Johnson was born on June 18, 1961, in Tuskegee, Alabama. She grew up in Windham, Ohio with her brother and parents. Like many successful people, she can recall one special teacher who read to her, thus sparking a love of books that would blossom into a love of writing. She wrote throughout her childhood. Although she attended Kent State University, she left before earning her degree to focus on her writing. During this time, she worked as a nanny and was employed by author Cynthia Rylant, who reviewed Johnson’s work and forwarded it to her publisher. Johnson credits this connection with giving her the “break” that launched her career. WOSU Presents Ohioana Authors | Angela Johnson

Angela Johnson has won awards for both her picture books and for her novels. She has won the Coretta Scott King award for three works: in 1999, for Heaven, in 1994 for Toning the Sweep, and in 2004 for The First Part Last. Angela JohnsonWhen I Am Old With You was an Honor Book in 1990 as well as an American Library Association. The Other Side, The Shorter Poems was also selected as a Coretta Scott King Honor book in 1998. Other honors include the "Best Books" pick by School Library Journal for Toning the Sweep and the Michael L. Printz Award[1] for Excellence in Young Adult Literature for The First Part Last.

Picture Books for Primary Grades (K-2):

• Tell Me a Story, Mama (1989)
• When I am Old With You (1990), ALA Notable book, Coretta Scott King Honor Book
• Do Like Kyla (1990)
• One of Three (1991)
• The Leaving Morning (1992)
• Julius (1993)
• The Girl Who Wore Snakes (1993)
• Mama Bird, Baby Birds (1994)
• Joshua’s Night Whispers (1994)
• Rain Feet (1994)
• Joshua By The Sea (1995)
• Shoes Like Miss Alice (1995)
• The Aunt in Our House (1996)
• The Rolling Store (1997)
• Daddy Calls Me Man (1997)
• Those Building Men (1999)
• The Wedding (1999)
• Down the Winding Road (2000)
• I Dream of Trains (2003)
• A Sweet Smell of Roses (2004)
• Violet’s Music (2004)
• Just Like Josh Gibson (2004)
• Lily Brown's Paintings (2007)

Chapter Books For Intermediate Grades, 3-5:

• Maniac Monkeys on Magnolia Street (1999)
• When Mules Flew on Magnolia Street (2001)
• Looking For Red (2002)
• Bird (2004)

Novels For Older Readers:

• Songs of Faith (1998)
• Heaven (1998)
• The Other Side, The Shorter Poems (1998)
• Toning the Sweep (1993)
• Gone From Home: Short Takes (2001)
• Humming Whispers (1995)
• On The Fringe
• Running Back to Ludie (2002)
• A Cool Moonlight (2003)
• The First Part Last, (2003)