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Vandella Brown

Born: April 23, 1952 in Senatobia, MS
Connection to Illinois: Brown was a manager at the Illinois State Library in Springfield.

Biography: Vandella Brown, a librarian and a former diversity program director, has written a new book. It's "A Santa Claus' Story: When Santa Claus Was A Black Man," (Lumen-us Inc., 2021). Her other writings include: "Mouse, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," (Tate Publishing 2014), Celebrating the Family: Steps to Planning Family Reunions (Ancestry, 1991), What Is a Zawadi to We? (Lumen-us, 2007) and is a contributing writer to the books, Mentoring in Librarianship (McFarland, 2012), The Frugal Librarian (ALA, 2011), and Writing and Publishing: The Librarian's Handbook (ALA, 2010). She is the winner of the Illinois Library Association’s Hugh C. Atkinson Memorial/DEMCO Award for outstanding work in libraries. She obtained her professional library degree from the University of Iowa School of Library and Information Science. She assisted with research for the television mini-series, "Roots: The Second Generation," for Studio City; articles on library science, including African-American Fiction: A Slamming Genre (American Libraries, November 1997, and magazines and book reviews for community journals. A SANTA CLAUS'S STORY: WHEN SANTA CLAUS WAS A BLACK MAN is a new book by Vandella Brown. Now is the time to tell the truth. Yes, there is a Black Santa Claus. A Santa Claus Story: When Santa Claus’ Was a Black Man is a fantasy, a historical perspective, and a true story of when Saint Nick became a Black man. While children are shopping in the mall, they sight an old griot (storyteller) dressed like a Black Santa Claus. This new sight starts them to wonder when did Saint Nicholas become an African-American Santa Claus. The old Griot tells the children when Santa became a Black man. Santa is a young African-American, disabled disc jockey who delivers gifts as a Santa Claus when protest and civil disobedience threatens the children’s Christmas spirit. This is the first book to contain a history of the Black Santa Claus. This fun tale, in epic form, shares the creativity, magic, spirit, and diversity of Christmas. The story includes a brief history about Fred Parker and other African American Santa Clauses while shedding light on the reality of the Black Santa Claus. Enjoy this epic by reading it out loud and gifting it to family and friends. More at Lumen-us Publishing (thehotreads.com). RICHARD WRIGHT LITERARY AWARDS. Vandella Brown has received the Nomination Certificate for Children's Literature for her book, A Santa Claus' Story: When Santa Claus Was A Blackman from the Memphis Public Library (TN) and 2022 Richard Wright Literary Awards.


Awards:
  • A Santa Claus' Story: When Santa Claus Was A Blackman Nomination Certificate for Children's Literature, RICHARD WRIGHT LITERARY AWARD, Memphis Public Library (TN), 2022
  • Other Awards Hugh C. Atkinson Memorial/DEMCO Award, Illinois Library Association, 2010; Letter of Recognition for research on Alex Haley's Roots: The Second Generation, Second City, 1997

Primary Literary Genre(s): Fiction; Non-Fiction

Primary Audience(s): Adult readers; Children

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vandella-brown-mls-aa216710
Web: https://www.ila.org/support-ila/illinois-library-luminaries/illinois-library-luminary-honorees


Selected Titles

A Santa Claus' Story: When Santa Claus was a Black
ISBN: B0B122T4DT OCLC:

Lumen-Us Publishing House 2022

Now is the time to tell the truth. Yes, there is a Black Santa Claus. The book, A Santa Claus' Story: When Santa Claus Was a Black Man, is a fantasy, a historical perspective, and a true story of when Saint Nick became a Black man. While children are shopping in the mall, they sight an old griot (storyteller) dressed as a Black Santa Claus. This new sight starts them to wonder when did Saint Nicholas become an African American Santa Claus? Learn when in this delightful epic.This fun tale shares the creativity, magic, spirit, and diversity of Christmas. This is the first children's book to contain a documented history of the Black Santa Claus. The story includes a brief history of Fred Parker and other African American Santa Clauses. Enjoy this epic by reading it out loud and gifting it to family and friends.

  Celebrating the Family: Steps to Planning a Family Reunion
ISBN: 0916489469 OCLC: 22242581

Myfamily.Com Salt Lake City, UT : Families everywhere are coming together to celebrate their common heritage, and proper planning is the key to a successful family reunion. Now there is a source to help you.Through a series of vivid yet practical steps, Van Brown leads the reader step-by-step through the procedures of creating an unforgettable family celebration. In handy workbook form, this book contains all the necessary information, including forms, checklists, and sample letters.Begin today to plan your reunion, and bring the family together.

Mouse Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas Day
ISBN: 1634180453 OCLC: 927003729

Tate Publishing Company 2014

"Sweetie Pie, have yourself a merry little Christmastime" is what Mouse's mother said. Sweetie Pie Mouse has hurt her foot and can't go home for Christmas. She uses her cell phone to plan a wonderful day but discovers that she still pines for home and family and is bored on Christmas day until an unforeseen little thing like giving gifts enlightens her day. Meet the delightful friends and family that Sweetie Pie Mouse is connected to in a holiday story of diversity and sharing.

What is a ZaWadi to We?
ISBN: 0979486297 OCLC: 191820948

Lumen-us Publications Park Forest, IL : 2007

While walking in a park, an African American family, who celebrates Kwanzaa, meets and old storyteller, who tells them the meaning of Kwanzaa gifts called Zawadi. This American story is filled with learnings about the African American holiday called Kwanzaa. A glossy assists the reader with definitions, pronunciations, phrases, symbols and explanation of practices. As a picture book, the colorful paper family images and collage add depth and imagination to the story and African American history. The poetic verse adds rhyme, rap, and imagery, making the story a one-of-a-kind fun and creative account. Along with understanding a meaning behind Kwanzaa, another new tradition is introduced with this book on gifting. Readers will want to prepare loving, inexpensive gifts and stand in a circle while reading this tale. It's all a part of the fantasy. Although a story celebrating Kwanzaa, it is a story that can be used for any gift-giving occasion even birthdays or Christmas.

 

 

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