Deepavali (or Diwali) is the Hindu festival of lights. It is celebrated on the new moon that occurs between mid-October to mid-November, according to the Lunar Calendar. The word Deepavali is a combination of two Sanskrit words — Deepa, meaning lamp, and Avali, meaning rows or series. Therefore, Deepavali means rows of lamps.
In Southern India, Deepavali celebrates the defeat of the demon Naraka at the hands of Krishna, an incarnation of the god Vishnu. In Northern India, it celebrates the victorious return of Prince Rama, another incarnation of Vishnu, having defeated the demon Ravana. The demons represent the vices in human nature.
Deepavali symbolizes light over darkness, good over evil, and hope over despair. Families wake up as early as 4:00 AM and apply an herbal medicinal oil before bathing as a cleansing ritual. Hindus celebrate this bright and joyous festival by lighting oil lamps, cooking traditional sweet and savory treats, and, more recently, lighting sparklers or firecrackers.
This is a universal prayer in Sanskrit on the occasion of Deepavali
असतो मा सद्गमय |
तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय |
मृत्योर्मा अमृतं गमय |
ॐ शान्ति शान्ति शान्ति | |
Asatho ma sadgamaya,
Thamaso ma jyothirgamaya,
Mrithyorma amritham gamaya,
Om Shanthi, Shanthi, Shanthi.
Lead us from untruth to truth,
From darkness to light,
From death to immortality
Peace, Peace, Peace.
Here is a healthy, sweet recipe to celebrate with — Carrot Payasam
Ingredients:
4 large carrots
2 1/4 cups milk
1/4 cup water or reserved cooking liquid
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp ground cardamom
4 whole cloves
saffron for garnish (optional)
Peel and cut carrots into two-inch pieces. Steam until thoroughly soft. If cooking on a stovetop, reserve cooking liquid for later use.
Combine the carrots, liquids, sugar, cardamom, and cloves in a blender and blend until smooth.
Adjust liquids for preferred consistency and sweetness for preferred taste.
Keeper of the Lost Cities is an exciting fantasy series by author Shannon Messenger. Book one is suitable for ages 10+.
Sophie Foster is a Telepath, and she has been keeping it a secret for years. One day while wandering in a museum in San Diego, Sophie meets a mysterious boy named Fitz. He reveals to her the reason she can read minds. She is an elf. He then tells her that she must leave behind her human family and move to where the elves live — the Lost Cities.
Soon after she arrives at the Lost Cities, Sophie begins to attend an Elvin school called Foxfire. There she develops her telepathic abilities and other skills under the guidance of her mentors.
But, amongst her memories are secrets about herself and why she was born within the human world. Secrets that even she does not know or remember. And the secrets contain information that some people would do anything to acquire.
As Sophie’s control over her ability grows, she makes new friends who each possess an ability of their own, discovers who her foes are, and learns more about her new home and where she truly and finally belongs.
photo by Lac de Feuilles
Keeper of the Lost Cities is complete with memorable characters, complex strategies, and lots of humor! The story continues in the following seven books: Exile, Everblaze, Neverseen, Lodestar, Nightfall, Flashback, and Legacy. These should be available at your local library or bookstore.
This series also includes Book 8.5, titled Unlocked. It offers different perspectives, character profiles, quizzes, themed recipes, and more!
Stellarlune, the long-anticipated ninth book, is expected to be released on November 8th, 2022.
To follow the release of the book or to read about the author, please visit
Mount Madonna School in Watsonville, California, will be performing their 43rd production of the ancient Indian epic, the Ramayana, on stage this year. It will be held from June 9th to 12th at the Mexican Heritage Theater in San Jose, California. Tickets are now on sale at www.MountMadonnaSchool.org
Photo courtesy Meru S.
The Ramayana play has been running annually since 1974. It is performed by a cast of 175 students ranging from preschool to 12th grade. Due to the lockdown in 2020, they were unable to perform that year, but in 2021, they created Ramayana! – the Movie, so people could watch it from home and stay safe.
The production of this timeless tale is complete with live music and songs, dazzling costumes, and impressive props, most of which are put together by the teachers and parent volunteers. The humor, the acrobatic moves, the stunning lighting, and theatrical effects add to an enjoyable experience.
