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Go Forth and Tell: The Life of Augusta Baker, Librarian and Master Storyteller
Augusta Baker grew up listening to stories. “Her grandmother’s lilting, tilting voice shaped incredible worlds and passed them down to Augusta.” When Augusta left home, she took along the “where there’s a will there’s a way” attitude her grandmother’s folktales taught her. A unit on folklore while Augusta was studying to become a teacher convinced her that telling and sharing stories was her calling. She began her career as a children’s librarian for the New York Public Library (NYPL) in Harlem. Upset by the depictions of Black people in books on the shelf, she set about sharing authentic stories by and about Black people, including the ones her grandmother told her. Her illustrious career included being the first Black coordinator of children’s services at NYPL, teaching at Columbia University, and becoming Storyteller-in-Residence at the University of South Carolina, where an annual festival is still held in her name. Whether curating collections, supporting and promoting the work of other Black writers and artists, or telling stories herself, Augusta was devoted to sharing stories that lifted up Black lives and culture and enriched the world of children. An author’s note rounds out this informative, celebratory picture book biography. ©2025 Cooperative Children’s Book Center
Illustrated by April Harrison
CCBC Age Recommendation: Ages 6-10
Age Range:
PreK-Early Elementary (Ages 4-7)
Grades 3-5 (Ages 8-10)
Format:
Picture book
Subjects:
20th Century
African Americans
Libraries and Librarians
Perseverance
Writers and Writing
Diversity subject:
Black/African
Publishers:
Dial, Penguin Random House
Publish Year: 2024
Pages: 40
ISBN: 9780593324202
CCBC Location: Non-Fiction, 920 Baker