Charles R. Smith
AUTHOR

Charles R. Smith

Teens | Kids | Drama & Poetry

Charles R. Smith Jr. is an award-winning children's book author, photographer and poet with over thirty books to his credit. His awards include a Coretta Scott King Award for Illustration for his photographs accompanying the Langston Hughes poem, "My People" and a Coretta Scott King Honor Author Award for his biography on Muhammad Ali, "Twelve Rounds to Glory." Many of his books have also garnered reluctant reader awards, proving that kids that don't like to read, do like to read his books.

Charles combines his passions of writing and photography with a variety of subjects that spark his interest. Even though his early books such as "Rimshots", "Hoop Kings" and "Hoop Queens focus on basketball, Charles has shown the ability to apply his talents to a variety of subjects, including diversity with "I Am America" and "I Am the World", Greek mythology with "The Mighty 12", how slaves built the White House with "Brick by Brick" and Negro League baseball with "Stars in the Shadows" to name a few. His poetry has also been used to paint unique biographical portraits of personal heroes such as the aforementioned Ali, boxer Jack Johnson and soon, guitarist Jimi Hendrix.

Of the distinctive niche Charles fills with his books, he notes, "I want to show students, particularly boys, that there are many ways to pursue their interests, no matter what they may be."

To hear excerpts from his books and learn more about Charles R. Smith Jr, visit his website at www.charlesrsmithjr.com

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Best Sellers

    • 28 Days

    • Moments in Black History That Changed the World
    • By: Charles R. Smith
    • Narrated by: full cast
    • Length: 1 hr and 8 mins
    • Unabridged
    • Overall
      4 out of 5 stars 2
    • Performance
      4 out of 5 stars 2
    • Story
      4 out of 5 stars 2

    The 28 days of Black History Month are commemorated with descriptions of the men, women, and events that have defined our understanding of African American history....

    • 3 out of 5 stars

    • Rhyming story of well known Black heroes

    • By SmartShopper on 12-26-18

    • 28 Days

    • Moments in Black History That Changed the World
    • By: Charles R. Smith
    • Narrated by: full cast
    • Length: 1 hr and 8 mins
    • Release date: 03-02-17
    • 4 out of 5 stars 2 ratings

    Regular price: $11.17

    Free with 30-day Trial

    • We Rise, We Resist, We Raise Our Voices

    • By: Wade Hudson - editor, Cheryl Willis Hudson - editor
    • Narrated by: Bahni Turpin, Guy Lockard, full cast
    • Length: 1 hr and 41 mins
    • Unabridged
    • Overall
      5 out of 5 stars 2
    • Performance
      5 out of 5 stars 1
    • Story
      4 out of 5 stars 1

    The foremost diverse children's authors and illustrators - including Jason Reynolds, Jacqueline Woodson, and Kwame Alexander - share answers to the question, "In this divisive world, what shall we tell our children?" in this collection, published in partnership with Just Us Books....

    Regular price: $15.40

    Free with 30-day Trial

    • Pick-Up Game

    • A Full Day of Full Court
    • By: Marc Aronson, Charles R. Smith Jr, Walter Dean Myers, and others
    • Narrated by: Dion Graham, Quincy Tyler Bernstine
    • Length: 3 hrs and 25 mins
    • Unabridged
    • Overall
      4 out of 5 stars 4
    • Performance
      4.5 out of 5 stars 3
    • Story
      3.5 out of 5 stars 3

    Crackling with humor, grit, and streetball philosophy, and featuring poems by Charles R. Smith Jr., this anthology is a slam dunk....

    • 3 out of 5 stars

    • Uneven but memorable

    • By Melissa on 06-21-13

    Regular price: $16.09

    Free with 30-day Trial

    • Chameleon

    • By: Charles R. Smith
    • Narrated by: Barrie Buckner
    • Length: 9 hrs and 50 mins
    • Unabridged
    • Overall
      5 out of 5 stars 1
    • Performance
      0 out of 5 stars 0
    • Story
      0 out of 5 stars 0

    Shooting the breeze with his boys. Tightening his D on the court. Doing a color check - making sure nobody's wearing blue or red, which some Crip or Piru carrying a cut-down golf club would see as disrespect....

    Regular price: $19.95

    Free with 30-day Trial

    • Black Jack

    • Ballad of Jack Johnson
    • By: Charles R. Smith Jr
    • Narrated by: Dion Graham
    • Length: 14 mins
    • Unabridged
    • Overall
      4 out of 5 stars 1
    • Performance
      4 out of 5 stars 1
    • Story
      0 out of 5 stars 0

    A powerful telling of the first African-American heavyweight champion, this story portrays how a shy, fearful young man learned to fight back and become one of history's more compelling personalities....

    Regular price: $9.07

    Free with 30-day Trial

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