- Lee & Low Books
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Lee & Low Books 
Founded 1991 Founder Philip Lee and Tom Low Country of origin 
United StatesHeadquarters location New York City Key people Tom Low (President)
Jason Low (Vice President, Publisher)
Craig Low (Vice President, Publisher of Bebop Books)Publication types Books Official website www.leeandlow.com
Lee & Low Books is an independent children's book publisher focusing on diversity.Contents
History
Lee & Low was founded in 1991 by Chinese Americans Tom Low and Philip Lee as a children's book publisher specializing in books featuring people of color and one of the few minority-owned publishing companies in the United States[1]. Low says, "There was a void in children's books. Most of the books were targeted to Caucasians or contained animals or fairy tales. There was nothing dealing with contemporary issues and people of color."[2]. Lee & Low published its first list in 1993 and immediately gained attention when its first book, Baseball Saved Us was given a full-page review in The New York Times Book Review.[3]
In 1997, founder Tom Low's sons, Jason Low and Craig Low, joined Lee & Low, and in 2004, founder Philip Lee retired.[4]
Lee & Low Books publishes primarily picture books, but in recent years has also published a small number of middle grade and young adult titles.
Arcoiris: Books in Spanish
In 1994, Lee & Low began to publish Spanish/English bilingual books and Spanish translations of many of their English titles.[1] The name Arcoiris, Spanish for rainbow, was chosen to reflect the diversity of the books and subject matter.[5]
Bebop Books
Founded in 2000, Bebop Books is an educational imprint of Lee & Low. Bebop Books prints leveled books for early readers in English and Spanish.[6]
Tu Books
Tu Books is an imprint of Lee & Low. Tu Books will publish middle grade and young adult science fiction, fantasy, and mystery featuring people of color or set in worlds inspired by non-Western folklore or culture.[7]
Tu Books was originally founded as Tu Publishing in 2009 by Stacy Whitman, a freelance children's book editor. In March 2010, Whitman joined Lee & Low as editorial director of the new imprint.[8]
New Voices Award
In 2000, Lee & Low Books established the New Voices Award to encourage writers of color. The award is open to any United State resident of color who has not had a children's picture book published previously. A winner receives $1000 and a standard publication contract, while an Honor Award winner receives $500. While Honor Award winners are not guaranteed publication, several honor books have been published.[9]
New Voices Award Recipients
Year Author Book Citation Published 2009 Tiare Williams Solorzano Little Fish Honor 2008 Hayan Charara The Three Lucys Honor 2007 Pamela M. Tuck A Fly in a Bowl of Milk Winner 2012 2007 Katie Yamasaki Edwin's Lucky Thirteen Honor 2006 Gloria Armand Sheppard Love Twelve Miles Long Winner 2011 2006 Janet Costa Bates Seaside Dream Honor 2010 2005 Don Tate It Jes' Happened: When Bill Traylor Taught Himself to Draw Honor 2011 2005 Zetta Elliott Bird Honor 2008 2004 Carmen Bogan Fit Like Frankie Honor 2003 Paula Yoo Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds: The Sammy Lee Story Winner 2005 2003 Lisette Norman My Feet are Laughing Honor 2006 (Farrar, Straus and Giroux) 2002 Adrienne Lorraine Bayton Dance, Nishi, Dance Honor 2001 Patricia Smith Janna and the Kings Winner 2003 2001 Denise Vega Superhombre Honor 2000 Linda Boyden The Blue Roses Winner 2002 2000 Stanley Todd Terasaki Ghosts for Breakfast Honor 2002 2000 Therese On Louie Raymond's Perfect Present Honor 2002 Major Awards
Books published by Lee & Low have received several major awards, including some given by the American Library Association[10][11][12], the International Reading Association (IRA)[13], and the New York Public Library[14].
