Bernette Ford

Bernette Ford (June 30, 1950 – June 20, 2021) was an American author, editor and publisher. She worked as editor-in-chief at Grosset & Dunlap and later Scholastic Books, where she was vice-president of the Cartwheel imprint, which she helped launch. She was known for being one of the few African-American editors working with children's books, having begun her career in the 1970s.

Early life and education Bernette Ford was born on June 30, 1950, in Brooklyn. She was the daughter of Morton, a white factory worker, and Martha Goldsen, a black actress, music teacher, singer and seamstress. She grew up in Uniondale, Long Island. Ford graduated in 1972 from Connecticut College. She was encouraged by family and friends to become a writer, but due to her lack of knowledge with the profession, Ford instead pursued the publishing career as "a way to get a foot in the door". She met her husband, George Ford, during a meeting with this group. Ford was the vice-president and editorial director of the imprint, and was responsible for starting the I Spy and the Little Bill series, the latter authored by Bill Cosby.

While Ford was working for Scholastic, a friend and co-founder of Just Us Books, Cheryl Willis Hudson, contacted her wanting to turn a poem she had written into a children's book aimed for black children. Bernette decided to turn the poem into a children's picture book instead, which was then illustrated by George. This was the first time she collaborated as a coauthor. when she decided to leave to found her own company in 2003, a book packaging business called Color-Bridge Books. The company's first job was the production of a new series for beginner readers, called Just for You!. All the books were illustrated and written by people of color.

Personal life and death Bernette was married to George Ford. She died of lung cancer on June 20, 2021, at her house in Brooklyn.

Selected works