African American Children's Books

BLACK HEROES OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
by Burke Davis. B&W photos and drawings. Condition: NEW 1976 Harcourt Brace hardcover (pictorial boards) edition - most likely published in 1989 or early 90s. No printing given. Content: History of Black freedom fighters of the American Revolution who had been overshadowed by "white" heroes and "white" history. Larger than normal print. Grades 6 and up. Questions welcome. [1 copy available.]
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THE BLACK SNOWMAN
by Phil Mendez. Wonderful color illustrations by Carole Byard. Condition: NEW 1990 Scholastic soft cover, first printing. Tiny edge wear. Content: Jacob Miller is an inner-city boy who hates being black and poor. He reluctantly assists his little brother Peewee in making a black snowman from the filthy snow in the back alley. The figure comes alive after they unknowingly drape him in a fragment of the magical kente, a cloth worn by African storytellers for hundreds of years. The snowman challenges Jacob's outlook on life by telling him all the wonderful things that are black, and mysteriously conjuring forth brave heroes from African tribal tradition. When Peewee is trapped inside a burning building, the snowman shows Jacob a way to save his brother while exhorting the boy to believe in himself. Using mystical elements and the power of the past, Mendez, in his first book, weaves a stirring tale of Jacob's transformation from a bitter victim of his situation into a proud fighter for his life. Byard's haunting color drawings bring to life not only the snowman; they successfully portray the many contrasts between Jacob's dour moods, Peewee's optimism, the dingy apartment and the eerie parade of stately African tribesmen. The valuable lesson inherent in The Black Snowman is not just for black children but for all who struggle for identity within their own worlds. Ages 7-10. Questions welcome. [1 copy available.]
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BLACK, WHITE, JUST RIGHT! (A Book for Interractial Children)
by Marguerite W. Davol. Perfect color illustrations by Irene Trivas. Condition: UNREAD, but not perfect, 1993 Albert Whitman hardcover (pictorial boards - no DJ issued), first printing. This is an un-shelved school library book with a stamp inside front cover and no other markings. Content: A mixed-race child celebrates the rich inclusiveness of her life in a joyful picture book. Mama's face is chestnut brown, Papa's face turns pink in the sun, the child's a little dark, a little light, "Just right!" Each double-page spread shows how members of the family are individuals with likes and dislikes, hobbies and habits that move beyond stereotype. Mom orders vegetarian; Dad orders ribs and bagels; the child likes it all. Mom does ballet; Dad dances to rap. Mom likes African masks; Dad goes for modern art; the child loves the Egyptian part of the museum. Each page has a rhyming refrain that ends, "just right." In keeping with the upbeat text, Trivas' energetic gouache illustrations are full of movement and affection. A photo of the author with her ``just-right'' grandchildren (also evidently from an interracial family) is included. (Picture book. 3-8) Questions welcome. [1 copy available.]
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BOOK OF BLACK HEROES FROM A TO Z (An Afro-Bets Kids book)
by Wade Hudson and Valerie Wilson Wesley. B&W era portraits and/or photos. Condition: UNREAD 1992-99 Scholastic soft cover, 5th printing. Tiny edge wear. Content: In this book, the Afro-Bets Kids introduce 49 black men and women who re heroes of their time. They are scientists, writers, athletes, and singers. There is an arctic explorer named Matthew Henson and an African warrior named Shaka Zulu, along with Jesse Jackson, Harriet Tubman, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (Book published before President Obama was elected.) Some are from the past and some are from today, but all of them have overcome obstacles and made important achievements. Questions welcome. [1 copy available.]
$ 4.19 + $ 3.19 media shipping.

