Elizabeth Zunon – illustratör

As a young boy growing up in North Carolina, Romare Bearden listened to his great-grandmother’s Cherokee stories and heard the whistle of the train that took his people to the North—people who wanted to be free. When Romare boarded that same train, he watched out the window as the world whizzed by. Later he captured those scenes in a famous painting, Watching the Good Trains Go By. Using that painting as inspiration and creating a text influenced by the jazz that Bearden loved, Jeanne Walker Harvey describes the patchwork of daily southern life that Romare saw out the train’s window and the story of his arrival in shimmering New York City. Artists and critics today praise Bearden’s collages for their visual metaphors honoring his past, African American culture, and the human experience. Elizabeth Zunon’s illustrations of painted scenes blended with collage are a stirring tribute to a remarkable artist.My Hands Sing the Blues is the recipient of the 2012 IRA Children’s and Young Adults’ Book Award-Primary Nonfiction, as well as the gold winner of a Moonbeam Children’s Book Award in the category of Picture Book-All Ages.

The picture book retelling of the New York Times bestseller • Now a Netflix film starring and directed by Chiwetel Ejiofor! A lyrical and gloriously illustrated true story of one boy’s determination to help his community that shows how—even in the worst of times—a great idea and hard work can rock the world.When a terrible drought struck William Kamkwamba's tiny village in Malawi, his family lost all of the season's crops, leaving them with nothing to eat and nothing to sell. William began to explore science books in his village library, looking for a solution. There, he came up with the idea that would change his family's life forever: he could build a windmill. Made out of scrap metal and old bicycle parts, William's windmill brought electricity to his home and helped his family pump the water they needed to farm the land.Retold for a younger audience, this exciting memoir shows how, even in a desperate situation, one boy's brilliant idea can light up the world. Complete with photographs, illustrations, and an epilogue that will bring readers up to date on William's story, this is the perfect edition to read and share with the whole family.

An awe-inspiring African American woman! A talented seamstress, born a slave, bought freedom for herself and her son.This picture book biography weaves together historical details, vibrant collages, and the words of her own journals to bring to light the life and beautiful work Elizabeth Hobbs Keckley, the seamstress who bought herself and son out of slavery. Lizzy’s story of hardship and resilience offers an untold side of history during a time of great injustice and change.Born enslaved in 1818 on a Virginian plantation, Lizzy experienced and witnessed unspeakable cruelty. When she was sent to workfor a tailor, her wages went to her master, not Lizzy. However, the beautiful gowns that Lizzy created attracted the attention of the wealthiest women in Virginia, even Mrs. Jefferson Davis. With money from her patrons, Lizzy bought her freedom and her son’s freedom working tirelessly stitch by stitch, going on to design gowns for the First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln and grow an influentialcareer.This inspiring story about an unsung hero is beautifully illustrated with oil paint, cut paper and fabric collage and hand-embroidery by Elizabeth Zunon that brings Lizzy’s dresses to life. Connie Morrison writes with straightforward honesty and clarity, seamlesslyincluding research on fashion, life, and politics of the time. The backmatter includes a bibliography for further reading.

Discover the inspiring true story of Isatou Ceesay, an African woman who started a recycling movement to combat the pollution caused by plastic bags in her community.For years, plastic bags were a cheap and convenient option for carrying goods in Njau, Gambia. However, when these bags broke or were no longer needed, they were carelessly discarded, leading to an unsightly accumulation of plastic waste alongside roads. The stagnant water in the bags provided a breeding ground for mosquitoes and diseases, while the burning of bags left behind a foul smell. The bags also strangled gardens, killed livestock, and polluted the environment.Isatou Ceesay decided to take action, and she began to collect the plastic bags and recycle them into something new. Her efforts not only helped to clean up the environment, but also provided income for women in her community who had been struggling to make ends meet.This powerful and moving book showcases the impact of one person''s determination and ingenuity in creating positive change. It highlights the urgent need to address the plastic pollution crisis and encourages readers to take action to make a difference in their own communities. Join Isatou Ceesay and be inspired to become a changemaker in your own right.

