Most Popular Books by Angela Johnson

A young girl''s grandmother tells her of her love for baseball and the day they let her play in the game even though she was a girl.

Bobby''s a classic urban teenager. He''s restless. He''s impulsive. But the thing that makes him different is this: He''s going to be a father. His girlfriend, Nia, is pregnant, and their lives are about to change forever. Instead of spending time with friends, they''ll be spending time with doctors, and next, diapers. They have options: keeping the baby, adoption. They want to do the right thing. If only it was clear what the right thing was.

A humorous and joyful celebration of love and sharing by the award-winning and bestselling duo, Angela Johnson and Dav Pilkey. When Maya''s grandfather comes to visit from Alaska, he brings a surprise in a crate -- something, he says, to teach her "fun and sharing." Maya hopes it''s a horse or a big brother. But instead, it''s a huge, pink pig named Julius! Maya''s parents see Julius as a slob, but Maya feels differently. She sees a playmate, a protector, and a sharer in all that''s magical and wild. This brand-new edition of the classic picture book by award-winning author Angela Johnson and illustrator Dav Pilkey will teach a new generation of readers about friendship, affection, and sharing, with lots of laughs along the way.

Coretta Scott King Award–winning author Angela Johnson writes a poignant young adult novel of deception, self-discovery, and knowing what to do when truth is at hand. You never know what’s gonna come down—in Heaven.At fourteen, Marley knows she has Momma’s hands and Pops’s love for ice cream, that her brother doesn’t get on her nerves too much, and that Uncle Jack is a big mystery. But Marley doesn’t know all she thinks she does, because she doesn’t know the truth. And when the truth comes down with the rain one stormy summer afternoon, it changes everything. It turns Momma and Pops into liars. It makes her brother a stranger and Uncle Jack an even bigger mystery. All of a sudden, Marley doesn’t know who she is anymore and can only turn to the family she no longer trusts to find out. Truth often brings change. Sometimes that change is for the good. Sometimes it isn’t.

Spanning three generations of African-American women, each holding on to a separate truth, this Coretta Scott King Award-winning novel details the struggle these women face in finding a common ground upon which to share their love, friendship, and hardships.

Experience the joy of Juneteenth in this celebration of freedom from the award-winning team of Angela Johnson and E.B. Lewis. Through the eyes of one little girl, All Different Now tells the story of the first Juneteenth, the day freedom finally came to the last of the slaves in the South. Since then, the observance of June 19 as African American Emancipation Day has spread across the United States and beyond. This stunning picture book includes notes from the author and illustrator, a timeline of important dates, and a glossary of relevant terms. Told in Angela Johnson’s signature melodic style and brought to life by E.B. Lewis’s striking paintings, All Different Now is a joyous portrait of the dawn breaking on the darkest time in our nation’s history.

There''s a sweet, sweet smell in the air as two young girls sneak out of their house, down the street, and across town to where men and women are gathered, ready to march for freedom and justice. Inspired by countless children and young adults who took a stand, two Coretta Scott King honorees offer a heart-lifting glimpse of children''s roles in the civil rights movement.

Twelve-year-old Mike -- short for Michaela -- loves the ocean. The sights, sounds, and smells of her coastal home are embedded in her very soul. But Michaela loves her brother, Red, even more. Then one day Red disappears. One minute he''s there, the next...gone. No warning. No time to prepare. And Mike must come to terms with that loss or risk never finding comfort in what remains of the life she and her brother once shared.

Your first allegiance is to your heart. . . As a knight, Sir Rand Montague''s allegiance is to King Edward I. But when the king orders Rand to escort Rosalyn Harcourt to court in order to wed her off to Sir Golan--a crass knight Rand abhors--he''s torn between duty and desire. For Rand has never forgotten the woman he spent one incredible night of passion with. . . After suffering abuse at the hands of her deceased husband, Rose wishes to never wed again. But when Rand rescues her after Sir Golan attempts to compromise her, she agrees to marry Rand in name only. However, sharing such close quarters with Rand brings back memories of their torrid rendezvous--and tempts Rose to give in to an all-consuming desire. . . Praise for Angela Johnson''s Vow of Seduction "Outstanding!" --Susan Johnson "Johnson is one to watch." --Romantic Times

"[A] rallying cry for girls to reject limitations others might place on them and their dreams."—starred,The Horn Book Magazine "Once I dreamed I swam / the ocean / and saw everything deep, cool / and was part of the waves. / I swam on by the people / onshore / hollering, / ''A girl like you needs to / stay out of the water / and be dry / like everyone else.''" Empower young readers to embrace their individuality, reject societal limitations, and follow their dreams. This inspiring picture book brings together a poem by acclaimed author Angela Johnson and Nina Crews''s distinctive photocollage illustrations to celebrate girls of color.

