Born August 12, 1937-Martinsburg, West Virginia
Foster parents – Florence and Herbert Dean
Moved to Harlem (age 3) Became a bookworm Dropped out of high school (age 16) Joined U.S. army
1968: Won the Council on Interracial Books for Children contest
1969: First published book—Where Does the Day Go?
1970s: BA at Empire State College
1977: Writing full time Now lives in Jersey City, New
Jersey. Married, has 3 grown children Has worked with son Christopher
Over 80 titles Range of Genres for
varying ages Picture books
(illustrated by son, Christopher Myers)
Non-fiction Fiction Poetry Memoirs
Themes Adolescence The ‘hood’ inner
city experience Dealing with
pressure Sports Drugs Love Family Harlem Culture Music
Coretta Scott King Honor (Author)
ALA Best Book for Young Adults
ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers
Kentucky Bluegrass Award
ALA Best Book for Young Adults
ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers
Newbery Honor Books Scorpions 1988 Somewhere in the Darkness 1993
Coretta Scott King Awards The Young Landlords 1979 Motown and Didi: A Love Story 1984 Fallen Angels 1989 Now is Your Time! The African-American
Struggle for Freedom 1991 Slam! 1997 Monster 2000
Caldecott Honor Book Harlem: A Poem (son Christopher Illustrated)
4 Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards Margaret A. Edwards Lifetime
Achievement Award given by the American Library Association 1994
Recipient of the first annual Virginia Hamilton Literary Award, has been a versatile and prolific writer for more than 30 years
http://www.walterdeanmyers.net/ His own website: bio, bibliography, reviews, news (appearances), contact info
http://aalbc.com/authors/walter1.htmBiography and sample of Books
http://www.notablebiographies.com/news/Li-Ou/Myers-Walter-Dean.htmlBiography
http://dept.kent.edu/Virginiahamiltonconf/Myersbio.htmBiography
http://www.bookpage.com/0102bp/walter_dean_myers.htmlInterview
http://www.readingrockets.org/books/interviews/myerswVideo Interview
http://www.webenglishteacher.com/myers.htmlLesson plans to use with his books
On reading: “Books took me, not so much to foreign lands and fanciful adventures, but to a place within myself that I have been constantly exploring ever since.” (http://aalbc.com/authors/walter1.htm)
On writing: “What I think I'm doing now is rediscovering the innocence of children that I once took for granted. I cannot relive it or reclaim it, but I can expose it and celebrate it in the books I write. I really like people—I mean, I really like people—and children are some of the best people I know.” (http://aalbc.com/authors/walter1.htm)