Alice Faye Duncan
BIO
ALICE FAYE DUNCAN is a National Board Educator. For 30 years, Alice taught school in Memphis, TN, while simultaneously writing award-winning picture books for young learners. A few of her titles include Honey Baby Sugar Child, Memphis, Martin and the Mountaintop, Yellow Dog Blues, and Traveling Shoes—The Willye White Story. Her picture books are celebrated for their vivid, inventive use of language that is steeped in memorable lyricism.
As a motivational speaker and historian, Alice travels the nation, speaking to children and adults. Her Juneteenth book, Opal Lee and What it Means to Be Free is a bestseller, having sold 100,000 copies since January 2022. Learn more about her work at www.alicefayeduncan.com.
THE DREAM BUILDER’S BLUEPRINT—DR. KING’S MESSAGE TO YOUNG PEOPLE
Dr. Martin Luther King visited Philadelphia in October 1967. Few people in the city know of this special Black History moment. During Dr. King’s visit, he stopped at Barratt Junior High on Wharton Street in Philadelphia. In an auditorium packed with more than 900 students, he provided a “Blueprint” for their success. Dr. King told the children, “You count.” He said, “Black is beautiful.” He encouraged them to “make a better world” and stay in pursuit of academic excellence. He said “Don’t quit school.” Finally, Dr. King left the students on a resounding note of thunder. He said when times are tough, don’t quit. KEEP MOVING!
Alice Faye Duncan reinterprets King’s speech as a motivational erasure poem in The Dream Builder’s Blueprint, which is accompanied by spirited and inspired art from Philadelphia-born illustrator, E. B. Lewis. The book highlights the principles of excellence, activism, and compassion that remain relevant and necessary today. Also, the book has a universal message that is ideal for parents, librarians, and teachers looking for a book that distills Dr. King’s principles to a level that kids can understand.
BLUES BOY – THE B. B. KING STORY
At twelve years old, Riley B. King borrowed fifteen dollars from his boss to buy a used guitar. Before long, he was playing his music for jubilant crowds all over the world. Blues Boy chronicles B. B. King’s inspiring journey from his childhood in the Jim Crow South to global stardom. It is a compelling biography about the widely known and celebrated American music figure as well as a beautifully illustrated picture book with themes of family, community, history, kindness, empathy, and justice.
Acclaimed author Alice Faye Duncan makes B.B. King’s story both accessible and inspiring for young readers. The text is sometimes uplifting and sometimes heart-wrenching, but always carries emotional depth, much like the music it celebrates. Illustrator and visual artist Carl Joe Williams provides artwork that is rich and distinctive, bringing B.B. King’s story to life on every page. Blues Boy will find a place on the shelf with books like Trombone Shorty and Radiant Child.
