**FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE**Philadelphia, PA. -- The 2014 Street Lit Book
Award Medal (SLBAM) Committee is proud to announce the award winners for 2013
publications. The following winners and honorees were nominated based on
popularity of books as read by the public in school, academic, and public
library settings. In other words, the SLBAM honors what street lit readers are
reading and deeming as their best authors and titles for the 2013 publication
year.
ADULT NON-FICTION WINNER: LETTERS TO AN INCARCERATED
BROTHER: ENCOURAGEMENT, HOPE, AND HEALING FROM INMATES AND THEIR LOVED ONES BY
HILL HARPER.
Readers really resonated with the
epistolary-styled book authored author/actor Hill Harper. A long-time activist
for social justice, Harper's writings back to inmate letters is awe-inspiring
and a clarion call for everyone to acknowledge that if one of us is imprisoned,
then, we all are. This title was constantly requested last year, in its hardback
version. It is also available on Kindle, and the paperback is due for release in
April 2014.
Adult Non-Fiction Honorees: -- Soul Train: The
Music, Dance and Style of a Generation by Quest Love. -- Mom & Me
& Mom by Maya Angelou. -- Undisputed Truth by Mike Tyson and
Larry Sloman. ADULT FICTION WINNER: HONOR THY THUG BY
WAHIDA CLARK.
Author
and publisher Wahida Clark has a loyal readership that responds to her books
consistently. Clark's works are always authentic in their voice and in their
uncompromising representations of what goes on in the hood. Wahida keeps it real
in her Thug Love series, of which "Honor Thy Thug" is the latest installment.
Readers couldn't get enough of this title in 2013.
Adult Fiction
Honorees: -- The Prada Plan 3: Green-Eyed Monster by Ashley and
JaQuavis. -- Murderville 3: The Black Dahlia by Ashley and JaQuavis.
-- Fly Betty by Treasure Blue. YOUNG ADULT
LITERATURE WINNER: HIP HOP BIOGRAPHY SERIES - SADDLEBACK PUBLICATIONS.
Saddleback Educational Publishing specializes in publishing
relatable and readable fiction and non-fiction for struggling readers. This
nicely packaged 10-volume series has engaged teen readers throughout the country
since its release in early 2013. Librarians report that this series of 48-paged
biographies successfully attracts reluctant readers.
Young Adult
Literature (fiction and non-fiction) honorees: -- Grace, Gold, and
Glory My Leap of Faith by Gabrielle Douglass. -- Way too Much Drama
by Earl Sewell. -- Butterfly: A novel by Sylvester Stephens.
EMERGING CLASSIC: MURDERVILLE TRILOGY BY ASHLEY AND
JAQUAVIS.
NYT Bestselling duo, Ashley & JaQuavis continue to
grasp readers with their Murderville trilogy,
Murderville: The First of a
Trilogy (2011)
, Murderville 2: The Epidemic (2012)
, and
Murderville 3: The Black Dahlia (2013). This woven tale of Liberty's
journey from Sierra Leone to the Americas and back, is a powerful testament to
the rich tapestry of stories that the street lit genre continues to
convey.
AUTHOR OF THE YEAR: WAHIDA CLARK. 
Wahida
Clark is a New York Times bestselling author who has long been noted for her
pioneering contributions to contemporary street lit, as well as her commitment
to the evolution of the genre. Known as the Queen of Thug Love, her "Thug Love"
series has garnered an immensely loyal readership throughout the years. A 2007
SLBAM Adult Fiction winner, Wahida's latest novel, "Honor Thy Thug," has graced
her in the winner's circle again with winning the 2014 SLBAM Award in the Adult
Fiction category as well. Clark is a
Cash
Money Content author and she also runs her own publishing company, including
a
young adult
imprint.
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Methodology: The SLBAM Committee conducted three nomination rounds where
they reported on field research of patron readership and reader response to
street lit in libraries across the country. The committee discussed all
nominated titles. The "Emerging Classic" category recognizes a street
lit-plotted or -themed book that was published during or before the year of
nomination but continues to be in popular demand by the reading public. Another
special category, "Author(s) of the Year", recognizes an author or writing team
whose publications were particularly well-received by the reading public during
the nomination year. Aside from the "Emerging Classic" category, books eligible
for SLBAM nomination were required to be published between January 1, 2013 -
December 31, 2013.
For more information about the Street Lit Book Award
Medal (SLBAM) or if you are interested in participating on the committee, visit
the
StreetLiterature.com website
for
a historical listing
of SLBAM Awards.
2014 SLBAM Committee Members:
K.C. Boyd,
M.Ed., M.L.S., is the Library Media Specialist at the acclaimed Wendell Phillips
Academy High School in Chicago, IL. Boyd is a nationally sought-out lecturer on
street lit and urban young adult reading practices. Known as "The Audacious
Librarian", KC blogs about young adult street lit/urban fiction at
http://theaudaciouslibrarian.blogspot.com/.
Marvin DeBose, Sr., M.L.S., is an Adult/Teen Librarian with the Free
Library of Philadelphia (PA). An often sought-out panelist for discussing street
lit in libraries, Marvin manages the largest street lit public library
collection in Philadelphia, and also runs a teen street lit book club where they
discuss their readings on
Facebook. Marvin blogs at
Mr.Philly Librarian.
D.L. Grant, Jr., M.L.S., is an Assistant Branch Manager with the San
Antonio (TX) Public Library System. Grant is studying for his doctorate's degree
in English studies.
Patrice Grimball-Smith is a Librarian Assistant in
Young Adult Services for the Charleston County Public Library System in
Charleston, South Carolina. She is also President of the
Readers in Motion Bookclub.
Vanessa Irvin Morris, M.S.L.S., Ed.D., is the convener of the Street Lit
Book Award Medal (SLBAM) Committee (note: Dr. Morris only votes when there is
need for a tie-breaker). Vanessa is the author of the
Street Literature blog, and the
award-winning publication,
The Readers Advisory Guide to Street Literature (2011).
A librarian with over 25 years' experience, Vanessa teaches library and
information science at a private research university in Northeast
USA.
For media inquiries about the SLBAM awards, contact:
vanirvinmorris@gmail.com.
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