Biography Clearinghouse
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Lesa Cline-Ransome

Lesa Cline Ransome’s Twitter profile says she enjoys “giving past stories new life.”  Her first children’s book was a biography about Satchel Paige, and since then, she has written several award winning biographies about African Americans for children. Before She Was Harriet; The Power of Her Pen: The story of groundbreaking journalist Ethel L. Payne; and Just a Lucky So and So: The story of Louis Armstrong are just a few of her many acclaimed titles.  She has also written historical fiction, including Finding Langston and its sequel, Leaving Langston. Many of Lesa’s books are illustrated by her husband, James Ransome, but they typically have separate creative processes, working on a book at different times. When she’s not reading or writing, Lesa loves asking questions, eating avocados (with cilantro), listening to vinyl records and live music, and spending time with her four children. Learn more about Lesa at www.lesaclineransome.com.
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Lesa's Process & Artifacts

Watch the video recording of our interview with Lesa Cline-Ransome.  In this video, Lesa talks about her writing process and decisions for this book:
  • Being invited to write for this series 
  • How she began her research: “I started with another biography about Claudette.” [2:37]
  • Visiting the Rosa Parks Museum in Alabama as part of her research process on Claudette Colvin [3:45]
  • Making a personal connection with the writing subject [5:30] and [23:51]
  • Deciding to include the experience of Claudette Colvin losing her sister [8:00]
  • Learning about the role of outstanding teachers in developing Claudette’s activist stance [9:55]
  • Deciding what to include and what to leave out in the biography [12:35]
  • Conveying the historical context for readers [17:42]
  • Writing a biography in a series [21:10]
  • Choosing to include questions throughout the biography [23:45]
  • How do incorporate dialogue or quotes [25:44]

Lesa's Books

She Persisted: Claudette Colvin cover
Leaving Lymon cover
Finding Langston cover
Satchel Paige cover
Before There Was Mozart cover
Quilt Counting cover
Quilt Alphabet cover
Major Taylor Champion Cyclist cover
Pele Soccer's First Star cover
Light in the Darkness cover
Benny Goodman & Teddy Wilson cover
Words Set Me Free cover
Whale Trails cover
Freedom's School cover
Germs cover
My Story, My Dance cover
Just a Lucky So and So cover
Counting the Stars cover
Overground Railroad cover
Game Changers cover
The Power of Her Pen cover
Before She Was Harriet cover

Other Interviews and Resources about Lesa

  • "How Lesa Cline-Ransome and James Ransome Find Inspiration in the Little Things" (SLJ 2020)
  • "Lesa Ransome-Cline and James Ransome on Dancing, History and Dolphins" (The Booking Biz 2019)
  • ​"Getting Biographical with Lesa Cline-Ransome" (Literaticast 2018)
  • Creative couple: an interview with Lesa Cline-Ransome and James Ransome (Reading Rockets 2018)
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  • Home
  • About Our Work
    • Principles & Framework
  • Chapter Books
    • Almost Astronauts
    • Impossible Escape
    • Maritcha
    • She Persisted: Claudette Colvin
  • Picture books
    • Above the Rim
    • Building Zaha
    • Classified
    • Eleanor Makes Her Mark
    • A Life of Service
    • Make Meatballs Sing
    • Otis and Will Discover the Deep
    • Queen of Physics
    • Sharuko
    • Soldier for Equality
    • The Cat Man of Aleppo
    • Voice of Freedom
    • What Do You Do with a Voice Like That?
    • William Still and His Freedom Stories
  • Authors/Illustrators
    • Chris Barton
    • Tonya Bolden
    • Carole Boston Weatherford
    • Monica Brown
    • Jen Bryant
    • Matthew Burgess
    • Lesa Cline-Ransome
    • Natasha Donovan
    • Edwin Fotheringham
    • Rebecca Huang
    • Barbar Kerley
    • Irene Latham
    • Teresa Robeson
    • Barb Rosenstock
    • Katherine Roy
    • Steve Sheinkin
    • Christina Soontornvat
    • Traci Sorell
    • Tanya Lee Stone
    • Victoria Tentler-Krylov
    • Duncan Tonatiuh
    • Don Tate
  • Collection
  • Stories from the Classroom
    • Teacher Contributors
  • Additional Resources
  • About Us
  • Contact Us