Donna.L Washington author page

Donna.L Washington biography

Donna L. Washington is a professional storyteller, recording artist and children’s author. She performs at festivals, schools and libraries, and she gives workshops for parents and educators. She graduated from Northwestern University with a BS in speech. Her storytelling recordings have received Gold and Silver Parents’ Choice Awards, Storytelling World Awards, iParenting Awards, Children’s Music Web Awards and National Parenting Publications Awards Honors.

Washington’s first book was The Story of Kwanzaa, illustrated by Stephen Taylor and released on 30 October 1996. The picture-book nonfiction title explains the seven-day festival of Kwanzaa, including the seven principles, African and African-American heritage, a brief history section, a glossary, instructions for making a cow tail switch and a recipe for benne cakes.

A Pride of African Tales, illustrated by James Ransome, is an 80-page children’s collection in which Washington retells six traditional stories from African nations including Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon and the Congo. The collection includes an Anansi trickster tale and a story called The Wedding Basket.

Li’l Rabbit’s Kwanzaa, illustrated by Shane W. Evans, is a 32-page picture book for ages 4 to 8. The story follows Li’l Rabbit as he tries to help Granna Rabbit celebrate Karamu during Kwanzaa, and the book includes two final pages about the Nguzo Saba, the Seven Principles of Kwanzaa.

Boo Stew, illustrated by Jeffrey Ebbeler, is a 32-page picture book that reworks Goldilocks through Curly Locks, the Scares of Toadsuck Swamp and a repeated storytelling refrain. The paperback edition of Boo Stew was published by Candlewick Press on 27 August 2024.