes all genres and age ranges, from Board Books to Young Adult) .

F.R.E.S.H. Book Festival: January 8 – 9, 2021

The F.R.E.S.H. Book Festival is an engaging weekend of entertainment in the forms of film, books, author presentations, focus groups, and of course, good music. Traditionally, authors travel to F.R.E.S.H. for a time to network with fellow authors, meet with readers and fans, and yes, sell books! In 2021, F.R.E.S.H. goes virtual and international with BAMM! Books Authors Movies & Music. F.R.E.S.H. Book Festival 2021 promises to be epic, as they celebrate 10 years of bringing authors, readers, and the community together! AALBC’s participated in the 2020 Festival and will be participating again this year on Friday. Check out the Virtual Program Guide for the Festival.

Eric Jerome Dickey Passes (July 7, 1961 – January 3, 2021)

I just learned of Eric’s passing a few minutes ago. He transitioned on Sunday and was just 59 years old. The entire literary community is devastated, because Eric, besides being an entertaining writer, was just a good Brother. Eric published at least 30 novels, over a career that spanned almost a quarter of a century. He has consistently dominated AALBC’s bestsellers lists and is one of our Top 100 Bestseller Authors. In 2000, he was voted one of our “50 Favorite African-American Authors of the 20th Century.” He will be missed.

Dear Reader, Eric Jerome Dickey’s loss hit me hard, and my initial reaction was that the book world sustained a great loss. But that is the wrong way to look at it; the reality is the world has been made much richer because Eric was with us for almost 60 years. His books will continue to bring joy and smiles to the faces of many more readers. I will do my part to celebrate his legacy. As always, you are why I’ve been able to provide this platform to celebrate Black culture through books. Your paid subscription helps support this effort. Peace and Love, Troy Johnson Founder & Webmaster, AALBC.com

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