Let's Celebrate Floyd Cooper Day On May 6 With KidLitTV, Capstone and This Special Choice Board

 

Today, is Floyd Cooper Day.  This is a celebration of his life and inspiring work as an award-winning author and illustrator.

As shared by Every Child A Reader, 

Floyd Cooper, a celebrated children’s book illustrator and author who explored the African American experience in stories rooted in history, died on July 15, 2021 but his memory and work lives on. Over 30 years and over 100 titles, he illustrated children’s stories that not only carried his earthy and golden pastel impressions of Black life, but that also strived to recount chapters of African American history that he felt weren’t taught enough in classrooms—if they were taught at all. He saw humanity in every face, in every heart. 

Floyd Cooper Day is sponsored by friends of Floyd Cooper, The Brown Bookshelf, the Highlights Foundation, The African American Children’s Book Project, the Children’s Book Council and Every Child a Reader. 

You will find more information and resources here on the Children's Book Week page. 

For this special celebration, KidLitTV, along with Every Child A Reader, created this wonderful page filled with Read Out Loud of Floyd reading many of his books. 

I brought these all together in a special choice board to Celebrate Floyd Cooper Day. 

The first book, and one of my favorite books by Floyd Cooper, is Juneteenth for Mazie from our friends at Capstone.  

You can reach more about his book and Juneteenth on the site that Capstone has created, Celebrate Juneteenth. The site shares, 

In honor of Juneteenth, Capstone is happy to present Floyd Cooper’s Juneteenth for Mazie as a FREE read-aloud video. Our hope is that you, your students, and even their families, enjoy the story of Mazie as she remembers the struggles and triumphs of her enslaved ancestors' full emancipation. This video hopes to commemorate a great day for all Americans, where we strive towards a more perfect union. Thank you and enjoy!

This video will be such a wonderful addition to this day. 

I also found, A Day In The Life Of Floyd Cooper, Illustrator, from Eerdmans Books for Young Readers. 

I added both of these videos to the choice board. 

You will find the choice board here.  If you need to make any edits or additions, you can make a copy here.

This will make a special spot for our teachers and students visit as we learn about and celebrate Floyd Cooper. You can use and follow the #FloydCooper Day too.