The Ramayana is the story of Prince Rama and his wife, Sita. Rama was born to the eldest queen of King Dasharata, the ruler of the kingdom of Kosala. When Rama reaches the age of sixteen, Sage Vishwamitra asks the king to let Rama come with him to the forest to help protect the sages from the demons who were disturbing their penances. Vishwamitra mentors Rama during their time in the forest. After Rama accomplishes the tasks, Vishwamitra takes Rama to the kingdom of Mithila where the ruler, King Janaka, has arranged that whoever could string the powerful and heavy celestial bow of Shiva, would be the one to marry his daughter, Sita. Rama succeeds in doing this and weds Sita. When the time comes for Rama to be king, Dasharata’s youngest queen commands Rama to live in the forest for fourteen years, as she wants her son to be the king. King Dasharata can not bear to be separated from his dearest son but has no other choice. Rama obeys the order and departs for the forest with his youngest brother Lakshmana and Sita.
Thirteen years in exile pass peacefully. In the fourteenth year, the king of the demons abducts Sita. Rama is grief-stricken. He sets out with Lakshmana to rescue her. They find help from the king of the monkeys and his minister, Hanuman, who becomes a loyal servant of Rama.
Will Rama be re-united with Sita? Discover the adventures of Hanuman on his search for Sita, meet the characters of Jatayu and Sampati the vultures, Jambavan the bear, Maricha the sorcerer, and much more in Mount Madonna School’s musical production, Ramayana!
Book One: First Aid for Fairies and Other Fabled Beasts
Photo by Ananda S.
When eleven-year-old Helen Strang finds a wounded centaur named Yann in her yard, her life is changed. After treating the bite on Yann’s leg and discovering that fabled beasts are not mythical, she finds herself surrounded by many of their kind. She learns that Yann and his friends Rona, a selkie, and Lavender, a flower fairy, have committed a foolish act.
They have lost The Book, an ancient tome written by a fairy and wizard who have collected answers to every question that ever existed.
Yann, Rona, and Lavender need to find The Book before the yearly event at which the fabled beasts gather and ask The Book their questions. The festival is only daysaway.
The Book, frightened when the three fabled beasts had tried to use it out of curiosity, has taken flight. However, it has left some clues. Also, the Master of the Maze, an evil minotaur who is feared by many of the fabled beasts, wants it for himself.
Can Helen help her newly made friends find The Book in time? Follow her in her adventures in the world of fabled beasts.
The first book of the Fabled Beasts Chronicles will introduce you to different types of fabled beings as Helen learns more about them.
****
Book Two: Wolf Notes and Other Musical Mishaps
Photo by Ananda S.
Helen is finally doing what she has always wanted – to be at the summer school for music! But, during her first night there, Yann and a mysterious wolf-girl arrive at the school. Yann appears anxious for Helen to leave right away. He tells her that the school and the surrounding forest is dangerous for the students, but Helen flatly refuses to go back home; she has waited a long time to be here.
Helen falls into yet another adventure when James, a young boy, is taken by the faeries, the glamorous and music-loving people, who cannot bear to touch iron. She and her friends must rescue James before the faeries feed him faery food, for then if he later consumed human food, he would crumble to dust. The faery queen, though, will not return James unless He in len brings her the Fairy Flag, a flag with powers that the queen thinks will bring the rest of the faeries back to the forest. If Helen fails to do this, she will forever have to play her fiddle for the faeries’ never-ending parties.
Along with her friends, including a faery boy named Lee, who is trying to convince the others that he is trustworthy, Helen must find the place where the flag is hidden and take it back to the faery queen.
How does this all come together? Find out in the second book in the series. It is filled with failures and triumphs and will take you through a little faery history mixed in with a touch of Scottish legends.
****
Book Three: Storm Singing and Other Tangled Tasks
Photo by Ananda S.
Helen has been invited by her friend Rona to watch the fabled beasts’ competition to select the next Sea Herald.
First, Rona as one of the selkie participants must qualify by winning the storm singing contest. Then, she must try to win the three tasks of the competition. The rest of the competitors are good too. Can Rona beat them all?
But someone is trying to destroy the event and purposely cause Rona to fail. Helen, Yann, Rona, Lavender, and Catesby the phoenix attempt to discover the person responsible for doing this.
They must also prevent a disastrous storm from occurring by intervening and stopping the ocean powers from going to war against one another.
