Valerie Wilson Wesley Biography

Background

Published books

• Afro-Bets Book of Black Heroes from A to Z: An introduction to important Black achievers for young readers, with Wade Hudson (1988, Orange, New Jersey: Just Us Books, ISBN 0-940975-02-5)
• When Death Comes Stealing, a Tamara Hayle mystery (1994, New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, ISBN 0-399-13949-4)
• Devil's Gonna Get Him, a Tamara Hayle mystery (1996, New York: Avon Books, ISBN 0-380-72492-8)
• Where Evil Sleeps, a Tamara Hayle mystery (1996, New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, ISBN 0-399-14145-6)
• Freedom's Gifts: A Juneteenth story, illustrated by Sharon Wilson (1997, New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, ISBN 0-689-80269-2)
• No Hiding Place, a Tamara Hayle mystery (1997, New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, ISBN 0-399-14318-1)
• Easier to Kill, a Tamara Hayle mystery (1998, New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, ISBN 0-399-14445-5)
• Ain't Nobody's Business if I Do (1999, New York: Avon Books, ISBN 0-380-97703-6)
• The Devil Riding (2000, New York: Putnam, ISBN 0-399-14617-2)
• Always True to You in My Fashion (2002, New York: William Morrow, ISBN 0-06-018883-9)
• How to Lose Your Class Pet, illustrated by Maryn Roos (2003, New York: Jump at the Sun, ISBN 0-7868-1322-9)
• Dying in the Dark: A Tamara Hayle mystery (2004, New York: One World Ballantine Books, ISBN 0-345-46806-6)
• How to Fish for Trouble, illustrated by Maryn Roos (2004, New York: Jump at the Sun, ISBN 0-7868-1807-7)
• How to Lose Your Cookie Money, illustrated by Maryn Roos (2004, New York: Jump at the Sun, ISBN 0-7868-5146-5)
• 23 Ways to Mess up Valentine's Day (2005, New York: Jump at the Sun, ISBN 0-7868-5524-X)
• How to (almost) Ruin Your School Play, illustrated by Maryn Roos (2005, New York: Jump at the Sun/Hyperion Books for Children, ISBN 1-4155-7357-3)
• Playing My Mother's Blues (2005, New York: William Morrow, ISBN 0-06-018882-0)

Awards and honors

• 1993 - Griot Award from the New York Chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists
• 1995 - Nominee for Shamus Award for Best First P.I. Novel (When Death Comes Stealing)
• 2000 - Excellence in Adult Fiction award from the Black Caucus of the American Library Association