Jonah Winter

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About Jonah Winter

Jonah Winter is the award-winning, celebrated author of over 40 nonfiction picture books, including New York Times bestseller, BARACK. Jonah Winter's wide-ranging interests have led him to write and illustrate picture books on racism, baseball players, avant-garde artists, jazz musicians, exotic dancers, presidents, manual laborers, Beethoven's difficulties moving in and out of 39 apartments, garbage, 12-century mystics, and his own father's experiences growing up in East Texas during the Great Depression. His book about racial injustice and voting rights, LILLIAN'S RIGHT TO VOTE, was a 2016 Jane Addams Award Honor Book and a 2015 Kirkus Prize finalist. Three of his books, DIEGO, HERE COME THE GARBAGE BARGE and RUTH BADER GINSBURG, were New York Times Best Illustrated Books. His book about the making of the atom bomb, THE SECRET PROJECT, received 5 starred reviews. His book about the children of Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings, MY NAME IS JAMES MADISON HEMINGS, was a New York Times Notable. A poet, painter, musician, and cook, Jonah Winter divides his time between New York City and a small town in Pennsylvania.

To find out more about Jonah Winter, go to his website: www.jonahwinter.com

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Titles By Jonah Winter

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Sonia Sotomayor: A Judge Grows in the Bronx/La juez que creció en el Bronx (Spanish Edition) Jun 7, 2011

by Jonah Winter , Edel Rodriguez

( 271 )

$10.99

The inspiring and timely story of Sonia Sotomayor, who rose up from a childhood of poverty and prejudice to become the first Latino to be nominated to the US Supreme Court.

Before Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor took her seat in our nation's highest court, she was just a little girl in the South Bronx. Justice Sotomayor didn't have a lot growing up, but she had what she needed -- her mother's love, a will to learn, and her own determination. With bravery she became the person she wanted to be. With hard work she succeeded. With little sunlight and only a modest plot from which to grow, Justice Sotomayor bloomed for the whole world to see.

Antes de que la magistrada de la Corte Suprema Sonia Sotomayor llegara al máximo tribunal de nuestra nación, no era más que una niñita en el South Bronx. La magistrada Sotomayor no tuvo mucho durante sus primeros años, pero sí tuvo lo que contaba -- el amor de su madre, la voluntad de aprender y su propia determinación. Con valentía se hizo la persona que quería ser. Con trabajo arduo triunfó. Con un poquito de sol en un solarcito donde crecer, la magistrada Sotomayor floreció para que todo el mundo la vea.

Other Formats: Hardcover , Paperback

Lillian's Right to Vote: A Celebration of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 Jul 14, 2015

by Jonah Winter , Shane W. Evans

( 153 )

$4.99

An elderly African American woman, en route to vote, remembers her family’s tumultuous voting history in this picture book publishing in time for the fiftieth anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

As Lillian, a one-hundred-year-old African American woman, makes a “long haul up a steep hill” to her polling place, she sees more than trees and sky—she sees her family’s history. She sees the passage of the Fifteenth Amendment and her great-grandfather voting for the first time. She sees her parents trying to register to vote. And she sees herself marching in a protest from Selma to Montgomery. Veteran bestselling picture-book author Jonah Winter and Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award winner Shane W. Evans vividly recall America’s battle for civil rights in this lyrical, poignant account of one woman’s fierce determination to make it up the hill and make her voice heard.

"Moving.... Stirs up a potent mixture of grief, anger, and pride at the history of black people’s fight for access to the ballot box." —The New York Times

"A much-needed picture book that will enlighten a new generation about battles won and a timely call to uphold these victories in the present." —Kirkus Reviews, Starred

"A valuable introduction to and overview of the civil rights movement." —Publishers Weekly, Starred

"An important book that will give you goose bumps." —Booklist, Starred

Other Formats: Hardcover

The 39 Apartments of Ludwig Van Beethoven Apr 30, 2014

by Jonah Winter , Barry Blitt

( 14 )

$3.99

How hard is it to move 5 legless pianos 39 times?
Beethoven owned five legless pianos and composed great works on the floor. His first apartment was in the center of Vienna's theater district... but he forgot to pay rent, so he had to move. (And it's very hard to move a piano. Even harder to move five). Beethoven's next apartment was in a dangerous part of town... so he moved, and the pianos followed on a series of pulleys. Then came an apartment with a view of the Danube (but he made too much noise and the neighbors complained), followed by an attic apartment (where he made even MORE of a rukus), and so Beethoven moved again and again. Each time, pianos were bought, left behind, transported on pulleys, slides, and by movers, all so that gifted Beethoven could compose great works of music for the world.

