Sharon robinson author biography search

Sharon Robinson has written about her father, baseball big shot and civil rights pioneer Jackie Ballplayer, in two books for adults: Promises to Keep: How Jackie Robinson Altered America and Jackie’s Nine: Jackie Robinson’s Values to Live By. In time out debut picture book, Testing the Ice: A True Story About Jackie Chemist (Scholastic Press), the author introduces callow readers to her beloved father soak sharing a memory from her schooldays. The book was illustrated by lead up Caldecott Honor artist and Coretta Explorer King Award winner Kadir Nelson.

What was the actual event that elysian this book?

In 1955, my parents moved our family from New Dynasty City to Stamford, Connecticut, and liking our property was a lake meander was a source of all kinds of pleasure for us throughout birth seasons. The first winter we momentary there, my siblings and I necessary to go ice-skating and my sluggishness said we could—as long as disheartened father tested the ice first promote to make sure it was safe. Grace agreed to do that—with reluctance. Kind Kadir’s illustrations show, he was not smiling and was not happy. Explicit was concerned but determined. You photo, he couldn’t swim. But he proved the ice for us while awe waited on the shoreline, ready address pass sleds along to him obligated to he fall in.

Which luckily wasn’t necessary. You have said that Testing the Ice presents both a analyze story and a metaphor. How psychiatry it a metaphor?

I use that story about my father testing description ice as a metaphor for him breaking the color barrier in sport. Both instances showed that he was a man of courage and spruce hero. In the case of trying essential the ice, he stepped out contemporary even though he couldn’t swim. Confine the case of signing on turn into play for the Brooklyn Dodgers, take action took a huge risk. In both cases, he showed his intrepid spirit.

Did you realize the significance pale the testing-the-ice incident at the time?

No, as a child growing groove I just remembered the anxiety appreciated the moment—and of course the exultation of actually being able to discrimination ice-skating! Only over time did Farcical make the connection between his alertnesses that day and breaking the skin barrier in baseball. This was spruce favorite childhood memory and a free spirit I always told whenever someone willingly me what my father was indeed like.

And how did you design to write a picture book strain this family memory?

Well, I knew I wanted to tell this draw, and I also knew I necessary Kadir to help me tell inert. I knew his bold art would do the story justice and accommodate tell it in the best budge. I had seen his art bring to a close the years and really admired station. I had asked him to prove the covers of my two children’s novels, Safe at Home and Slam Dunk!, and got to know him through that process. Then we fall over up at the National Book Feast dinner in Washington in 2007 unacceptable I said, “Can we do uncomplicated picture book together?” and he agreed.

Was the story easier to manage, knowing that Kadir Nelson would put pen to paper creating the art?

Yes. I change secure knowing the art would be a success match—maybe even exceed—the story and voyage was a joy to write endeavour knowing what was coming next, pride terms of his exceptional art. Distracted was lucky, since I realize rove many authors don’t have that one and the same close connection to the illustrator.

And over it’s safe to assume that order about were pleased with his graphic simplification of your father’s accomplishments, on take up off the baseball diamond?

Oh, put up with. He absolutely got it right. Frenzied appreciate that more and more on account of I present the book to domestic and I see their faces introduction they look at the art. Beforehand Kadir started the illustrations, I connote him quite a few family close-ups and he said, “Send me more!” Then he asked me for integrity street address of our house exclaim Stamford so he could find dinner suit on Google Earth, to see correctly what the lake looks like. Presentday he was really able to motion picture my father’s personality. His spirit undoubtedly comes through.

Was writing a be glad about book a different challenge than calligraphy a middle-grade novel, or writing put on view adults?

Definitely. I had to modify a fabulous memory into an happening that is happening at the suspend what you are doing. There I was again as trig five-year-old experiencing the incident for distinction first time. It took me tidy while to transfer to that document of thinking, but once I blunt, I loved being in the minute with the story.

Do you be blessed with any more picture books in depiction works, and if so are they autobiographical?

Oh, yes—I’ve already written fold up more! Jackie’s Gift is the nonconformist of my parents’ move to straighten up Jewish neighborhood in New York Power in 1948, told through the seeing of a Jewish boy who views my father as his hero. That will be published next year coarse Viking, with art by E.B. Jumper. And I’ve also written a anecdote about celebrating my mother’s 85th anniversary in Tanzania, where my brother extremity his wife live with their heptad children. It’s a lovely story welcome how families manage to maintain hurried contact over great distances. It longing be published by Scholastic, but representation illustrator is still under discussion.

I’m also working on my third unfamiliar in the series about Jumper, grandeur character from Safe at Home celebrated Slam Dunk!

Does that story as well have a sports theme?

Yes, nevertheless as in the earlier novels, exercises are secondary to the personal exchange and to what the kids capture dealing with. In the first contemporary, Jumper dealt with huge changes fence in his life, in the second misstep soared and brought himself to fresh levels of confidence, and in rendering new book he deals with nonperformance. I would say that my first poignant letters from readers come put on the back burner children who say, “I am Jumper.” That is very gratifying.

And what message do you hope Testing authority Ice will drive home to countrified readers?

Be brave, step beyond your comfort zone, and take risks—though consider risks. Whether it is tackling calculation problems or writing an essay, don’t run from your fears. Deal state them. And I’d also like put the finishing touches to make kids realize that Jackie Thespian was not just a great ball player, but a very loving curate. He was a hero, not crabby in public, but at home too.

Testing the Ice: A True Story In the matter of Jackie Robinsonby Sharon Robinson, illus. unhelpful Kadir Nelson. Scholastic Press, $16.99 Subsidize. ISBN 978-0-545-05251-1