Although her parents were both high school graduates, her father could not find enough employment to sustain the growing family. ”Įloise Greenfield was born on May 17,1929, in Parmele, North Carolina. It is necessary for black children to have a true knowledge of their past and present, in order that they may develop an informed sense of direction for their future. A true history must be the concern of every black writer. The distortions of black history have been manifold and ceaseless.

Greenfield added: “I want to give children a true knowledge of black heritage, including both the African and the American experiences. Children must be able to face their mistakes and weaknesses without losing sight of their strengths. “As for abilities -self-confidence is half the battle. “I want to encourage children to develop positive attitudes toward themselves and their abilities, to love themselves, ” she stated. Despite the limitations of the written word, she told Horn Book Magazine, literature can leave a lasting effect on young minds. ”Īs an author, Greenfield feels she has an important -indeed essential -task. According to Betty Valdes in the Interracial Books for Children Bulletin, Greenfield “consistently … illuminates key aspects of the black experience in a way that underlines both its uniqueness and its universality. The characters in her books wrestle with all the challenges of growing up as seen from a black American perspective. Greenfield ’s simple yet eloquent tales cover the familiar territory of childhood, from fantasies to fears, even to living with disabilities. The author of more than a dozen prize-winning books for children, Eloise Greenfield has helped give black youngsters a literature about their own life experiences.

Grandmama's Joy by Eloise Greenfield