Ken Daley – illustratör

Shelly-Ann lives with her Granny on the beautiful island of Jamaica. When Shelly-Ann becomes hungry, she asks her Granny for something to eat. Granny tells her “Gyal, you betta can cook!” and teaches Shelly-Ann how to get in touch with her Jamaican roots through the process of cooking.As Shelly-Ann tries each recipe, everything goes wrong. But when Granny is too tired to cook one morning, Shelly-Ann will have to find the courage to try one more time and prepare the perfect Jamaican breakfast.

A powerful celebration of young Black boys"Beautiful Black Boy,You are imaginative.Believe in the impossible. Dream big."This uplifting picture book is a gorgeous ode to the power ofone's Blackness, instilling self-love and confidence into young malesof colour. Sophia Robinson's lyrical text highlights strength, bravery andjoyKen Daley's vibrant and colourful illustrations inspire Blackboys to be whoever they want to beWith a bright dust jacket to make this the perfect gift book

Jayden and a new friend bring nature to the city in this timeless story about a community gardenAmidst all the buildings, people, and traffic in his neighborhood, Jayden sees nature everywhere: the squirrels scrounging, the cardinals calling, and the dandelions growing. But Mama doesn't believe there's nature in the city. So Jayden sets out to help Mama see what he sees. With the help of his friend Mr. Curtis, Jayden plants the seeds of a community garden and brings together his neighbors—and Mama—to show them the magic of nature in the middle of the city.Timeless and vibrant, this story highlights the beauty of intergenerational relationships and the power of imagination and perseverance in bringing the vision of a community garden to life. Jayden's love of nature will inspire readers to see their environment and surroundings as bursting with opportunities for growth and connection. At the back of the book, readers will find activities to make items found in the book, such as the milk jug bird feeder.Jayden's Impossible Garden is the winner of the 2019 African American Voices in Children's Literature writing contest, cosponsored by Strive Publishing and Free Spirit Publishing; the recipient of the 2021 Foreword INDIES Honorable Mention, Picture Books, Early Reader (Children's); and was named one of the Best Children's Books of the Year 2022 by The Children's Book Committee of Bank Street College of Education.

Jayden discovers the secret ingredient to trying something new. Jayden loves the outdoors and the garden he created with his friend Mr. Curtis. But he’s not so sure about sampling some of the garden’s produce. When Mr. Curtis invites neighbors to share the harvest of scarlet runner beans, Jayden faces a dilemma. Will he find the courage to try something new? Jayden returns for all new adventures in Jayden’s Secret Ingredient. This story, which can be read as a standalone or as a sequel to the award-winning Jayden’s Impossible Garden, emphasizes the importance of friendship, community, and the courage and openness to try new things. Along with Mr. Curtis and Jayden, readers learn the value of outdoor play and contact with nature, from planting a seed to sharing and eating what it produces. This story is a natural starting point for the exploration of nature, ecology, and gardening, as well as for a cooking club. At the back of the book, a section for adults has additional activities and other information to expand on the story and its ideas.

Spend Saturday morning at the barbershop in this upbeat picture book celebration of the spaces and places that bring communities together.It’s Saturday morning. We hop in the car. Mom’s heading to work, and I’m geeked to go spend the day at the ’shop!The barbershop is a sound booth, an art gallery, a playground, a classroom, and so much more. It’s a place for artistry and comradery and, most importantly, community. Come spend the day feeling all the style and wisdom and joy at the ’shop!

This rhythmic read-aloud picture book biography dances through the musical childhoods of jazz legends Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong, their rise to stardom, and the friendship that kept them swingin’.Ella Fitzgerald loved to dance. When little Ella heard jazz music, the music notes moved her legs as she twirled around New York City. Way down south, Louis Armstrong loved to sing. When jazz music played, young Louis’s voice rumbled like a steam train in New Orleans. While Ella dreamed of dancing on stage and Louis of being a famous singer, it wasn’t until they switched things up that they became famous, Ella for singing and Louis playing the trumpet.The two jazz musicians had heard of each other, but never had a chance to meet. Until one magical night when they took the stage together, the music started to swing, and a lifelong musical friendship was born.This true story about world-renowned jazz artists Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong’s musical partnership is a testament to the power of dreams, music, and friendship to help us all keep playing on.