The third book in the Fabled Beast series shows the abilities and weaknesses of various fabled beasts including blue loons, mermaids, mermen, and more.
****
Book Four: Maze Running and Other Magical Missions
Photo by Ananda S.
Helen and her friends succeed in rescuing a unicorn colt from being used in the ceremony of the evil Master of the Maze, but the Master traps them in the forest and uses magic to place rocks on the tree branches above them. He demands that they join his side and threatens to let the rocks fall on them.
During the encounter with the Master, Yann has a near-fatal injury. His centaur family summons three healers who ask for at least one of these four tokens – the water from the footprint of a king, the scabbard of King Arthur, the gems from the paired cliffs, and a flower washed by seven waterfalls at dawn.
Helen and her friends set off in pairs to find all the tokens. But they know that the Master of the Maze is waiting for them to complete the task so that he can take the tokens and use them for himself.
Can the friends find the tokens and possibly defeat the Master too? The fourth and final installment of the Fabled Beast Chronicles will envelop you with its suspense.
It is a series that you will never tire of reading.
It is Friday evening, and your family is gathered on the couch ready to watch a movie. Nobody agrees on what to see. Mom wants a romance, Dad is looking for an action flick and your baby sibling is asking for Cocomelon. Does that sound familiar? Well, you’re in luck! Here is a list of 12 amazing movies that everyone in your family is guaranteed to love.
1.Shrek
Photo by The Ridgefield Playhouse
Shrek is a very popular movie that many people enjoy for its comedy, adventure, and most importantly, well-known songs. There is even a second and third Shrek!
Shrek is about an ogre who lives in a land of fairytale creatures that most of us are familiar with from famous books and classic stories. This grouch’s home is a little cottage located at what he calls “his” swamp. Suddenly, his peace is disturbed by the fairytale creatures who appear at his house, after being banned from the kingdom by the evil king. Shrek cuts a deal with the king. He goes on the adventure with a very talkative donkey in order to rescue Princess Fiona, who’s trapped in a tower guarded by a dragon, to get the annoying creatures off his property.
You can find this humorous film on Roku, Netflix, Apple TV, Vudu Movie & TV Store, VUDU, Prime Video and Redbox.
2. The Ice Age
Photo by OTTplay
Ice age is the most humorous of all the funny cartoons. It is very popular too! It is a comedy (of course), adventure and fantasy. There are a few other Ice Age films following this one.
The Ice Age takes place 20,000 years ago, naturally, during intense climate changes. It is about a wooly mammoth, sloth and saber-toothed tiger who become unlikely friends. They find a lost child, and have to return him back to his eskimo family.
You can watch this great film on Disney+, Youtube TV (rent or buy) and Prime Video (rent or buy).
3. Despicable Me
Photo by Universal Pictures Home Entertainment
Despicable Me has always been a favorite, and it has been loved by many others, since it first came out. Its amazing comedy, crime fiction, adventure and fun characters are super cool to see. This movie was so popular that a Despicable Me 2 came out, and then a Despicable Me 3!
It is about a man named Gru, who is not a very kind person, but deep inside, he turns out to be a great guy. He lives with many of his friends who help him with his bad deeds, and he adopts 3 little girls to help fulfill a secret plan.
This must-watch movie is available on Netflix, Youtube, Prime Video, Vudu, Apple TV and Google Play Movies.
4. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
Photo by Prime Video
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is an absolutely hilarious movie combining comedy, fantasy, and science-fiction. They even made a film called Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2.
You’ll be laughing your pants off when you see how Cloudy, a man who tries to make inventions that work, but keeps failing, makes a machine that everybody loves. But, will his machine cause any problems for the small society he lives in?
You can find this film on Netflix, Prime Video, VUDU, Vudu Movie & TV Store, Redbox. or Apple TV.
5. Monsters inc.
Photo by Disney Movies
Monsters inc. is a movie loved by all (especially when it first came out). This buddy comedy and fantasy film is a great movie that you will simply adore. It is followed by a sequel called Monsters University.
Monsters, inc is about a monster named Sully and his companion named Mike. At work, they face an odd surprise.
You can find this laugh on Disney Plus, ROW8, Prime Video, Vudu Movie & TV Store, Apple TV, Redbox or VUDU.