DANCING WITH THE INDIANS (Reading Rainbow Book) {INSCRIBED BY AUTHOR}
by Angela Shelf Medearis. Color illustrations by Samuel Byrd. Condition: INSCRIBED BY AUTHOR - general, no name of buyer. NEW 1991 Holiday House hardcover & DJ (in mylar jacket), first edition. Light edgewear to the DJ edges. Content: A young girl in the 1930's joins her family on an outing to a Native American pow-wow. They plan to dance with the Seminoles, whose ancestors rescued Grandpa from Slavery and accepted him as their brother. Based on the author's family history, this intercultural celebration recounts an African American family's participation in a Seminole Indian powwow in 1930s Oklahoma. Though Medearis's four-line verses are awkwardly rhymed and lack proper meter, her commendable work offers glimpses of a rarely explored chapter in the shared histories of two historically oppressed peoples. Questions welcome.
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THE DAY MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. WAS SHOT: A Photo History of the Civil Rights Movement
by Jim Haskins. B&W era photos and era art reproductions throughout. Condition: UNREAD, but not perfect, 1992 Scholastic large soft cover, 4th printing. Light edgewear. Content: A readable and attractive photo essay recounting the struggle for civil rights in the U. S. Haskins's clearly written text and archival black-and-white photographs trace the long, hard road to equal rights for African-Americans from the earliest days of the slave trade; through the desegregation battles; to The Day Martin Luther King, Jr., Was Shot , which Haskins cites as the ``end of the civil rights era.'' Brief accounts of brave individuals, both black and white, are included: abolitionists; students who integrated Central High School in Little Rock in 1957; demonstrators who sat-in at a lunch counter in Greensboro in 1960; civil right workers who were murdered in Mississippi in 1964; and many, many more. This is an excellent overview. [1 copy available] Questions welcome.
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Dear America: A PICTURE OF FREEDOM, The Diary of Clotee, a Slave Girl, Belmont Plantation, Virginia, 1859 (Historical Fiction, Dear America Series)
by Patricia McKissack. B&W era photos and drawings illustrate. Condition: NEW 1997 Scholastic hardcover (pictorial boards - no DJ issued), sixth printing. Content: Twelve-year-old Clotee is an orphan living on the plantation of "Mas' Henley" and "Miz Lilly." Her owners have put her to work fanning Miz Lilly and her young son William during tutoring sessions. William may not be keen to learn, but Clotee is. She has learned to read while looking over the boy's shoulder and eventually she teaches herself how to write. She practices her newfound skills by writing in a makeshift, secret diary, which is found by William's new tutor. Luckily, he turns out to be an abolitionist. Through his work, Clotee helps some of her friends escape to the North, but she herself chooses to stay behind on the plantation as a conductor on the Underground Railroad. Clotee is such a vibrant, fully rounded character that it is almost painful to think of her left on the plantation while her friends and fellow slaves go to freedom. McKissack brings Clotee alive through touching and sobering details of slave life, told in such a matter-of-fact way that their often brutal nature is made abundantly clear. However, this is in no way a depressing book. In fact, it is an inspiring look at a young girl coming of age in terrible circumstances who manages to live life to the fullest. (Ages 9-12) [1 copy available]
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FLOAT LIKE A BUTTERFLY (Muhammad Ali)
by Ntozake Shange. Color illustrations by Edel Rodriguez. Condition: Gently pre-read 2002 Hyperion Books for Children hardcover (pictorial boards) and DJ (in mylar jacket), first edition, first printing. Interior clean. Content: Shange offers a streamlined, clearly affectionate account of the life of Muhammad Ali, who, she says in an introductory note, continues to inspire "hope and courage." Her portrait effectively reveals the fighter's personality, re-creating conversations between young Cassius and his parents and later quoting some of his well-known proclamations. Rodriguez begins with a close-up view of the subject as a child, poised and gazing heavenward, then shifts to a full-bleed spread that conveys the historical backdrop: the boy stands at a "colored" water fountain, on the right of the horizontal painting, looking across the gutter at a "white" fountain ("As a boy, he struggled to make his way in the segregated world of the pre-civil rights South," reads the text). The author subtly intimates that his parents are the source of Ali's confidence (his father compliments him on his way with words; his mother tells him, "So long as you are alive, I want you to remember, you are God's work"). The volume nicely characterizes this modern-day hero, with poster-like illustrations and punchy text. Ages 5 - 9. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
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FLOWER GIRL BUTTERFLIES
by Elizabeth Fitzgerald Howard. The color illustrations are lovely and in some cases vivid. The wedding dresses are spectacular. Condition: NEW 2005 Scholastic soft cover, first printing. Content: Reviewer: "tells all about Sarah's preparations to be a flower girl in her Aunt Robin's wedding. She picks out her dress, prepares for visiting family, and attends the wedding rehearsal. Throughout all of these experiences she shares her feelings, at times she is excited and at others she is very nervous. When the big day arrives will she be ready?" Ages 5 - 9. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 7.59 + $ 3.19 media shipping.