Discover the inspiring true story of Isatou Ceesay, an African woman who started a recycling movement to combat the pollution caused by plastic bags in her community.For years, plastic bags were a cheap and convenient option for carrying goods in Njau, Gambia. However, when these bags broke or were no longer needed, they were carelessly discarded, leading to an unsightly accumulation of plastic waste alongside roads. The stagnant water in the bags provided a breeding ground for mosquitoes and diseases, while the burning of bags left behind a foul smell. The bags also strangled gardens, killed livestock, and polluted the environment.Isatou Ceesay decided to take action, and she began to collect the plastic bags and recycle them into something new. Her efforts not only helped to clean up the environment, but also provided income for women in her community who had been struggling to make ends meet.This powerful and moving book showcases the impact of one person''s determination and ingenuity in creating positive change. It highlights the urgent need to address the plastic pollution crisis and encourages readers to take action to make a difference in their own communities. Join Isatou Ceesay and be inspired to become a changemaker in your own right.

From Children's Literature Legacy Award-winning author Nikki Grimes and acclaimed illustrator Elizabeth Zunon comes an adventurous bath time story.Night has fallen and Mom and Dad need to get their little one in the tub. To make it more fun, Mom brings a magical adventure out at sea to life, where the faucet is a waterfall, a rubber ducky is a sea creature, and the splashing water is a raging sea! In their ocean journey, Mom and Dad manage to get their little one clean just in time to dock for bedtime."Children will delight… This ebullient account of a common childhood experience bursts with love and universal appeal."—Booklist, STARRED review

Barnes & Noble Best Book of the YearKirkus Best Book of the YearPublishers Weekly Best Book of the Year4 STARRED REVIEWSNikki Grimes, Coretta Scott King Award winning author, and acclaimed illustrator Elizabeth Zunon's latest children's masterpiece creates an imagination-fueled and animal-filled journey to bedtime."Has the feel of an all-time great bedtime picture book" — The New York TimesIt's bedtime. But Mommy's little one is not sleepy.He growls like a bear, he questions like an owl, he tosses his mane like a lion. He hunts for water like a sly wolf, and hides like a snake.Mommy needs to wrangle her sweet creature in bed so that the whole family can sleep. From tigers to squirrels to snakes, the little boy dodges around his bedtime, until he is tired enough to finally sleep. His imaginative animal friends weave their way through the illustrations, eventually joining him in curling up for the night.For those seeking children's books about diversity, this loving depiction of everyday shenanigans is sure to become a bedtime favorite. Bedtime for Sweet Creatures is an African American children's book that celebrates imagination, playful moments, and the love between a Black mother and child. "The mother's loving understanding is demonstrated by how she works with her child's rich imagination, never slipping into admonishment. As such, children will engage with the pajama-clad tot's antics and be soothed by the book's positive tone. A fabulous interpretation of an everyday battle."—Booklist, STARRED review

Discover the true story of how environmentalist Farmer Tantoh is transforming the landscape in his home country of Cameroon.When Tantoh Nforba was a child, his fellow students mocked him for his interest in gardening. Today he''s an environmental hero, bringing clean water and bountiful gardens to the central African nation of Cameroon. Authors Miranda Paul and Baptiste Paul share Farmer Tantoh''s inspiring story.

Discover the true story of how environmentalist Farmer Tantoh is transforming the landscape in his home country of Cameroon.When Tantoh Nforba was a child, his fellow students mocked him for his interest in gardening. Today he''s an environmental hero, bringing clean water and bountiful gardens to the central African nation of Cameroon. Authors Miranda Paul and Baptiste Paul share Farmer Tantoh''s inspiring story.

Thirteen-year-old Martha and seven-year-old Jake must do what adults cannot to ensure their own and others’ freedom. Martha Bartlett has a secret. Her life has already been changed by the Underground Railroad. Now the safety of her younger brother Jake depends on her willingness to risk her own life to bring Jake home to their abolitionist community in Connecticut. It’s 1854 and though all people in the North are supposed to be free, seven-year-old Jake, the orphan of a fugitive slave, learns otherwise. Using aliases, disguises, and other subterfuges, his older sister Martha struggles to elude slave catchers while adhering to her parents’ admonition to always tell the truth. Being perceived sometimes as white, sometimes as black during a perilous journey also throws her sense of her own identity into turmoil. Alonso combines fiction and historical fact to weave a suspenseful story of courage, hope, and self-discovery in the aftermath of the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850, while illuminating the bravery of abolitionists who fought against slavery.

