Christopher Paul Curtis

Children's Author

Christopher Paul Curtis did not become a published author until he was in his 40’s. Before his first novel was published, he spent much of his adult life working in an automobile factory. Work at the factory became so unbearable that Curtis began having semi-hallucinations at night of car doors and assembly lines moving through his bedroom. Fortunately, Curtis’ fate changed dramatically when his first two novels received some of the most prestigious awards in all of children’s literature.

Find out how Christopher Paul Curtis began his writing career while working on the assembly line.

Christopher Paul Curtis talks about the challenges of working in an automobile factory.

Luckily for Christopher Paul Curtis and his readers, his first manuscript was accepted.

Discover how this one book dramatically altered its author’s life.

Christopher Paul Curtis doesn’t outline his plots in advance. Instead, he sits down and writes to find out what’s going to happen.

Here are some free tips from a successful Newbery-winning author.

Have you ever seen a quadrillion dollar bill with a picture of James Brown on the front?

Christopher Paul Curtis talks about the setting and creative process for his most recent novel.

Biography

Christopher Paul Curtis was born in Flint Michigan in 1953. Growing up in an all-black neighborhood, the only white people he ever saw were the teachers at his school. From kindergarten through eighth grade, Christopher was a straight A student who thought he wanted to become a doctor like his father. But once in high school, Curtis lost interest in academics.

After high school graduation, Christopher Paul Curtis took a well-paying job at the local automobile factory. At first he bought a new car and enjoyed the perks of making high wages. But soon Curtis grew tired of the strenuous and monotonous work. While installing heavy car doors on the assembly line, he and his partner developed a system that enabled each of them to rest for 30 minutes out of every hour. During these breaks from the assembly line, Christopher Paul Curtis began to write.

After 13 long years at the factory, Curtis finally decided to take a year off to write a novel. This first novel, The Watsons Go to Birmingham — 1963, won both a Newberry Honor and a Coretta Scott King Honor. Curtis’ second novel, Bud, Not Buddy, received even higher praise. It won the Newbery Medal and the Coretta Scott King Award. Curtis’ overnight success as an author allowed him to leave manual labor behind and dedicate himself full-time to writing.

In 2024, Curtis was awarded the Coretta Scott King – Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement.

Today Christopher Paul Curtis lives with his wife and two children in Windsor, Canada. His most recent book, Elijah of Buxton, was published in October 2008.

Books by this author

Bucking the Sarge

Christopher Paul Curtis

Age Level:

9-12

Genre:

Fiction

Young Bud runs away from the latest and worst foster home in search of his father. Though he doesn’t find his father, Bud (not Buddy) does find family, music, and more on his long trek across Michigan during the Depression. In this Newbery-winning novel, both humor and Bud’s naive voice make difficult issues accessible to younger readers. (2000 Newbery Medal Winner)