FREDERICK DOUGLASS FIGHTS FOR FREEDOM
by Margaret Davidson. B&W illustrations. Condition: UNREAD 1968 Scholastic small softcover (80 pages) with tiny edgewear and a number inside front cover. Heavily tanned inside front cover edges and light tanning to interior page edges. Content: The story of a former slave who became one of the most famous freedom fighters of all times.
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GOD BLESS THE CHILD
words & music by Billie Holiday and Arthur Herzog Jr. Warm, appropriate color illustrations by Jerry Pinkney. Condition: NEW 2000 HarperCollins large soft cover, first printing. Content: A moving visual interpretation of Holiday and Herzog's swing spiritual based on the proverb, "God blessed the child that's got his own." The song serves as the inspiration for Pinkney's depiction of the Great Migration of the 1930s. Through evocative images, the artist tells the story of one family's move north. The warm and sweeping illustrations are masterful, completely filling each spread. Although the pages are rich in detail, the well-composed paintings never seem cluttered or overwhelming. There is something new to attract readers, even after several readings. The sense of the family members as a unit, as well as their emotions of hope, anxiety, and relief, are all beautifully conveyed. While a fine choice for independent reading, this title is particularly poignant when shared with a group. An author's note provides background about Pinkney's inspirations and research. This offering makes an excellent tie-in to units on African-American history. [2 copies available]
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I HAVE HEARD OF A LAND (Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book) [Inscribed by Author]
by Joyce Carol Thomas. Beautiful soft award-winning color illustrations by Floyd Coooper. Condition: PLEASE READ. INSCRIBED BY AUTHOR. UNREAD 1997 HarperCollins hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket), third printing. DJ shows light edge wear and has the seal of the Coretta Scott King Award. Inscribed on top of title page. Content: Inspired by her own family's history, Thomas's stirring picture book explores the little-known experiences of African American pioneers who settled in Oklahoma during the late 1800s. This moving, poetic account of a brave black woman who stakes a claim "where the cottonwood trees are innocent/ Where the coyote's call is a lullaby at night/ And the land runs on forever" offers a new perspective on an era otherwise well-documented in picture books and school texts. In almost palpable imagery, Thomas describes the natural beauty of a bold new frontier as well as the hopeful, strong and passionate people who created new lives there and realized their dreams. In his third collaboration with Thomas, Cooper (Brown Honey in Broomwheat Tea, Gingerbread Days), an Oklahoma native, completes the mood with his signature grainy, dreamy oil-wash portraits. His landscapes, dotted with trees, crops and cabins, glow in soft pink, yellow and brown hues. Scenes of a girl soaring on a homemade swing, neighbors worshipping in the open air and building a log house are particularly uplifting. The book stands alone as a pleasant slice of historical fiction, but will also hold much appeal for teachers and students. Thomas's author's note about the book's origins adds a special resonance to the proceedings. Ages 7-11. [1 copy available]
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JEZEBEL'S SPOOKY SPOT
by Alice Ross and Kent Ross (mother/son). Wonderful soft color illustrations by Ted rand. Condition: NEW 1999 Dutton Juvenile hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket), first edition, first printing. Content: An uplifting story about the bravery of a spirited African-American girl. Before he goes off to war, Jezebel's father tells her never to be afraid, but to do what he'll be doing: "...when you get that googery-boogery creepy-crawly catchy feeling, you look it in the eye." For the next year, Jezebel visits a spooky place in the swampy wood by her house every time she gets lonely and misses her daddy, and although she gets the feeling he described many times, she stands her ground. Jezebel's character is deftly drawn as she remains steadfastly optimistic, comforting and encouraging Little Brother, reassuring her fearful Mammy, and going about her Papa's daily tasks. Rand's superb double-paged watercolor paintings are perfect complements to the text, portraying the swamp with its wild creatures and changing seasons in loving detail from "moky" fall twilight to a cold foggy winter's morning to a hot summer's evening. Jezebel's admirable personality is wonderfully pictured as is Mammy's pessimistic timorousness. The text is artistically set in a white box bordered in dark red. An exceptional offering in every respect. [1 copy available]
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MY BROTHER MARTIN: A Sister Remembers Growing Up with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
by Christine King Farris. Wonderful color illustrations by Chris Soentpiet. Condition: NEW 2003 Scholastic soft cover, 5th printing. Tiny tiny edge wear. Content: In the straightforward style of a master storyteller, Farris recalls the birth of her two younger brothers and relates anecdotes that demonstrate both the mischievous exploits of the siblings and the love and understanding that permeated the close-knit multigenerational family in which they grew up. Using plain language, she describes conditions in the South during her childhood that separated blacks and whites- "Because they just don't understand that everyone is the same, but someday, it will be better." From their father's church sermons and his actions when confronting the hatred and bigotry, the children learned the importance of standing up for justice and equality. The warmth of the text is exquisitely echoed in Soentpiet's realistic, light-filled watercolor portraits set in the King home, in their Atlanta neighborhood, and at Ebenezer Baptist Church. The simple directness of this short biography will help young children understand the concept of segregation and the importance of Dr. King's message. An appended poem by Mildred D. Johnson reflects Farris's own message: "-it is important for young people to realize the potential that lies within each of them-." This outstanding book belongs in every collection. Ages 9 - 12. [1 copy left].
$ 2.69 + $ 3.09 media shipping.