Major Awards Won by Lee & Low Books
Award Citation Year Creator Book Coretta Scott King Author Honor Award Winner 2011 G. Neri Yummy: the Last Days of a Southside Shorty Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner 1974 Sharon Bell Mathis Ray Charles Coretta Scott King Author Award Honor 1976 Eloise Greenfield Paul Robeson Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award Winner 1998 Javaka Steptoe In Daddy's Arms I Am Tall: African Americans Celebrating Fathers Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award Winner 1974 George Ford (illustrator) Ray Charles Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award Honor 1997 R. Gregory Christie The Palm of my Heart: Poetry by African American Children Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award Honor 2006 R. Gregory Christie Brothers in Hope: The Story of the Lost Boys of Sudan Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Illustrator Award Winner 2009 Shadra Strickland Bird Ezra Jack Keats New Illustrator Award Winner 2009 Shadra Strickland Bird Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Award Winner 1999 Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen Elizabeti's Doll IRA Children's Book Award Winner 2008 Bill Wise Louis Sockalexis: Native American Baseball Pioneer IRA Children's Book Award Winner 2003 Nancy Andrews-Goebel The Pot that Juan Built IRA Children's Book Award Notable 2006 Mary Williams Brothers in Hope: The Story of the Lost Boys of Sudan IRA Children's Book Award Notable 2006 Paula Yoo Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds: The Sammy Lee Story IRA Children's Book Award Notable 2005 EdNah New Rider Weber Rattlesnake Mesa IRA Children's Book Award Notable 2005 Debbie A. Taylor Sweet Music in Harlem IRA Children's Book Award Notable 2004 Patricia Smith Janna and the Kings Pura Belpré Illustrator Award Honor 2010 John Parra Gracias • Thanks Pura Belpré Illustrator Award Honor 2006 Lulu Delacre Arrorró, mi niño: Latino Lullabies and Gentle Games Pura Belpré Illustrator Award Honor 2004 Robert Casilla First Day in Grapes Pura Belpré Illustrator Award Honor 2004 David Diaz The Pot that Juan Built Notable Authors and Illustrators
Authors and illustrators with work published by Lee & Low Books include:
- Lulu Delacre
- Ted Lewin
- Betsy Lewin
- Joseph Bruchac
- Ed Young
- Rosa Parks
- Carole Boston Weatherford
- Pat Mora
- David Diaz
- George Ancona
- John Coy
- Lynne Barasch
- Benny Andrews
- Jim Haskins
- Chris Soentpiet
- Greg Neri
See also
- Media of New York City
- List of publishers of children's books
References
- ^ a b "Descubriendo el sabor: Spanish Bilingual Book Publishing and Cultural Authenticity," Multicultural Review, Winter 2007
- ^ "Trailblazers: A Storybook Tale," Audrey / The Asian American Women's Lifestyle Magazine, June/July 2007.
- ^ Children's Books: Baseball Saved Us, The New York Times Book Review Accessed April 2, 2009
- ^ About Us Accessed April 1, 2009
- ^ Arcoiris: Books in Spanish, accessed March 19, 2009
- ^ Bebop Books, accessed March 19, 2009
- ^ Tu Books Submission Guidelines, accessed October 27, 2010
- ^ Press Release: Lee & Low Books Acquires Tu Publishing, Brings Diversity to Fantasy and Science Fiction, accessed March 15, 2010
- ^ New Voices Award, accessed April 1, 2009
- ^ Coretta Scott King Book Award Recipients: Current and Past, Accessed April 7, 2009
- ^ John Steptoe New Talent Award, Accessed April 7, 2009
- ^ The Pura Belpré Winners, Accessed April 7, 2009
- ^ IRA Children's and Young Adult's Book Awards, Accessed April 7, 2009
- ^ The Ezra Jack Keats and New York Public Library New Writer and New Illustrator Award for Children's Books, Accessed April 7, 2009
External links
Categories:- Children's book publishers
- Book publishing companies based in New York
- Companies based in New York City
- Publishing companies established in 1991
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