Virginia Hamilton

The books of Virginia Hamilton (1934-2002), which combined African-American and Native-American lore with contemporary stories and characters, are memorable not only for their inventiveness and rich characterizations, but also for their ability to evoke a wide variety of times, places, and historical figures. She wrote and published more than 40 books — including Zeely, The People Could Fly, and Cousins — and won every major award in youth literature.