The University of Pittsburgh Library System is pleased to announce the acquisition of the archive of acclaimed children’s and young adult author Sharon G. Flake, the recipient of two Coretta Scott King Honors and other notable awards and recognitions. A longtime Pittsburgh resident, Flake is internationally known for gripping narratives that authentically capture the humanity of everyday teens who grapple with everything from teenage angst to making choices that can change the trajectory of their lives for better or worse. She is the author of more than a dozen books which have been translated into multiple languages.
Twenty-five years ago, Flake’s debut novel, The Skin I’m In, was published by Jump at the Sun, a new Disney children’s imprint focused on books with an African American emphasis. Flake’s story of a young Black girl’s experiences with bullying and colorism garnered critical acclaim. It earned her the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Award and the YWCA Racial Justice Award. Her novel was also a New York Public Library Top Ten Book for the Teen Age and a Bank Street College of Education Best Children’s Books of the Year. In 2018, a 20th anniversary edition celebrated the book’s continued significance to readers across the globe. In 2021, Flake published a sister volume, The Life I’m In, that recounts a young Black girl's journey into the world of human trafficking. A finalist for the prestigious Kirkus Prize, the novel was designated a Top 10 Book of the Year by the American Library Association and Kirkus. The Family I’m In, set for release in early 2025, explores the complicated dynamics between boys and their fathers.
Born and raised in Philadelphia, Flake attended the University of Pittsburgh, earning her BA in English Writing, and made the city her home. After graduation, she worked in family and community services before returning to Pitt to work in the University’s public relations department and then serving as PR director at the Katz Business School. She continued to write and, in 1992, won the August Wilson short story contest.
“Sharon Flake is internationally beloved, and we are both fortunate and honored that she has chosen to keep her archive close to home,” said Clare Withers, Curator of the Elizabeth Nesbitt Collection of historical children’s literature in Archives & Special Collections. “Her work joins other noteworthy children’s literature materials held by the University of Pittsburgh Library System. We cannot wait to share this incredible resource with scholars, instructors, students, and the many who love Sharon’s work!”
“I’m absolutely thrilled about the opportunities that Sharon Flake’s archive will bring for researchers, teachers, and students,” said Courtney Weikle-Mills (Children’s Literature Certificate Program Director). “Pitt’s teachers and students are passionate in investigating the ways that children’s literature presents readers with mirrors, windows, and doors (to quote Rudine Sims Bishop), and I will be excited to be able to offer students a hands-on way of learning about and making discoveries related to Flake’s considerable work in this regard.” Further, Weikle-Mills remarked that “Her realist fiction, historical fiction, poetry, and short stories are groundbreaking for their sensitive portrayals of difficult topics like homelessness, teen pregnancy, gun violence, suicide, and HIV, all with a clear, caring message about the worth and significance of the young people facing these issues.”
To date, Flake has donated manuscripts, notebooks, correspondence, speeches, student letters and drawings, PR materials, and photographs that document her career as an acclaimed writer for children and young adults.
Contact Information:
Clare Withers, Elizabeth Nesbitt Collection Curator, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System (cwithers@pitt.edu)
