Traci N. Todd

BIO

TRACI N. TODD is the award-winning author of Nina: A Story of Nina Simone; Holding Her Own: The Exceptional Life of Jackie Ormes; Make a Pretty Sound: A Story of Ella Jenkins; and the compiler of This Is Not a Small Voice: Poems by Black Poets. While she primarily writes nonfiction, 2006 will see the release of her first fictional picture books: Hello, Beautiful, illustrated by Loveis Wise (April), and That You Are Here Is No Small Thing (September), illustrated by Vashti Harrison.
 
Traci is also the editor of many successful books for children, including the New York Times-best selling The ABCs of Black History and several books in the InvestiGators series by John Patrick Green. 
 
She lives in Queens, New York with her partner and their collection of vintage Sesame Street toys. You can find her online at tracitodd.com.

 

 

THIS IS NOT A SMALL VOICE: Poems By Black Poets
 
A beautiful, bold collection of more than 100 dazzling poems by Black poets for the whole family to treasure.

Discover classic favorites and new stars. This gorgeously illustrated children’s anthology is the perfect introduction to poets such as Lucille Clifton, Langston Hughes, Benjamin Zephaniah, Gwendolyn Brooks, Maya Angelou, Amanda Gorman, Caleb Femi, and Joseph Coelho, and also features brand-new work by poets Nikki Grimes, Carole Boston Weatherford, and others.

Lovingly compiled by award-winning picture book writer and editor Traci N. Todd, this collection touches on a wide range of themes-hope and struggle, joy and pride, home and food, music and family. Each poem is paired with vibrant, inviting illustrations by Jade Orlando.

This beautiful gift book is a remarkable and moving tribute to the rich literary history and bright future of Black writing.
 

MAKE A PRETTY SOUND: A STORY OF ELLA JENKINS
 
Once upon a time, children’s music was just Mother Goose, nursery songs, and lullabies. And then came Ella Jenkins.

Ella Jenkins was an American folk singer and living legend dubbed “The First Lady of Children’s Music.” For nearly 70 years, she has been writing and performing music that has entertained and engaged generations of young listeners. In Make a Pretty Sound, Ella’s journey—from the gritty streets of Chicago to the classrooms where she found her calling to an opportunity to raise her voice for freedom alongside Martin Luther King, Jr., to the spotlight of the world’s stage—is rhythmically, joyfully, brilliantly illuminated. For readers familiar with Ella Jenkins or new to her work, this nonfiction picture book offers a treasury of inspiration that touches on American history, civil rights, cultural awareness, and the incredible power of music.
 

HOLDING HER OWN: THE EXCEPTIONAL LIFE OF JACKIE ORMES
 

Jackie Ormes made history. She was the first Black woman cartoonist to be nationally syndicated in the United States. She was also a journalist, fashionista, philanthropist, and activist, and she used her incredible talent and artistry to bring joy and hope to people everywhere. But in post-World War II America, Black people were still being denied their civil rights, and Jackie found herself in a dilemma: How could her art stay true to her signature “Jackie joy” while remaining honest about the inequalities Black people had been fighting?

Rising stars Traci N. Todd, author of the Coretta Scott King Honor Book Nina: A Story of Nina Simone, and Shannon Wright, co-creator of the bestselling graphic novel Twins, have crafted a gorgeous and heartfelt tribute to the indelible legacy of Jackie Ormes, whose life and work still influences illustrators and cartoonists today.