The Book Itch

Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor, ALA Notable Children's Book, CCBC Best Children's Book of the Year, Jane Addams Children's Book Award, Kirkus Best Children's Books, NCTE Notable

In the 1930s, Lewis's dad, Lewis Michaux Sr., had an itch he needed to scratch—a book itch. How to scratch it? He started a bookstore in Harlem and named it the National Memorial African Bookstore.

And as far as Lewis Michaux Jr. could tell, his father's bookstore was one of a kind. People from all over came to visit the store, even famous people—Muhammad Ali, Malcolm X, and Langston Hughes, to name a few. In his father's bookstore people bought and read books, and they also learned from each other. People swapped and traded ideas and talked about how things could change. They came together here all because of his father's book itch. Read the story of how Lewis Michaux Sr. and his bookstore fostered new ideas and helped people stand up for what they believed in.

NCTE Notable Children's Book in the Language Arts Children's Book Committee at Bank Street College Best Children's Book of the Year ALA Notable Children's Books Kirkus Best Children's Books Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC) Choices ACL Distinguished Book Junior Library Guild Selection Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Jane Addams Children's Book Award Honor Book Gelett Burgess Children’s Book Awards Honor

“"This companion to No Crystal Stair (2012) introduces younger readers to Nelson's great uncle, Lewis Michaux Sr., owner of Harlem's National Memorial African Bookstore. Michaux's young son Lewis Jr. narrates; he recalls helping his father with the day-to-day operation of the shop; visits from the famous, including Muhammad Ali and Malcolm X; and the devoted community patronage that helped the store thrive for nearly four decades. Nelson highlights Michaux's dedication to his calling (he financed the business with his own money and often slept at the store when customers stayed late), as well as his determination to educate his clientele. She also notes the political climate the store fostered, detailing a missed meeting with Malcolm X on the night he was shot, which probably saved Michaux's life. Christie, who also illustrated the earlier volume, here uses a bold color palette and realistically rendered figures. He incorporates many of Michaux's slogans ('Don't get took! Read a book!') into the art, especially on the end papers and in depictions of the storefront. Appended with generous back matter including a list of sources, this moving tribute should be a welcome addition to almost any collection."starred, Booklist”

"This companion to No Crystal Stair (2012) introduces younger readers to Nelson's great uncle, Lewis Michaux Sr., owner of Harlem's National Memorial African Bookstore. . . . [T]his moving tribute should be a welcome addition to almost any collection."—starred, Booklist

"From the author's heart to America's readers: a tribute to a man who believed in and lived black pride."—starred, Kirkus Reviews

"Studded with Michaux's aphorisms . . . the book successfully conveys the vibrancy of the bookstore and its habitués. . . . R. Gregory Christie . . . is here allowed full pages drenched with expressionistic color to convey the spirit of the place, time, and people."—The Horn Book Magazine

"Writing in the voice of Michaux's admiring son, Nelson illuminates Lewis's generosity . . . and his fervent belief in the power of words and books to change lives. . . . It's an emotive tribute to Michaux's personal and professional legacy."—Publishers Weekly

"A strong endorsement of the power of books and reading, an excellent choice for history and biography collections, and a strong choice for educators emphasizing the importance of community."—School Library Journal

Vaunda Micheaux Nelson is the author of The Book Itch, as well as three Coretta Scott King Award-winning books: No Crystal Stair, Bad News for Outlaws, and Almost to Freedom. She is a former youth services librarian in New Mexico. Visit her online at vaundanelson.com. R. Gregory Christie's illustrations have earned him many awards, including a Caldecott Honor, many Coretta Scott King Honors, and multiple spots on the New York Times' annual Best Illustrated Children's Books lists. He has been a guest speaker at conferences and libraries and teaches after school art programs all over the world. He lives in Georgia.

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