Kelly Starling Lyons

Lyons was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. As a high-school student, Lyons loved the works of Richard Wright, Ralph Ellison and Lorraine Hansberry and set a goal to be an author.[1]

As an adult, she read the book Something Beautiful by Sharon Dennis Wyeth, which was the first time she had seen an African-American girl featured on the cover of a picture book. This inspired her to start writing fiction books for children that would feature African-American lead characters.[1]

Lyons makes her home in Raleigh, North Carolina.[2]

Lyons attended Syracuse University, where she earned a B.A. in African-American Studies, as well as her M.S. in Magazine Journalism. She has since worked for Ebony Magazine, The News & Observer, and the Syracuse Herald-Journal.[3]

Lyons has written more than a dozen books for children that focus on aspects of African-American history and culture, including:[1]

• A Girl Named Misty, The True Story of Misty Copeland, this book tells the story of how young Misty Copeland began to dance, eventually becoming the first African-American principal dancer in American Ballet Theater.
• NEATE: Eddie’s Ordeal, a title in their NEATE chapter book series, tells the story of relationship between a 13-year-old African-American boy who loves to play basketball and his civil rights veteran dad.
• One Million Men and Me was published by Just Us Books in 2007. Illustrated by Peter Ambush, it was inspired by her memories of attending the Million Man March.[4][5]
• Hope's Gift, illustrated by Don Tate, celebrates the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation.
• Tea Cakes for Tosh was illustrated by E. B. Lewis.
• Ellen’s Broom, illustrated by Daniel Minter, was inspired by a document that the author saw while researching family history in Rockingham County, NC and Henry County, VA.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kelly Starling Lyons.

• The Brown Bookshelf