She credits her love of books to her mother and father, who faithfully read to her every night. As a writer, she hopes to give young people some of what her parents gave her—opportunities to grow through story. Vaunda’s love of history and family is reflected in many of her award-winning books. Vaunda received the 2010 Coretta Scott King Author Award for Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U.S. Marshal, which also earned the Simon Wiesenthal Once Upon a World Children’s Book Award, a Carter G. Woodson Honor, an Anne Izard Storyteller’s Choice Award, and was a Western Writers of America Spur Award Finalist as well as a Washington Post Best Book of the Year. She was the Main Speaker for the 2021 Bass Reeves Western History Conference at the museum.