THE LEGEND OF FREEDOM HILL
by Linda Jacobs Altman. Warm, strong color illustrations by Cornelius Van Wright & Ying-Hwa Hu. Condition: NEW 2000 Lee & Low soft cover, second printing. Content: Best friends Rosabel and Sophia are outsiders in gold rush California. Rosabel has freedom papers, but she's the daughter of a runaway slave; Sophia belongs to the only Jewish family in town. When a slave catcher seizes Rosabel's mother, "Miz Violet," the two resourceful girls pan for gold, finally discover it in a cave, and use their claim to buy the freedom of Miz Violet and four other slaves. The informal tone and colloquial language establish a distinctive storyteller's voice. Cultural and historical facts are smoothly integrated into the story, but the focus is squarely on the friendship. Dappled watercolor illustrations provide interesting period details. Dramatic postures and vivid facial expressions reflect and embellish the narrative. Children will identify with the spunky, resourceful girls and enjoy the expeditious resolution. With multicultural and historical themes, this original "legend" will enhance social studies curricula. Ages 5 - 10. [1 copy available.]
$ 4.49 + $ 3.19 media shipping..

MY FIRST KWANZAA BOOK
by Deborah M. Newton Chocolate, illustrated by Cal Massey (vivid colors, warm & appropriate). Condition: Very Good. 1993 Scholastic 1st edition, 3rd printing hardcover & DJ (in mylar jacket). Short, repaired tear bottom front DJ into the first page only problem. Content: Introduces Kwanzaa, the holiday in which Afro-Americans celebrate their cultural heritage. During the last week of December, Kwanzaa is a time to dress up in African clothes and gather together with relatives from all over the country. Grandma brings special things to eat, Grandpa lights the candles, and everyone in the family celebrates. Recommended for ages 4-8.
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OF CORN SILK AND BLACK BRAIDS
by Vincent L. Johnson, M.D. Lovely soft color illustrations by Linda Crockett. Condition: NEW 2005 Marzetta very large hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket), first printing. Short "repaired" tear back top DJ edge - shelf wear. Content: A story about overcoming a negative self-image and finding beauty within. Sarah's hair is coarse and electric and has a mind of its own. It hurts to have it combed and it never looks right. When Sarah's friend's silky blond strands blow across her face, Sarah feels even more miserable and embarrassed by her own hair. Sarah drapes her head with corn silk to give herself the feel of soft, bouncy hair, but when her mother discovers it, she tells her daughter to be proud of who she is. Sarah doesn't want blond hair, though; she only wants pretty hair. When Aunt Lubelle visits, she has just the solution. Although the text could be tighter and richer, the story is worthwhile. The illustrations are vivid and expressive and add depth to the whole. Ages 9 - 12. [1 copy available.]
$ 11.45 + $ 3.49 media shipping.

PATROL: AN AMERICAN SOLDIER IN VIETNAM (Winner: Jane Addams Book Award)
by Walter Dean Myers. Color collages by Ann Grifalconi. Condition: NEW 2002 HarperCollins soft cover [10.3 x 8.6 x 0.5 (40 pages)], no printing given. Content: Myers's verse powerfully evokes the experiences of a young soldier in this picture book. Searching the unfamiliar landscape, his squad tries to sense the presence of the enemy in the jungle. But who is the enemy? The old man in the village? The babies? Planes pass overhead, dropping bombs "at a distance that is never distant enough." The author captures the young man's fear, uncertainty, and weariness. "We move again. We are always moving." The layers of Grifalconi's full-page collage art conceal and reveal the flickering images of the text. Figures blend into the forest. Shadow and shape converge. The repetition of words and a landscape scene at the beginning and near the end of the book are particularly effective because they are the same except for the addition of fire and plumes of smoke in the "wide valleys" and "thick green forests" after the patrol has finished its mission. These pictures are difficult to erase from one's memory. When the soldier does encounter an enemy as young as himself, neither fires. Close enough to see one another, they cannot kill. "In a heartbeat, we have learned too much about each other." Myers and Grifalconi's presentation is one that is hard to forget. Recommended for grades 4 - up. [1 copy available.]
$ 4.45 + $ 3.19 media shipping.