A child's job is to play-Mom knows this and makes sure they're up and ready to get to work! When it comes to play, this kid is an expert. Mom watches as they dance in puddles, swing high, jump into piles of leaves, and make snow angels. They're hard at work, and when Daddy comes home, they play even more!

En Njau, Gambia, las bolsas de plástico se apilaban en montones horribles al costado de los caminos. El agua se estancaba en ellas y atraía mosquitos y enfermedades. Mataban el ganado que intentaba comerlas. Algo tenía que cambiar.Isatou Ceesay fue ese cambio. Encontró una manera de reciclar las bolsas y transformar su comunidad. Esta historia real motivadora muestra cómo las acciones de una persona pueden hacer una diferencia verdadera en nuestro mundo.“Texto simple pero lírico, que narra este relato hermoso que invita a la reflexión sobre la conciencia ecológica y el reciclado . . . Una historia inspiradora.”—starred, School Library JournalThe inspiring true story of how one African woman began a movement to recycle the plastic bags that were polluting her community.Plastic bags are cheap and easy to use. But what happens when a bag breaks or is no longer needed? In Njau, Gambia, people simply dropped the bags and went on their way. One plastic bag became two. Then ten. Then a hundred.The bags accumulated in ugly heaps alongside roads. Water pooled in them, bringing mosquitoes and disease. Some bags were burned, leaving behind a terrible smell. Some were buried, but they strangled gardens. They killed livestock that tried to eat them. Something had to change.Isatou Ceesay was that change. She found a way to recycle the bags and transform her community. This inspirational true story, now available in Spanish, shows how one person''s actions really can make a difference in our world.

En Njau, Gambia, las bolsas de plástico se apilaban en montones horribles al costado de los caminos. El agua se estancaba en ellas y atraía mosquitos y enfermedades. Mataban el ganado que intentaba comerlas. Algo tenía que cambiar.Isatou Ceesay fue ese cambio. Encontró una manera de reciclar las bolsas y transformar su comunidad. Esta historia real motivadora muestra cómo las acciones de una persona pueden hacer una diferencia verdadera en nuestro mundo.“Texto simple pero lírico, que narra este relato hermoso que invita a la reflexión sobre la conciencia ecológica y el reciclado . . . Una historia inspiradora.”—starred, School Library JournalThe inspiring true story of how one African woman began a movement to recycle the plastic bags that were polluting her community.Plastic bags are cheap and easy to use. But what happens when a bag breaks or is no longer needed? In Njau, Gambia, people simply dropped the bags and went on their way. One plastic bag became two. Then ten. Then a hundred.The bags accumulated in ugly heaps alongside roads. Water pooled in them, bringing mosquitoes and disease. Some bags were burned, leaving behind a terrible smell. Some were buried, but they strangled gardens. They killed livestock that tried to eat them. Something had to change.Isatou Ceesay was that change. She found a way to recycle the bags and transform her community. This inspirational true story, now available in Spanish, shows how one person''s actions really can make a difference in our world.

The picture book retelling of the New York Times bestseller • Now a Netflix film starring and directed by Chiwetel Ejiofor! A lyrical and gloriously illustrated true story of one boy’s determination to help his community that shows how—even in the worst of times—a great idea and hard work can rock the world.When a terrible drought struck William Kamkwamba's tiny village in Malawi, his family lost all of the season's crops, leaving them with nothing to eat and nothing to sell. William began to explore science books in his village library, looking for a solution. There, he came up with the idea that would change his family's life forever: he could build a windmill. Made out of scrap metal and old bicycle parts, William's windmill brought electricity to his home and helped his family pump the water they needed to farm the land.Retold for a younger audience, this exciting memoir shows how, even in a desperate situation, one boy's brilliant idea can light up the world. Complete with photographs, illustrations, and an epilogue that will bring readers up to date on William's story, this is the perfect edition to read and share with the whole family.