Dear boy, Black boy, I believe in you so.Let's start your story-ready, set, go.From athlete and activist Colin Kaepernick to musician Sam Cooke, inventor Elijah McCoy to writer Chinua Achebe, there are so many inspirational men in Black history. Imagine what you can be and the great things you can do with the strength of people throughout history that have paved the way for Black boys.This inspiring, lyrical picture book combines an uplifting, motivational text with references to wonderful figures throughout history. The combination is both encouraging and educational, prompting boys to imagine what they can be and the great things they can do in their own lives.

A Haitian American girl finds connection to generations of family lore in this story of identity, heart and home.Every winter, a young girl flies to Haiti to visit her Auntie Luce, a painter.The moment she steps off the plane, she feels a wall of heat, and familiar sights soon follow — the boys selling water ice by the pink cathedral, the tap tap buses in the busy streets, the fog and steep winding road to her aunt’s home in the mountains.The girl has always loved Auntie Luce’s paintings — the houses tucked into the hillside, colorful fishing boats by the water, heroes who fought for and won the country’s independence. Through Haiti’s colors, the girl comes to understand this place her family calls home. And when the moment finally comes to have her own portrait painted for the first time, she begins to see herself in a new way, tracing her own history and identity through her aunt’s brush.Key Text Featuresauthor’s noteglossarytranslationsCorrelates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.2Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lesson.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.3Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.4>Identify words and phrases in stories or poems that suggest feelings or appeal to the senses.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.7Use illustrations and details in a story to describe its characters, setting, or events.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.5Describe the overall structure of a story, including describing how the beginning introduces the story and the ending concludes the action.

Joseph misses sharing meals with lots of people like he did back in the refugee camp, so when the neighbors finally come over, it’s a feast! A companion book to Joseph’s Big Ride, described in Kirkus as “a joyful, upbeat tale.”When Joseph and Mama lived in a refugee camp in East Africa, everyone cooked and ate together. And Joseph could always hear someone playing the awal. It’s much too quiet and lonely in his new home. Though Whoosh, the girl who lives upstairs, is friendly, Joseph misses having more people around, especially his grandmother, who still lives across the ocean. So he invites his relatives in the city to come for dinner, then he invites his teacher, then Whoosh and her mami — but everyone is too busy.Ever hopeful, Joseph picks the last greens from the garden. At least he and Mama will be ready to cook if someone comes. The next night Whoosh and her mami appear at the door with a big cake, and Whoosh and Joseph cook up a feast.A touching story about adjusting to a new home and the pleasure of cooking and sharing food with friends. Key Text Featuresglossarytranslations Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.4Ask and answer questions about unknown words in a text.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.3Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.7Use illustrations and details in a story to describe its characters, setting, or events.

It's Zeke's first day at his new school and his head is filled with one big question: what will he do when they call him the N-word like they did at his old school?Zeke is expecting the worst day ever, and that's what it's turning out to be. His favorite shirt has a mustard stain on it, the bus driver is unfriendly, and his teacher covers material Zeke has heard a million times. It’s not until another student performs a small act of kindness that Zeke realizes that no one has called him the N-word all day. Not once. And tomorrow could be even better …Ken Daley’s vibrant illustrations bring warmth and humor to the story, while showing hints of what makes this new school a safer space. The One and Only Question will prompt young readers to ask questions of their own about how to handle bullying — while also encouraging conversations about everyone’s right to a safe learning environment.Includes an author’s note explaining the authors’ personal connection to this story, as well as a list of suggestions about what to do about racism-based bullying to help educators, caregivers and victims.Key Text Featuresillustrations;dialogue;author's noteCorrelates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.3Describe how characters in a story respond to major events and challenges.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.4Describe how words and phrases (e.g., regular beats, alliteration, rhymes, repeated lines) supply rhythm and meaning in a story, poem, or song.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.7Use information gained from the illustrations and words in a print or digital text to demonstrate understanding of its characters, setting, or plot.Describe how words and phrases (e.g., regular beats, alliteration, rhymes, repeated lines) supply rhythm and meaning in a story, poem, or song.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.6Distinguish their own point of view from that of the narrator or those of the characters.