NEGROES IN THE EARLY WEST
by Olive W. Burt. B&W drawings by Lorence F. Bjorklund. Condition: Good only, 1970 Julian Messner hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket), second printing. This is an EX-LIBRARY book (and most likely library binding edition) with all markings, but was only checked out once - so the interior is remarkably clean & tight. Content: Portraits of the early Negro/African American presence in the American West, including explorers, mountain men, founders of cities, businessmen, cowboys, soldiers, and women in the west. Recommended for grades 4 - up. [1 copy available.]
$ 4.45 + $ 3.29 media shipping.

THE PEOPLE COULD FLY: American Black Folktales
retold by Virginia Hamilton. Wrap-around cover art and interior B&W illustrations by Leo & Diane Dillon. Condition: UNREAD 1993 Knopf large soft cover, third printing. Tiny shelf wear "ding" spine. Content: Hamilton, Newbery Medal winner and recipient of the National Book Award and the Hans Christian Andersen Award, teams up with two-time Caldecott Medal winners, Leo and Diane Dillon, in this classic collection of American black folktales, winner of the Coretta Scott King Award. By turns droll, grisly, and spine-tingling, the 24 stories celebrate the indomitable human spirit, surviving under the most crushing circumstances of slavery. Traditionally, storytelling has helped people to push through sorrow and pain, especially when the stories are saturated with magic, mysticism, and fantasy. Bruh Rabbit, He Lion, Tar Baby, and other animals populate many of the stories. In others, John, the traditional trickster hero, outwits the slave owner time after time to win his freedom. Reviewer: "This book rates way up there as a wonderful resource for anyone who is trying to raise children to have an appreciation for the cultures that make up our great country. As a home educator, I am always on the lookout for multi-cultural resources that provide a window into the backgrounds of others. Since the author writes from personal background experience, as well as research into the African-American folktales, I believe it is an excellent representation of stories that children would have grown up with in that culture. Besides, it's exciting, interesting, fun to read aloud, and has wonderful illustrations! " Just wonderful, IMHO. Questions welcome. [1copy available]
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A PICTURE BOOK OF JESSE OWENS (Picture Book Biography)
by David A. Adler. Color illustrations by Robert Casilla. Condition: Very good+ 1993 Scholastic softcover, first printing. If this book has been pre-read, it was very gently. Tiny edgewear bottom front cover at spine. Wonderful watercolor illustrations. Content: Chronicling the life of a famous person such as Owens in approximately 25 pages, some with no text and the others with only a short paragraph or two, is a formidable task. Adler does as well as can be expected with these limitations. The portrait presented, although brief, is accurate and touches on the major events of the track- and-field champion's life. An interesting author note attempts to discern the facts from the fictional stories that exist concerning Owens's experiences during the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. Casilla contributes full-page watercolor paintings that nicely complement and expand the writing. Recommended for grades 2 - 4, but adults will love the illustrations, as well.
$ 1.59 + $ 3.09 media shipping.

