American author of children and young adult books Jacqueline Woodson celebrates her birth date on Feb. 12, 1963, in Columbus, Ohio.

Jacqueline liked to tell stories when she was a little girl and always knew she wanted to be a writer. Her favorite books growing up were “The Little Match Girl” by Hans Christian Andersen and “Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry” by Mildred D. Taylor.

She lived in Nelsonville, Ohio before her family moved south to Greenville, S.C. and then on to Brooklyn when she was about seven.

After college, she went to work for a children’s publishing company and helped write the Cali- fornia standardized reading tests.

Her books have won many awards and in 2020 she was awarded the Hans Christian Anderson Medal. She is best-known for “Miracle’s Boys “and her Newbery Honor-winning books “Brown Girl Dreaming” (her memoir), “Feathers” and “Show Way.”

After serving as the Young People’s Poet Laureate from 2015 to 2017, Jacqueline was named National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature by the Library of Congress for 2018 to 2019. Beginning January 2022, she was named the Kennedy Center’s Education Artist-in-Residence.

We have her (JF) “Feathers” and her (YAF) “Miracle’s Boys.”

Happy Valentine’s Day to all our patrons and friends.