They used childhood pictures of Johnson for a sketch of the girl named Maya.Īll This and Heaven Too: Heaven The First Part Last Sweet, Hereafter Angela Johnson as writer and as illustrator collaborated on a picture book, Julius. She expects to be a writer until she dies. Johnson credits this connection with giving her the "break" that launched her career. During this time, she worked as a nanny and was employed by author Cynthia Rylant, who reviewed Johnson"s work and forwarded it to her own publisher. She wrote throughout her childhood.Īlthough she attended Kent State University, she left before earning her degree to focus on her writing. Like many successful people, she can recall one special teacher who read to her, thus sparking a love of books that would blossom into a love of writing. Many of Johnson"s books have Alabama connections and several treat Alabama history, as do her picture books A Sweet Smell of Roses about the Selma to Montgomery marches of 1965 and Wind Flyers about the Tuskegee Airmen, as well as her collection of lyrical poems The Other Side: Shorter Poems, which evoke Shorter, Alabama. In all, the characters are realistic and the treatment sensitive, positive, and hopeful. Her books for older children revolve around similar themes but also explore deeper issues such as teen pregnancy and divorce. Her children"s picture books are simple yet poetic stories about African-American families, friendships, and common childhood experiences such as moving. Tuskegee, Macon County, United States of America
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