Other Formats: Hardcover

The Sad Little Fact May 7, 2019

by Jonah Winter , Pete Oswald

( 111 )

$10.99

A New York Times bestselling author and the #1 New York Times bestselling illustrator of The Good Egg deliver a perfectly timed, funny read-aloud about the importance of telling the truth.

There once was a fact who could not lie.

But no one believed him.

When the Authorities lock the sad little fact away, along with other facts, the world goes dark. But facts are stubborn things. With the help of a few skillful fact finders, they make a daring escape and bring truth back to brighten the world. Because after all, "a fact is a fact" and that's that!

Truth be told, this spare, ingenious story reads like a modern-day parable. Bestselling author, Jonah Winter, and the #1 New York Times bestselling illustrator of The Good Egg, Pete Oswald, pair together to remind us of the importance of honesty and truth during a time of lies and fake news.

Other Formats: Hardcover

Welcome to Bobville: City of Bobs Sep 1, 2020

by Jonah Winter , Bob Staake

( 11 )

$10.99

Here's a timely, hilarious picture book, with Seussian appeal! In Bobville, everyone is named...yup, Bob...and everything is exactly the same--until one Bob decides he'd like to be a Bruce.

Welcome to Bobville, home to people only named Bob! In Bobville, the Bobs eat the same food, wear the same clothes, watch the same movies, and have the same hobbies. They agree on everything-- ESPECIALLY that they don't like anyone who isn't named Bob. The Bobs go about their Bob ways, until one day, to the surprise of the entire city, one resident decides he wants to do things a little differently, and live as Bruce. In response, the Bobs build a wall to keep Bruce, and anyone else who dares to be different, out of the city. But Bruce doesn't mind-- it turns out the diverse world outside of Bobville is actually very beautiful. In this timely picture book, bestselling author Jonah Winter and acclaimed illustrator Bob Staake explore how exclusion and walls breed intolerance, and how being different and open-minded enriches our lives and the world.

Other Formats: Hardcover

Roberto Clemente: Pride of the Pittsburgh Pirates Jul 26, 2011

by Jonah Winter , Raúl Colón

( 67 )

$7.99

On an island called Puerto Rico, there lived a little boy who wanted only to play baseball. Although he had no money, Roberto Clemente practiced and practiced until--eventually--he made it to the Major Leagues. America! As a right-fielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates, he fought tough opponents--and even tougher racism--but with his unreal catches and swift feet, he earned his nickname, "The Great One." He led the Pirates to two World Series, hit 3,000 hits, and was the first Latino to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. But it wasn't just baseball that made Clemente legendary--he was was also a humanitarian dedicated to improving the lives of others.

Other Formats: Hardcover , Paperback

How Jelly Roll Morton Invented Jazz Jun 16, 2015

by Jonah Winter , Keith Mallett

( 3 )

$11.99

In this unusual and inventive picture book that riffs on the language and rhythms of old New Orleans, noted picture book biographer Jonah Winter (Dizzy, Frida, You Never Heard of Sandy Koufax?) turns his focus to one of America's early jazz heroes in this perfectly pitched book about Jelly Roll Morton.

Gorgeously illustrated by fine artist Keith Mallett, a newcomer to picture books, this biography will transport readers young and old to the musical, magical streets of New Orleans at the turn of the 20th century.