6. Rio
Photo by 20th Century Fox
Rio is a hilarious movie that takes place in, well, Rio. It is a comedy, musical and adventure film.
Rio is about a bird named Blue who fell out of a truck filled with other birds captured at their home in Rio. He was found on the street as a baby by a young girl who raised him. He never learned to fly. She later found out that he was the last of his breed.
This fun watch is available on Hulu, Prime Video (rent or buy), and Youtube TV.
7. Boss Baby
Photo by atomtickets
Boss Baby is a very cute movie about a baby. It is a friendly comedy, adventure and fantasy film.
Boss Baby is about a baby who is delivered to his new family by taxi, after leaving Baby Corp. (a really cool organization that sends babies to their new family) wearing a suit with a briefcase. Tim, the Boss Baby’s new big brother, finds out that his new baby brother is actually a spy on a secret mission including an epic battle between puppies and babies.
You can watch this film on Hulu, Vudu, Youtube TV or Prime Video (rent or buy).
8. Turning Red
Photo by Rate Your Music
Turning Red is a brand new movie that just came out. It is rapidly becoming more popular, and it takes place in 2012. This film combines many genres, including comedy, animation, fantasy, family and coming-of-age story.
It is about a 13 year old, chinese-american girl named Meilin (Mei) Lee. She lives in Canada with her mom, Ming Lee, and dad, Jin Lee. She turns into a red panda when overcome by emotion. Her three best friends help her calm down.
This crazy movie is available on Disney+.
9.Rise of the Guardians
Photo by CivicEgage
Rise of the Guardians is an amazing movie that includes all of your favorite magical people like Santa Claus, Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny.
This film is about how Jack Frost goes on a big adventure to become a person more known in the world, so that more people believe in him, but he faces a challenging foe.
This great watch is available on Netflix.
10. Puss in Boots
Photo by Best Buy
Puss in Boots is a really great movie that became an instant hit. It is a major comedy, action, adventure and fantasy film. You saw him in Shrek, and now he got his own movie!
Puss is a cat who was adopted and he saved people in his town as a child. Or, at least, that is what everyone thinks. The hero is actually his friend Humpty Dumpty. Recognize the name? He ends up in jail, because Puss didn’t help his friend who was stuck, while they were robbing the town bank, and Humpty got caught. Follow Puss on a path to becoming a hero instead of a thief!
You can find this adventurous cat on Netflix or HBO Max.
11. Home
Photo by Movies Anywhere
Home is a great movie that is enjoyed by all. It is a sci-fi, comedy, adventure and fantasy film.
Home is about an alien (Boov), named Oh, who travels with all of his other Boov “friends” to get away from the so-called bad guy, Commander Gorg.
You can find this laugh on Netflix and Prime Video (rent or buy).
12. The Bee Movie
Photo by YIFY Subtitles
The Bee Movie is an amazing movie that people of all ages will find worthy to watch. It is a comedy and adventure film.
The Bee Movie is about, well, bees! What is it like living in a hive with hundreds of your family members? Go on an adventure with Barry, the bee, who lives in the hive, to find out what lies outside. This wonderful watch is available on Netflix, Vudu Movie & TV Store, Prime Video, Redbox., VUDU or Apple TV.
Summer break is just around the corner, and the perfect way to celebrate is by watching a fun family movie. Here are four movies (in no particular order) that I enjoyed watching with my family. Maybe you will like them too!
image courtesy of IMDb
1. The Mitchells vs. the Machines
This is a truly unique and fun family movie. The story follows aspiring filmmaker Katie Mitchell as she and her family go on a “family bonding” cross-country road trip. But their plans are interrupted when robots take over the world! Katie and her family must embrace their weirdness and get along to save the world.
This movie was hilarious and creative! Its unique style of animation like that of Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse made it a visually cool movie as well. The Mitchells vs. the Machines is rated PG.
image courtesy of IMDb
2. Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga
This was another unexpectedly great movie. The movie is about Lars Ericksson, whose lifelong dream is to win the Eurovision song contest for Iceland. He and his best (and only) friend Sirgrit, through a series of accidents, qualify to compete.
This movie is full of music, hilarious mishaps, and colorful settings that make it thoroughly enjoyable to watch. Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga is rated PG-13.
image courtesy of IMDb
3. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
Walter Mitty develops negatives for Life magazine and has a habit of getting lost in fantastical daydreams where he goes on epic adventures, unlike his real life. With the closing of the magazine, Walter is given the perfect picture for the cover. The only problem is, the negative is missing! Walter must go on an epic quest to retrieve the negative before it’s too late.
