Author * Consultant * Speaker * Children’s Book Creator
Cheryl Willis Hudson is vice president and editorial director of Just Us Books, Inc., an independent publisher of Black-interest books for children and young adults. She and her husband Wade Hudson founded Just Us Books in 1988 to address the need for more African American children's books in the market place. Ms. Hudson has authored many books for young children including Bright Eyes, Brown Skin, AFRO-BETS ABC Book, AFRO-BETS 123 Book, Many Colors of Mother Goose, Come By Here Lord: Everyday Prayers for Children (Just Us Books) Good Morning, Baby (Scholastic), From Where I Stand (Marimba Books), Hands Can (Candlewick Press) and My Friend Maya Loves to Dance (Abrams Books for Young Readers).
Author, publisher and entrepreneur, Cheryl Willis Hudson has more than 40 years of experience in the children's book industry. A native of Portsmouth, Virginia, and a graduate of Oberlin College in Ohio, Cheryl began her career doing text book design for publishers such as Houghton Mifflin and Macmillan.
Noticing a lack of quality Black-interest books for her own two children, in 1988, Cheryl and her husband Wade formed Just Us Books, Inc., a publishing company that specializes in children’s books that focus on Black experiences. Cheryl’s AFRO-BETS ABC Book, was Just Us Books’ first published title.
An active member of her community and publishing industry organizations, Cheryl serves on the advisory board of the Langston Hughes Library at the Alex Haley Farm, operated by the Children’s Defense Fund. She is a recipient of the Stephen Crane Award, a member of the Children's Book Committee of PEN America and is an inductee of the International Literary Hall of Fame for Writers of African Descent.
Author, publisher and entrepreneur, Cheryl Willis Hudson has more than 40 years of experience in the children's book industry. A native of Portsmouth, Virginia, and a graduate of Oberlin College in Ohio, Cheryl began her career doing text book design for publishers such as Houghton Mifflin and Macmillan.
Noticing a lack of quality Black-interest books for her own two children, in 1988, Cheryl and her husband Wade formed Just Us Books, Inc., a publishing company that specializes in children’s books that focus on Black experiences. Cheryl’s AFRO-BETS ABC Book, was Just Us Books’ first published title.
An active member of her community and publishing industry organizations, Cheryl serves on the advisory board of the Langston Hughes Library at the Alex Haley Farm, operated by the Children’s Defense Fund. She is a recipient of the Stephen Crane Award, a member of the Children's Book Committee of PEN America and is an inductee of the International Literary Hall of Fame for Writers of African Descent.
In the photo at right, Cheryl is about 9 months old.
Below, Cheryl with two of her brothers, Hayes and Roderick Willis   |
As a workshop facilitator and speaker she shares her experience about family literacy and diversity and her expertise in developing curricula of inclusion with schools, educational institutions and other organizations around the country.
Cheryl has been creating her own stories and pictures ever since she was a little girl. As an adult, she now creates vibrant and engaging books that portray children in active and positive roles in their homes, schools and communities. Her published works of over 2 dozen titles include:
When Cheryl was a little girl she loved to doodle and to organize things. She helped her mother correct papers and create bulletin boards for elementary school classrooms. Those early skills eventually led her into studying art and design on her own after high school. After graduating cum laude from Oberlin College in Ohio Cheryl moved to Cambridge, MA where after attending a summer program in publishing procedures at Radcliffe College, she became an art editor trainee at a text book publishing house in Boston. She later moved to New Jersey with her husband Wade and became a designer, art director and publisher of children's books.
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The AFRO-BETS letter forms evolved gradually over thirty years ago from a series of doodles and drawings of active African American figures that Cheryl created to decorate the nursery of Wade and Cheryl's baby daughter, Katura. When friends asked Cheryl to make customized nameplates for their children, the letters grew into an entire alphabet and the AFRO-BETS were born. In 1987 Cheryl and Wade narrowed the figures down to 6 characters, Katura (daughter), Stef (son), Robo, Glo, Langston (after the great writer) and Nandi (after a family friend's daughter) and branded them the AFRO-BETS Kids! AFRO-BETS ABC Book was Cheryl's first published title. In 1988, Cheryl and Wade founded JUST US BOOKS, an independent press dedicated to publishing relevant Black-interest titles for children and young adults.
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To invite Cheryl Hudson to speak at your next conference, workshop or event, contact SPEAKLOUDLY
Email: PatrickOliver@speakloudly.com
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(501) 952-6169
To invite Cheryl Hudson to speak at your next conference, workshop or event, contact SPEAKLOUDLY
Email: PatrickOliver@speakloudly.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/patrick.oliver.52
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PMOliver
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/3pmoliver
(501) 952-6169