A Neal Porter Book

Other Formats: Hardcover

Frida Feb 28, 2017

by Jonah Winter , Ana Juan

( 6 )

$11.99

When her mother was worn out from caring for her five sisters, her father gave her lessons in brushwork and color. When polio kept her bedridden for nine months, drawing saved her from boredom. When a bus accident left her in unimaginable agony, her paintings expressed her pain and depression - and eventually, her joys and her loves. Over and over again, Frida Kahlo turned the challenges of her life into art. Now Jonah Winter and Ana Juan have drawn on both the art and the life to create a playful, insightful tribute to one of the twentieth century's most
influential artists. Viva Frida!

Other Formats: Hardcover , Paperback

Elvis Is King! Jan 8, 2019

by Jonah Winter , Red Nose Studio

( 46 )

$10.99

Elvis Presley--the King of Rock 'n' Roll, still beloved by millions of Americans--comes to vibrant, gyrating life in this extraordinary picture-book biography from an award-winning author and the winner of a New York Times Best Illustrated Book Award.

Here's the perfect book for anyone who wants to introduce rock 'n' roll and its king to the child in their lives. In single- page "chapters" with titles like "The First Cheeseburger Ever Eaten by Elvis" and "Shazam! A Blond Boy Turns into a Black-Haired Teenager," readers can follow key moments in Presley's life, from his birth on the wrong side of the railroad tracks in the Deep South, to playing his first guitar in grade school, to being so nervous during a performance as a teenager that he starts shaking . . . and changes the world!

Jonah Winter and Red Nose Studio have created a tour-de-force that captures a boy's loneliness and longing, along with the energy and excitement, passion, and raw talent that was Elvis Presley.

"Readers will want to pore over this thoroughly engaging volume." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review

Other Formats: Hardcover

Muhammad Ali: Champion of the World Dec 19, 2012

by Jonah Winter , Francois Roca

( 3 )

$4.99

In the history of legendary boxers, there was Joe Louis and Sonny Liston . . . and then, “the heavens opened up, and there appeared a great man descending on a cloud, jump-roping into the Kingdom of Boxing. And he was called Cassius Clay.” Clay let everyone know that he was the greatest boxer in the world. He converted to the Nation of Islam, refused to be drafted into a war in which he didn’t believe, and boxed his way back to the top after being stripped of his title. The man that came to be known as Muhammad Ali was heard in a voice no one will ever forget.

Other Formats: Hardcover

Born and Bred in the Great Depression Oct 11, 2011

by Jonah Winter , Kimberly Bulcken Root

( 16 )

$4.99

East Texas, the 1930s—the Great Depression. Award-winning author Jonah Winter's father grew up with seven siblings in a tiny house on the edge of town. In this picture book, Winter shares his family history in a lyrical text that is clear, honest, and utterly accessible to young readers, accompanied by Kimberly Bulcken Root's rich, gorgeous illustrations. Here is a celebration of family and of making do with what you have—a wonderful classroom book that's also perfect for children and parents to share.

Other Formats: Hardcover

My Name Is James Madison Hemings Oct 25, 2016

by Jonah Winter , Terry Widener

( 17 )

$10.99

A New York Times Notable Book

A powerful historical picture book about the child of founding father Thomas Jefferson and the enslaved Sally Hemings.

In an evocative first-person account accompanied by exquisite artwork, Winter and Widener tell the story of James Madison Hemings’s childhood at Monticello, and, in doing so, illuminate the many contradictions in Jefferson’s life and legacy. Though Jefferson lived in a mansion, Hemings and his siblings lived in a single room. While Jefferson doted on his white grandchildren, he never showed affection to his enslaved children. Though he kept the Hemings boys from hard field labor—instead sending them to work in the carpentry shop—Jefferson nevertheless listed the children in his “Farm Book” along with the sheep, hogs, and other property. Here is a profound and moving account of one family’s history, which is also America’s history.

An author's note includes more information about Hemings, Jefferson, and the author's research.

"This gentle, emotional book is a reminder that many presidents’ biographies have distressing aspects. . . . A simple but historically solid introduction to some of the moral crises slavery presented for our nation." --The New York Times

"Through a poignant first-person monologue, Winter imagines the peculiar upbring- ing of Virginia slave James Madison Hemings, son of Thomas Jefferson and his enslaved mistress, Sally Hemings.”—Bulletin, starred review

Other Formats: Hardcover

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