I absolutely loved this movie! It reminded me a little of Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga in the way that it’s a bit of a hidden gem. This movie was both inspiring and funny, which I think is a good combo. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is rated PG.
image courtesy of IMDb
4. Mamma Mia!
Mamma Mia! starts out with Sophie, who is about to get married. She wants her father to be at her wedding, but she doesn’t know who he is. That all changes when she finds her mother’s diary. As it turns out, there are three possible fathers! Sophie sends an invite to all of them, without her mother knowing. Chaos, confusion, and music ensue as old friends meet again. Who will walk Sophie down the aisle?
image courtesy of IMDb
In my opinion, no summer is complete without Mamma Mia! and its sequel, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again. These musicals are very silly and a little wild, but their energy has that wonderful summer feeling that can’t be beaten. The way ABBA’s songs seamlessly carry the story, you’d think they were written specifically for the movie. This movie is a summer romance movie, so I was skeptical the first time I watched it, but even my musical-and-romance-hating brother enjoyed Mamma Mia!. Mamma Mia! and Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again are both rated PG-13.
Esperanza’s life could not be more perfect. She has a loving family, a beautiful home, and all the dolls and dresses she could want. But when a terrible misfortune upends her life, Esperanza must learn to take care of herself and her mother. After escaping to California, Esperanza discovers the challenges and hardships of farm labor during the Great Depression, and she must learn how to be humble and accepting towards a new life and new people. Filled with bright imagery and compelling characters, Esperanza Rising is a book that all ages can enjoy.
Jacket Description:
“Esperanza Ortega possesses all the treasures a girl could want: dresses; a home filled with servants in Mexico; and the promise of one day presiding over El Rancho de las Rosas. But a tragedy shatters that dream, forcing Esperanza and her mother to flee to Arvin, California and settle in a farm camp. There, they confront the challenges of work, acceptance, and economic difficulties brought on by the Great Depression.”
“Pam Muñoz Ryan is an American author. She is half Mexican with Basque, Italian, and Oklahoman cultural influences. She has written over forty books for young people—picture books, early readers, and middle grade and young adult novels. She the author recipient of the NEA’s Human and Civil Rights Award, the Virginia Hamilton Literary Award, and the Ludington Award for body of work. Her novel, Esperanza Rising, was commissioned as a play by the Minneapolis Children’s Theatre and has been performed in many venues around the U.S. including The Goodman in Chicago, and the Majestic Cutler Theater, in Boston.
“Born Pamela Jeanne Banducci in Bakersfield, California, on December 25, 1951, her last name was changed before she attended school to match the name of her parents, Hope Bell and the man she considered her real father, Donald Bell. As Pamela Bell, she attended McKinley Elementary, Longfellow Elementary, Washington Jr. High, Bakersfield High School, and Bakersfield Community College. She then attended San Diego State University where she received a bachelor’s degree. She married James Ryan in 1975. An early childhood teacher, she worked for the Escondido, California, school district for three years before starting her family. After her four children were born, she became the director of an early childhood program and went back to school to get her master’s degree in Post-secondary Education with the intention of teaching Children’s Literature in college. When she finished her graduate program, she became interested in writing, and at the encouragement of her agent, Kendra Marcus, included her family name, Muñoz, to her signature, to reflect her Mexican heritage.”
Since the start of the Covid19 pandemic, live-action filmmaking has been drawn to a halt, with new restrictions and safety guidelines preventing many of the franchises we know and love today from being filmed. However, despite this unexpected stop in traditional production methods, many filmmakers have begun trying new mediums with which to tell their stories.
As a small independent filmmaker myself, I’ve spent much of my life creating live-action short films with friends in person, in a variety of locations and genres. Early 2020 found me in mid-production of a fantasy short film with a sizable crew. Unfortunately, in early March, I, like so many other filmmakers and production studios, had to put the short on hiatus given the implementation of quarantine. Some called the Coronavirus the end of traditional media, but filmmakers were not ready to give up so quickly.