THE STORY OF RUBY BRIDGES
by Robert Coles. Warm & appropriate color illustrations by George Ford. Condition: NEW 1996 Scholastic soft cover, 23rd printing. Content: Sustained by family and faith, one brave six-year-old child found the strength to walk alone through howling protesters and enter a whites-only school in New Orleans in 1960. Ruby Bridges did it every day for weeks that turned into months. The white parents withdrew their kids, and Ruby sat alone with her teacher in an empty classroom in an empty building and learned her lessons. Harvard professor Cole has written powerful adult books about children in crisis and about children's moral and political lives. Here he tells one girl's heroic story, part of the history of ordinary people who have changed the world. He tells it quietly, as an adult, and the simplicity is moving, though kids might want some indication of Ruby's personal experience, what it was like to be her. Ford's moving watercolor paintings mixed with acrylic ink are predominantly in sepia shades of brown and red. They capture the physical warmth of Ruby's family and community, the immense powers against her, and her shining inner strength. Ages 5 - 9. The 1998 made-for-TV movie was directed by Euzhan Palcy and starred, Kevin Pollak, Penelope Ann Miller, Chaz Monet, Michael Beach, & Diana Scarwid. [1 copy available]
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STRONG TO THE HOOP (SIGNED COPY)
by John Coy. Color illustrations by African American artist Leslie Jean-Bart. Condition: Gently pre-read, I believe, 1999 Lee & Lowe Books hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket, second printing. SIGNED on title page and dated by author. Content: In this uniquely designed picture book, 10-year-old James finally gets to play basketball with his older brother's friends and proves he can hold his own. Basketball terminology abounds ("glides down the lane," "flips a finger roll") and should delight children who also yearn for the day when they will have the self-confidence to play with an older crowd. Jean-Bart uses photography and scratchboard drawings to create the collage illustrations; Polaroid transfers made from the collages create the final images of James on the court. The text, set in "Blur Light," gives the appearance of a typewriter font with blue as the main color and red or purple to emphasize certain words and phrases.Grades 3 - 6. [1 copy available]
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TAR BEACH (Reading Rainbow)
text and color illustrations by Faith Ringgold. Condition: UNREAD, but not perfect, 1992 Scholastic large soft cover, 12th printing. Light shelf wear. Content: Tar Beach is a work of modern art translated into a children's picture book, and the adaptation is so natural that it seems inevitable. From her 1988 story quilt, reproduced on the cover and within the last pages of the book, Ringgold has taken both the setting and the text. The painted scene in the center of the quilt shows a Harlem rooftop on a starry night with four adults playing cards and with Cassie Louise Lightfoot and her brother, Be Be, lying on a blanket gazing at the sky. Cassie sees herself flying over the city lights; dreams of wearing the George Washington Bridge as a necklace; imagines giving her father the union building he is not allowed to join because of his half-black, half-Indian heritage; flies over the ice cream factory; and takes her little brother with her to the sky. Cassie's story, written along the borders of the quilt in tiny script, becomes the text of the book. The illustrations painted for the book version are done in the same colorful, naive style as the quilt. This type of art translates beautifully into the storybook format, and a border of bright fabric designs on the bottom of each page duplicates the material used in the quilt. In capturing the euphoria of a child's dreams, and in its gentle reminder of the social injustices of the adult world, the book is both universal and contemporary. Grades 3 - 6. [1 copy available]
$ 3.89 + $ 3.09 media shipping.

TEARS FOR ASHAN
by D. Marie. Wonderful color and two-tone illustrations by Norman Childers. Condition: UNREAD, but not perfect, 1990 Creative Press hardcover (pictorial boards - no DJ issued), second printing. There are a couple of light "smudges" on the back cover panel - working on that. Interior perfect. Content: This is a powerful book - both text and artwork - depicting a young African boy's friendship with an older boy ends when the latter is taken away on a slave ship. Great details of Tribal life. Grades 3 - 6. [1 copy available]
$ 5.00 + $ 3.09 media shipping.

TO BE A SLAVE (A Newbery Honor Book)
by Julius Lester. B&W Tom Feelings paintings illustrate. Condition: UNREAD 1969 Scholastic Point paperback, first printing. Tiny edgewear with pale tanning to interior page edges. Content: To be a slave. To be owned by another person, as a car, house, or a table is owned. To live as a piece of property that could be sold. This book is about how it felt. The words of black men and women who had themselves been slaves are here, accompanied by Julius Lester's historical commentary and Tom Feelings's powerful and muted paintings, To Be a Slave has been a touchstone in children's literature for over thirty years. "It is rare to find a book that enables children to identify as compellingly with slaves as this one does." Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
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THUNDER ROSE (A Coretta Scott King Honor Book)
by Jerdine Nolan. Bright, strong, and fun color illustrations by Kadir Nelson. Condition: UNREAD, but not perfect, 2005 Silver Whistle/Harcourt hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket), third printing. Content: Thunder Rose is an African-American child born on a stormy night abuzz with booming thunder, flashing lightning, and hailing rain. Her parents are awestruck by her remarkable gifts, which include forming a ball out of lightning, speaking in full sentences minutes after her birth, and snoring through a booming, thunderous rumble. It is clear that Rose is no ordinary child. She can lift a cow over her head and almost drink it dry, and as she grows, she does incredible metalwork with scraps of iron she finds around the ranch. She uses her handiwork to restrain cattle, round up would-be rustlers, and lasso and squeeze the rain out of the clouds. She fearlessly faces down a couple of tornadoes and calms them with her "song of thunder." Nolen and Nelson offer up a wonderful tale of joy and love, as robust and vivid as the wide West. The oil, watercolor, and pencil artwork is outstanding. A splendid, colorful, and most welcome addition to the tall-tale genre. K - 3. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 5.49 + $ 3.29 media shipping.

