Nationally Renowned Editors and Illustrators Collaborate to Inspire Hope and Faith in Youth
 Book Cover |  Cheryl and Wade Hudson |
Grand Rapids, MI (BlackNews.com) - In uncertain times, keeping hope and faith alive in our young people is a top priority. This fall, Zonderkidz(TM), the leading publisher of children's Bibles and Bible storybooks, will underscore efforts by families, clergy, schools and others seeking to encourage Black youth with the release of My Holy Bible for African-American Children (www.zondervan.com/africanamerican), a large print, New International Version (NIV) Bible featuring culturally significant artwork and inspiring book introductions.
Edited by Cheryl and Wade Hudson, the nationally acclaimed authors and publishers of Just Us Books, My Holy Bible for African-American Children connects the spiritual challenges and triumphs of today's youth with the journeys of well-known Biblical heroes. Leading African-American illustrators such as Pat Cummings, Nancy Devard, Shane Evans, Cathy Ann Johnson, Anna Rich, Javaka Steptoe and Michele Wood also engage readers with more than 30 pages of spellbinding art.
According to Marketing to the Mosaic, an October 2008 study conducted by the marketing strategy researchers Taylor and Welch, 96 percent of African-Americans polled indicated that they believed in God, with 95 percent reporting that they pray in a given week and 60 percent saying they read the Bible. These are rich traditions that Zonderkidz believes My Holy Bible for African-American Children can help families pass on to the next generation. "Our goal is to publish resources to help more African-American children explore God's Word," said Annette Bourland, Zonderkidz Senior Vice President and Publisher. "And we believe that this one-of-its-kind full text Bible, both Old and New Testament, with its glorious illustrations, created just for the African-American community, emphasizes just how much God knows and loves them."
My Holy Bible for African-American Children (ISBN: 978-0-310-71964-9, $24.99, Hardcover, Print Caseside) will be available in October 2009 wherever books are sold in the NIV translation, the most-read, most-trusted Bible translation. It will be the first of a series of Bibles Zonderkidz will release that are focused on African-American youth. A King James Version (KJV) of My Holy Bible for African-American Children will be introduced in February 2010. This offering will be coupled with new NIV and KJV Bibles for African-American teens. The NIV and KJV Bibles for African-American Teens will be available with gender specific customized Italian Duotone(TM) covers in February 2010.
About the Contributing Editors
Married since 1972, Cheryl and Wade Hudson are cofounders of Just Us Books, an independent publishing company specializing in books and learning materials for children and young people. The company was founded in 1988, after a search for books that reflected the diversity of Black history, heritage and experiences proved disappointing. In response, the Hudsons published the AFRO BETS® A B C Book and followed up a year later with the release of a second title and their own publishing firm. Over the years, Just Us Books has published dozens of titles and received numerous prestigious awards, including the Publishers Marketing Association's Ben Franklin Award for illustration given to Bright Eyes, Brown Skin in 1991 and From a Child's Heart in 1994. In 2008, Just Us Books' The Secret Olivia Told Me, was named a Coretta Scott King Honor Book for Illustration. The Hudsons have been honored for their contributions to literature with the Ida B. Wells Institutional Builders Award presented by the National Black Writers Conference. They have also become recognized leaders in the field of multicultural publishing. Both Hudsons are active in their church, where Wade Hudson serves as a deacon.
Zonderkidz(TM), a division of Zondervan, inspires young lives through imagination and innovation. As the leader in Christian children's communications, it produces bestselling and award-winning Bibles, books, board books, graphic novels, audio, video, and digital products that awaken the hearts and touch the souls of kids under 16 and the people who love them, from family members to educators. Zonderkidz is the publisher of the NIrV (New International Reader's Version) Bible translation, the 3rd-grade reading level edition of the NIV that is ideal for children and those who speak English as a second language. Visit Zonderkidz(TM) on the Internet at www.zonderkidz.com
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