Welcome to Magnolia Street, where Charlie has just moved into her new home. It isn''t long before Charlie''s exploring, meeting all of her new neighbors, and getting herself into trouble. Her adventures with her bound-to-be best friend Billy--tricking Charlie''s older brother, making a racket on a bus trip to the museum, or digging up a box of buried treasure--make even ordinary exciting. This collection of interrelated short stories is a true delight, perfect for newly emerging independent readers. Both girls and boys will cheer for this spunky girl as she takes on Magnolia Street and blossoms day by day.

Vow Of Gold Sworn to support King Edward, Sir Alex de Beaumont had to leave his new bride on their wedding night to fight in the Crusades. Captured and left to languish in a lonely prison, the warrior knight is kept alive by the memory of love--and of Lady Katherine''s innocent passion as she cried out his name in ecstasy and made him her own. Upon his escape and return to England, he is shocked to find his beloved is about to marry another man. . . Kat refuses to forgive him. But Alex will not be gainsaid. He vows to seduce her all over again and his searching kisses reawaken the sensual fire they once knew--until an enemy determined to destroy them both closes in. Now Alex must risk everything for the one woman whose love he wants forever. . . Angela Johnson''s two favorite subjects are history and romance--and Vow of Seduction is the result. A full time writer, Angela lives in Topeka, Kansas, with Joe, her very own hero of twenty-one years.

The Crossover: An Instructional Guide for Literature provides lesson plans and activities for this award-winning literary work. This valuable resource helps teachers add more rigor to their instruction with complex literature. Text-dependent questions help students analyze the text with higher-order thinking skills, with lessons focused on story elements, vocabulary, and more. Close reading activities throughout the literature units encourage students to use textual evidence as they revisit passages to respond more critically about the text. With various methods of assessing comprehension, this instructional guide offers strategies for cross-curricular activities as students build a greater understanding of this great literary work.

From three-time Coretta Scott King Award–winner Angela Johnson, a wrenching, honest book about surviving the unimaginable and finding a way to go on. Scotty compares herself to tofu: no flavor unless you add something. And it’s true that Scotty’s friends, Misha and Falcone, and her brother, Keone, make life delicious. But when a terrible accident occurs, Scotty feels responsible for the loss of someone she hardly knew, and the world goes wrong. She cannot tell what is a dream and what is real. Her friends are having a hard time getting through to her and her family is preoccupied with their own trauma. But the prospect of a boy, a dance, and the possibility that everything can fall back into place soon helps Scotty realize that she is capable of adding her own flavor to life. With artfully spare prose, acclaimed and award-winning author Angela Johnson explores the ramifications of unexpected death in this compelling coming-of-age story. An ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults pick.

Three-time Coretta Scott King Award–winning author Angela Johnson and New York Times bestselling illustrator Loren Long introduce readers to a band of under-celebrated World War II heroes—the Tuskegee Airmen. All he ever wanted to do was fly. With fleeting prose and transcendent imagery, this book reveals how a boy’s love of flight takes him on a journey from the dusty dirt roads of Alabama to the war-torn skies of Europe and into the hearts of those who are only now beginning to understand the part these brave souls played in the history of America.

The We Belong Bunch: Pookie J.’s School Day is a children’s story about understanding and embracing each other’s differences to foster healthy relationships. The story is told from the perspective of Pookie J., a fifth-grade boy who wants to one day be a college professor like his father. He and his friends are the We Belong Bunch. Although the kids in the We Belong Bunch come from different places, cultures, and religious backgrounds, they are just kids being kids. They are kids who have dreams, love life, and enjoy learning. The adults in their lives create the environment of warmth and care that the We Belong Bunch enjoy. The story echoes the idea that we can all learn and support each other to improve our environment. The book is a great learning tool to help build a strong sense of self and belonging in our schools and community.

After Heaven and The First Part Last, three-time Coretta Scott King Award-winning author Angela Johnson concludes her acclaimed trilogy with a poignant tale of finding where you belong and who you belong with. Shoogy left home with all her jeans still in the washer because she couldn’t think of a reason to stay. She’s not sure where she belongs, until she meets Curtis. Curtis knows for certain where he does not want to be and that’s to be back in the army. He is happy to be in Ohio, where it is quiet and he can spend time with Shoogy. But when Curtis gets orders to return to Iraq, will belonging with each other be enough to keep Shoogy and Curtis together? Angela Johnson takes us back to Heaven, Ohio in this bittersweet tale of first love found and lost.

A little girl imitates her big sister Kyla all day, until in the evening Kyla imitates her. Kyla is a loving big sister and an excellent role model for her younger sibling. Story about sisterly love and the special relationship that can exist between sisters.

Born with a rare and dangerous allergy to sunlight, Lila''s spent her life hidden from the daylight-staying covered up and indoors until dark, only venturing outside after the sun has set and the moon''s cool light shines. Almost every night, she is visited by two young girls who wear tutus over their jeans and costume fairy wings, and the three of them dance and tell wonderful stories. But while Lila adores her family and her new friends, still she longs to feel the sun''s touch. Lila''s mysterious friends have promised to help her . . . but how?