THURGOOD MARSHALL FIGHTER FOR JUSTICE
by Lewis Fenderson. Condition: Good condition only. 1969 McGraw-Hill hardcover (pictorial boards). Ex-library book (school) with small edgewear and light rubbings front cover, and an unfortunate note of "Discard" upper front cover. Interior is clean & tight with B&W illustrations by Dave Hodges. Content: A good children's book on civil rights and the man who fought for equality.
$ 2.95 + $ 3.19 media shipping.

VISITING LANGSTON
by Willie Perdomo. Warm & colorful illustrations by Bryan Collier. Condition: NEW 2002 Henry Holt hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket), first edition, first printing. Content: A rhythmic poem in praise of Langston Hughes and the writer's craft. The poem is presented by a young girl who is off to visit Hughes's Harlem home with her father. It begins, "Today I'm going to wear/My favorite pink blouse/I'm going with my daddy/To visit Langston's house." Readers quickly learn that, like Hughes, the girl is a writer and resident of Harlem. Powerful in its simplicity, the text explores the child's special connection to the famous man. Text and illustrations complement one another perfectly as the pages of the book come to life with energetic purpose and delight. Done with a mixture of collage and watercolor with dramatic results, Collier's artwork uses muted shades of green, purple, and brown and yet shines with brilliant bits of patterns and textures. While this is obviously an urban landscape, the girl's enthusiasm and talent have universal appeal. It is also a wonderful way to introduce youngsters to a great American poet. Grades 2 - 4. [1 copy available.]
$ 6.45 + $ 3.29 media shipping.

"WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE": The True Story of Harriet Tubman
(AKA Runaway Slave)
by Ann McGovern, illustrated by R. M. Powers. Condition: 1968, 3rd printing Scholastic softcover. Unread but has rubbings along front hinge, interior has light tanning. Content: The story of Harriet Tubman and how she led hundreds of slaves to freedom on the Underground Railroad. Ages 7+. 1 copy available.
$ 2.48 + $ 3.09 media shipping.

WEE WINNIE WITCH'S SKINNY: An Original African American Scare Tale
by Virginia Hamilton. Color engravings by Barry Moser. Condition: NEW 2005 Blue Sky Press hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket), first edition, second printing. Content: Hamilton, who died in 2002, brought us many unforgettable stories from her research in African American folklore. She has transformed her knowledge of witch beliefs in black folklore into an original tale. Wee Winnie changes from a black cat into her witch shape and hounds Uncle Big Anthony so relentlessly that she reduces him from a big, strapping man into one who is "lean and bent-over tired," an "about-gone, Uncle Shrunken Anthony." And as if that weren't enough, while his horrified nephew James Lee looks on from his bedroom window next door, Wee Winnie Witch takes off her skin and hangs it on a hook. She then grabs hold of Uncle Big Anthony, puts a bridle in his mouth, and rides him through the air, pulling James Lee right out of the window and onto his uncle's back as she flies by. Only Mama Granny's quick thinking saves the day. Hamilton's language is redolent with expressions that suggest African storytelling. Moser's large, colored-wood engravings, bordered in black and white, are strong and textured with horizontal and vertical lines. Illustrations show the hag, her black pointed hat in sharp contrast to an enormous moon, with bulging eyes glowing out of a lumpy body shed of the skin she is holding in her clawlike hand. This tale is admirably suited to Halloween telling, or for any time that shivers are in order. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
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YOUNG MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. (First-Start Biographies)
by Joanne Mattern. Color illustrations by Allan Eitzen. Condition: UNREAD, but not perfect, 1998 Troll soft cover, 8th printing. Name inside cover only "flaw." Content: Designed especially for beginning readers, First-Start Biographies trace the childhood years of famous men and women who overcame obstacles and achieved greatness. A simple biography of a great black leader emphasizing his dream of equal treatment for all Americans. Illustrated in full color. Ages 4 - 8.
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