A few weeks into the pandemic, an online film course I take as a student launched a virtual film challenge to anyone interested, providing a series of prompts to create a three-minute short from. Many others followed suit with their own challenges and film festivals with the goal of providing small-scale movie-making opportunities to those locked in their own homes. A fair number of popular YouTubers launched their own festivals to their fans, offering prizes for a variety of categories a short could fall into, and as a result, inspiring the massive community of independent filmmakers online to resume their craft.
Theatrical productions essentially came to a temporary close in the pandemic and gave center stage to the online filmmaker community, and with it came a number of new styles and methods of film production. Many creators made solo productions or collaborated with those within their social bubbles, while others found workarounds for their limited number of live-action casts, such as creating storytelling within recorded video games, using green screens, and some even using objects such as puppets as their main actors. Others still utilized the medium of animation to tell their stories. One YouTuber in particular, Joel Haver, kicked off an AI-assisted animation trend (fittingly called the Joel Haver Style) where live-action footage was animated over with the help of an application called EbSynth. These examples barely scratch the surface of the incredible determination of filmmakers to tell their stories in any way possible.
Similar to independent filmmakers, major production studios stayed strong despite the Coronavirus. Animation studios such as Pixar had an easier time of simply moving their animators from the studio to their homes to finish movies like Soul, while live-action studios went through the more rigorous task of having their actors and crewmembers all quarantine so they could record safely, on top of the mask requirements the entire rest of the world also was required to undergo. This seems to have worked, as a decent number of productions have both finished and started during the lockdown.
The Covid19 pandemic put a difficult obstacle in the path of filmmakers everywhere. With our primary method of production now unavailable, it seemed as if movie-making might cease until restrictions lifted. But filmmakers everywhere pressed on despite the trials put before us and gave rise to a whole new plethora of mediums and methods for storytelling. Whatever the world throws at us, we will persevere.
In her debut novel, author and activist Angie Thomas brings forth a compelling look into the life of a black teenage girl named Starr, who witnesses the murder of her friend at the hands of a white police officer. Starr’s life is one filled with challenges and loss as she learns to find her voice and stand up for herself, her friend, and her community. Angie Thomas has created a compelling story that is both honest and deeply moving, and Starr’s character comes through powerfully and shines a light on the challenges of being black.
Jacket Description:
“Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.
“Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil’s name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.
“But what Starr does—or does not—say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life.”
Reading Level: 14+
Age Range: 14+
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
Length: 444 pages
Awards:
Goodreads Choice Awards Best Young Adult Fiction
Goodreads Choice Awards Best Debut Goodreads Author
National Book Awards Longlist
William C. Morris Award
Michael L. Printz Honor Book
Coretta Scott King Honor Book
British Book Awards Children’s Book of the Year Shortlist
Goodreads Choice Awards Best of the Best
Carnegie Medal Shortlist
Edgar Award Nominee for Best Young Adult
Indies Choice Award for Young Adult Book of the Year
Boston Globe Horn Book Award
Image courtesy of The Guardian
About the Author: Angie Thomas
From her website:
“Angie Thomas was born, raised, and still resides in Jackson, Mississippi, as indicated by her accent. She is a former teen rapper whose greatest accomplishment was an article about her in Right-On Magazine. She holds a BFA in Creative Writing from Belhaven University and an unofficial degree in Hip Hop. She can also still rap if needed.
“Angie is an inaugural winner of the Walter Dean Myers Grant 2015, awarded by We Need Diverse Books. Her debut novel, THE HATE U GIVE, started as a senior project in college. It was later acquired by the Balzer+Bray imprint of HarperCollins Publishers in a 13-publisher auction and debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list, winning the ALA’s William C. Morris Debut Award and the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award (USA), the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize (UK), and the Deutscher Jugendliterapreis (Germany). THE HATE U GIVE was adapted into a critically acclaimed film from Fox 2000, starring Amandla Stenberg and directed by George Tillman, Jr.
“Angie’s second novel, ON THE COME UP, is a #1 New York Times bestseller as well, and a film is in development with Paramount Pictures with Angie acting as a producer. In 2020, Angie released FIND YOUR VOICE: A Guided Journal to Writing Your Truth as a tool to help aspiring writers tell their stories. In 2021, Angie returned to the world of Garden Heights with CONCRETE ROSE, a prequel to THE HATE U GIVE focused on seventeen-year-old Maverick Carter that debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list.”
The Lighthouse 