Tag Archives: Oklahoma Book Awards

Oklahoma Illustrator

Meet Reading Roundup Illustrator Christopher Nick

Illustrator Christopher NickArtist Christopher Nick joins the 2018 DoubleR Author Tour on September 11 with a presentation in Okenee. He’ll also be making appearances in Woodward, Apache, Marlow, and Hennessey during the month.

Nick illustrated Dust Storm, the 2017 Oklahoma Book Award-winning Children’s title. He has also illustrated other children’s books, including D-Day: American Character, A Story from World War II, and The Room in My Heart.

If you’ve ever toured the Oklahoma State Capitol, chances are good you’ve come across Nick’s work. The prolific artist has eight paintings in the building, including portraits of Governor Abraham Seay, Territorial Governor George Steele, architect Solomon Layton, and Chickasaw aviator Eula Pearl Carter Scott. In 2009, he unveiled his painting of the USS Oklahoma Memorial in the Oklahoma Senate Chamber.

Nick has also enjoyed success as a commercial illustrator for a variety of products, and he still finds time to serve as a teaching artist through the Oklahoma Arts Council.

To set the stage for his Reading Roundup debut, we asked him a few questions.

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Oklahoma Author

Meet Reading Roundup Author Lutricia Clifton

Young adult Author Lutricia CliftonGet ready for Okahoma’s fourth DoubleR Author Tour! Writer Lutricia Clifton kicks off the fun with presentations in Cleveland on Monday, September 10. She will also be appearing in public libraries and schools in Bristow, Wagoner, Pawhuska, and the Capitol Hill neighborhood in Oklahoma City.

Clifton won the 2017 Oklahoma Book Award for her young adult novel Seeking Cassandra, which will be the featured title on her tour. Her first YA novel, Freaky Fast Frankie Joe, landed on multiple Notable and Best lists of YA titles, was on the Sequoyah Book Awards Masterlist, and was nominated for the Texas Bluebonnet Award. In addition to writing Book cover of Saving Cassandrafor young people, she also publishes adult mysteries under the name Lu Clifton. Her first two mysteries were also finalists for Oklahoma Book Awards in the Fiction category.

A native of Southeastern Oklahoma, Clifton had lived in four states by the time she was in third grade before the family finally put roots down in the Texas Panhandle. She has been a writer, editor, and teacher during her adult life.

We wanted to get to know more about this year’s featured YA author before the tour begins.

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Oklahoma Author

Meet Reading Roundup Author Cynthea Liu

Award-winning author Cynthea Liu joins the 2017 DoubleR Author Tour on September 19 with a presentation at Wister Public Library.

Liu received the 2016 Oklahoma Book Award for her picture book Bike on, Bear! She will also be visiting schools and public libraries in Tuttle, Miami, Tahlequah and Tonkawa. Copies of Bike on, Bear! will be available for purchase at all of her presentations.

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Oklahoma Author

Meet Reading Roundup Author Alton Carter

Oklahoma’s third DoubleR Author Tour kicks off September 11 in Claremore with a presentation by award-winning author Alton Carter. He will also be appearing in public libraries and schools in Stratford, Elk City, Tecumseh, and Watonga.

Carter’s first book, The Boy Who Carried Bricks, is a true account of his young life in Oklahoma—a life betrayed by abandonment, neglect, hunger, and violence. While some readers may identify too closely with the hardscrabble narrative, all readers find inspiration in the author’s ultimate triumph over a difficult childhood.
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Oklahoma Author, Oklahoma Illustrator

Meet Reading Roundup Author Hannah Harrison

harrisonAda Children’s author and illustrator Hannah E. Harrison joins this year’s DoubleR Author Tour on October 18 in Tishomingo. Harrison, who received the 2015 Oklahoma Book Award in Illustration for the book Extraordinary Jane, will be visiting schools and public libraries in Tishomingo, Antlers, Stratford, Duncan, and Pauls Valley during her two weeks on the road.

In addition to her Oklahoma Book Award win for Jane, she was also a 2016 finalist in the children’s category for Bernice Gets Carried Away. Both books, plus her latest—My Friend Maggie—will be available for sale at all of her DoubleR events.

Prior to her Reading Roundup debut, we had a chance to talk with Harrison about her illustrative art, her writing, and how the two fit together.

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