This Goodly Land

William Miller (February 8, 1959–present)

Other Names Used

• William R. Miller, Jr.: full name

Alabama Connections

• Anniston, Calhoun County: birthplace, childhood residence
• Birmingham, Jefferson County: education
• Jacksonville, Calhoun County: adult residence

Selected Works

• Miller, William. Zora Hurston and the Chinaberry Tree. Illus. Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu. New York: Lee & Low Books, 1994. For younger readers.
• Miller, William. The Bus Ride. Illus. John Ward. New York: Lee & Low Books, 1997. For younger readers.
• Miller, William. A House by the River. Illus. Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu. New York: Lee & Low Books, 1997. For younger readers.
• Miller, William. Richard Wright and the Library Card. Illus. Gregory Christie. New York: Lee & Low Books, 1997. For younger readers.
• Miller, William. Night Golf. Illus. Cedric Lucas. New York: Lee & Low Books, 1999. For younger readers.
• Miller, William. The Piano. Illus. Susan Keeter. New York: Lee & Low Books, 2000. For younger readers.
• Miller, William. Skywalkers: Poems. Lewiston, N.Y.: Mellon Poetry Press, 2001.
• Miller, William. Joe Louis, My Champion. Illus. Rodney S. Pate. New York: Lee & Low Books, 2004. For younger readers.

Literary Awards

• Parents' Choice Gold Award, Story Books, Parents' Choice Foundation, 1999, for Night Golf
• Alabama Author Award, Alabama Library Association, 2003, for The Piano

Biographical Information

William Miller was born and raised in Anniston, Ala. He missed a year of school at age twelve due to an illness. The reading and writing he did during that time inspired him to become a writer. He entered the Alabama School of Fine Arts at age sixteen and studied under poet Charles Ghigna. Miller earned a BA from Eckard College in St. Petersburg, Fla., in 1982 and an MA from Hollins College (now Hollins University) in Roanoke, Va., in 1983. From 1984 to 1987, he was an English instructor at Jacksonville State University. Miller earned his PhD in English and American literature from the State University of New York at Binghamton (now Binghamton University) in 1988 and began teaching at York College in York, Pa., shortly thereafter. In the early 1990s, Miller published two books of poetry. He was then urged by his former mentor, Charles Ghigna, to write a book for children. Zora Hurston and the Chinaberry Tree was published in 1994 and was a selection for the PBS children’s television series Reading Rainbow. Since then, Miller has published another book of poetry and many children’s books. He teaches creative writing and African American literature at York College.

Interests and Themes

William Miller writes poetry and books for children about black Americans. Some of his children’s books are based on real people and events.

For More Information

Please check your local library for these materials. If items are not available locally, your librarian can help you borrow them through the InterLibrary Loan program. Your librarian can also help you find other information about this author.

There may be more information available through the databases in the Alabama Virtual Library. If you are an Alabama citizen, AVL can be used at your public library or school library media center. You can also get a username and password from your librarian to use AVL at home.

Reference Articles

• Miller, William. "Writing Across Cultures". Book Links 8.3. (1999): 17-20.

Reference Book Chapters and Encyclopedia Entries

• "Miller, William R. 1959-"; Something About the Author. Vol. 116. Detroit: Gale Group, . 105-108.

Photo courtesy of Lee and Low Books, Inc.

Last updated on May 30, 2008.