Contact:
Teresa Lyles Holmes, Expertí, (914) 282-5317, teresalh@experti.com
Award-winning Illustrator Eric Velasquez Partners with Poet to Present a Heartwarming Holiday Classic for the Entire Family
Grand Rapids, Mich., August 6, 2009– At a time when many people seek to bring a more traditional focus to holiday observances, Nikki Grimes, New York Times bestselling author and poet, and Eric Velasquez, an Afro-Puerto Rican illustrator and a fellow Coretta Scott King award winner, have partnered to cast a stunningly simple and beautiful light on the birth of the Messiah. Released in October by Zonderkidz™, the children’s division of Zondervan, Voices of Christmas shares the Christmas story through the firsthand accounts of those who witnessed the event.
In melodic verse, the angel Gabriel, Mary and Joseph each express their wonder, excitement and apprehension. Ponders Gabriel:
I wonder what he’ll look like,
God wrapped in baby’s skin,
Stepping from Eternity into Time?
How will he hide his glory?
How will he hold it all in?
Readers will also rejoice with Elizabeth and Zachariah, who God has chosen as the expectant parents of John the Baptist. They will worship with Gaspar, Melchior, and Balthasar, the magi, shudder at Herod’s desperate attempts to cling to his throne, and shout for joy with the shepherds. Like the principals whose lives have been intertwined through the ages by the story of the birth of Christ, readers of all ages cannot help but be enthralled by the Voices of Christmas.
“For many families, it’s the spirit of the season that makes the holidays special,” says Annette Bourland, Zonderkidz Senior Vice President and Publisher. “Voices of Christmas captures that spirit and will bring the Christmas story to life in readers’ hearts, as well as their homes.”
About the Author
The author of more than 50 books, Nikki Grimes is renowned for her ability to use poetry to establish an emotional connection with her readers. Born in Harlem, New York, she started writing verses at age 6 and gave her first poetry reading seven years later. In 2009, Grimes received the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work in the children’s category for her inspirational book Barack Obama: Son of Promise, Child of Hope. She also earned Coretta Scott King Award for Bronx Masquerade and King honors for Dark Sons, Jazmin’s Notebook, Talkin’ About Bessie, and The Road to Paris. Grimes is the recipient of the 2006 NCTE Award for Excellence in Children’s Poetry. Many of her titles also have been cited as Notable Books by the American Library Association.
About the Illustrator
Eric Velasquez began his career as a freelance illustrator, lending his artistic talents to more than 300 book jackets and interior illustrations, including: Journey to Jo’Burg, Chain of Fire, the Encyclopedia Brown series and Jazmin’s Notebook. In 1997, he illustrated his first picture book, The Piano Man, which garnered the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award for new talent. Since then, Velasquez authored and illustrated Grandma’s Records, a celebration of the special bond he shared with his grandmother. He also illustrated several acclaimed books including The Sound that Jazz Makes, which earned the National Council for the Social Studies Carter G. Woodson Book Award; Champion: The Story of Muhammad Ali; Jesse Owens: The Fastest Man Alive, and I Matthew Henson.
Voices of Christmas is one of several offerings Zonderkidz will make available in 2009 and 2010 that are written and illustrated by noted African-Americans authors and artists. “We are expanding our offerings to include resources that celebrate African-American heritage and faith in ways that are culturally significant,” Bourland said. “It’s Zonderkidz’s way of supporting families, clergy, schools and community groups that seek to encourage and inspire.”
Voices of Christmas (ISBN: 978-0-310-71192-6, $16.99, Hardcover, Jacketed) will be available in October 2009 wherever books are sold. An audio CD featuring a reading of Voices of Christmas, performed by Nikki Grimes and Craig Northcutt, is included inside the book. For further information, please visit www.zonderkidz.com.
Zondervan, a
HarperCollins company, is a world leader in Christian communications and the leading Christian publishing brand. For more than 75 years, Zondervan has delivered transformational Christian experiences through general and academic resources by influential leaders and emerging voices, and been honored with more Christian Book Awards than any other publisher. Headquartered in Grand Rapids, Mich., with offices in San Diego and Miami, Zondervan conducts events and publishes its bestselling
Bibles,
books,
audio,
video,
curriculum,
software, and
digital products through its
Zondervan,
eZondervan,
Zonderkidz,
Youth Specialties,
Editorial Vida, and
National Pastors Convention brands. Zondervan resources are sold worldwide through retail stores, online, and by
Zondervan ChurchSource, and are translated into nearly 200 languages in more than 60 countries. Visit Zondervan on the Internet at
www.zondervan.com (mobile site:
zvan.mobi).
Zonderkidz™, a division of
Zondervan, inspires young lives through imagination and innovation. As the leader in Christian children's communications, it produces bestselling and award-winning
Bibles,
books,
board books,
graphic novels,
audio,
video, and
digital products that awaken the hearts and touch the souls of kids under 16 and the people who love them, from family members to educators. Zonderkidz is the publisher of the
NIrV (New International Reader's Version) Bible translation, the 3rd-grade reading level edition of the
NIV that is ideal for children and those who speak English as a second language. Visit Zonderkidz on the Internet at
www.zonderkidz.com.
