Kent Library MLK Bibliography 2020
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Kent Library
MLK Bibliography 2020
The library call numbers listed correspond with items in Kent Library’s collection and cataloguing system.
Items without call numbers are on order and not available at the time of this publication.
This collection is organized by author and grade level. Please note, there is overlap between the grade levels.
Elementary
Alexander, Kwame. The Undefeated. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin
Harcourt, 2019.
“The Undefeated,” this poem is a love letter to black life in the United
States. It highlights the unspeakable trauma of slavery, the faith and fire
of the civil rights movement, and the grit, passion, and perseverance of
some of the world's greatest heroes. The text is also peppered with
references to the words of Martin Luther King, Jr., Langston Hughes,
Gwendolyn Brooks, and others.
Y-E Al272u
Grades: 1-4
Alexander, Kwame, Chris Colderley, and Marjory Wentworth. Out of
Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press,
2017.
Three authors created poems that emulate and pay tribute to poets that
inspired them.
808.1 Ou83
Awards: ALA Notable 2018, Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award 2018, and
Notable Books for a Global Society 2018.
Grades: 3-7
1
Allen, Crystal. The Laura Line. New York, NY: Balzer + Bray, 2013.
Laura Dyson wants two things in life: to be accepted by her classmates
and to be noticed by baseball star Troy Bailey. But everyone at school
teases her for being overweight, and Troy won’t give her a second glance.
Until one day, their history teacher announces a field trip to the run-
down slave shack on her grandmother’s property. Her grandmother
insists that it’s more than just an old shack; it’s a monument to the strong
women in their family—the Laura Line. Laura is forced to come to terms
with her family’s past and what it means for her future.
Y Al533l
Grades: 3-7
Alko, Selina. The Case for Loving: The Fight for Interracial Marriage. New
York, NY: Arthur A. Levine Books, 2015.
For most children these days it would come as a great shock to know that
before 1967, they could not marry a person of a race different from their
own. That was the year that the Supreme Court issued its decision in
Loving v. Virginia.
306.846 Al49c
Grades: PreK-3
Altman, Linda Jacobs. The Legend of Freedom Hill. New York, NY: Lee &
Low Books, 2003.
In California in the 1850s, an African American girl teams up with a Jewish
girl in a search for gold to save the black girl's mother from a slave
catcher. Through perseverance, the two friends find enough gold to buy
the freedom of all the captured slaves. Using accurate details and lively
language, this tale of love, bravery, and friendship evokes a colorful era.
Y-E Al797l
Awards: Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People 2001.
Grades: K-4
Amnesty International. We Are All Born Free: The Universal Declaration
of Human Rights in Pictures. London: Amnesty International, 2008.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was signed on 10th December
1948. It was compiled after World War Two to declare and protect the
rights of all people from all countries.
341.48 W3693
Grades: 1-4
Andrews, Troy and Bill Taylor. Trombone Shorty. New York, NY: Abrams
Books for Young Readers, 2015.
Hailing from the Tremâe neighborhood in New Orleans, Troy "Trombone
Shorty" Andrews got his nickname by wielding a trombone twice as long
as he was high. A prodigy, he was leading his own band by age six, and
today this Grammy-nominated artist headlines the New Orleans Jazz Fest.
Y-E An277t
Awards: ALA Notable 2016, Caldecott Honor 2016, Coretta Scott King
Illustrator Award 2016, and Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young
People 2016.
Grades: PreK-3
2
Asim, Jabari. Preaching to the Chickens: The Story of Young John Lewis.
New York, NY: Nancy Paulsen Books, 2016.
Glimpse into the boyhood of Civil Rights leader John Lewis. John wants to
be a preacher when he grows up—a leader whose words stir hearts to
change, minds to think, and bodies to take action. But why wait? When
John is put in charge of the family farm’s flock of chickens, he discovers
that they make a wonderful congregation! So, he preaches to his flock,
and they listen.
328.73092 L5873p
Grades: K-3
Barton, Chris. What Do You Do with a Voice Like That?: The Story of
Extraordinary Congresswomen Barbara Jordan. New York, NY: Beach
Lane Books, 2018.
Congresswoman Barbara Jordan had a big, bold, confident voice—and
she knew how to use it! Learn all about her amazing career in this
illuminating and inspiring picture book biography of the lawyer, educator,
politician, and civil rights leader.
328.73092 J761w
Grades: PreK-3
Bauer, Marion Dane. The Stuff of Stars. Somerville, MA: Candlewick
Press, 2018.
Before the universe was formed, before time and space existed, there
was . . . nothing. But then . . . BANG! Stars caught fire and burned so long
that they exploded, flinging stardust everywhere. And the ash of those
stars turned into planets. Into our Earth. And into us. A seamless blend of
science and art, this picture book reveals how we are all the stuff of stars.
Y-E B3265s
Award: Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award 2019.
Grades: K-3
Beaty, Daniel. Knock Knock: My Dad’s Dream for Me. New York, NY:
Little, Brown and Company, 2013.
A boy wakes up one morning to find his father gone. At first, he feels lost.
But his father has left him a letter filled with advice to guide him through
the times he cannot be there.
Y-E B38k
Award: Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award 2014.
Grades: PreK-2
Bildner, Phil. The Hallelujah Flight. New York, NY: G.P. Putnam’s Sons,
2010.
During the Great Depression, the ace black pilot James Banning decided
to fly from coast to coast. He fixed up a dilapidated plane with his co-
pilot, earning them the nickname, “The Flying Hobos.” But with the help
of those who signed their names on the wings of the plane in exchange
for food, fuel and supplies, they made it through treacherous weather
and overcame prejudice to receive a heroes’ welcome in New York.
Y-E B491h
Grades: K-3
3
Blackstone, Stella, and Sunny Scribens. Baby’s First Words.
Illus. by Christiane Engel. Barefoot Books, 2017.
Two dads and their baby spend a busy day together learning new words.
Ages 1-2.
Bolden, Tonya. No Small Potatoes: Junius G. Groves and His Kingdom in
Kansas. New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf, 2018.
Discover the incredible true story of how one of history's most successful
potato farmers began life as a slave and worked until he was named the
"Potato King of the World!"
630.92 B6376n
Grades: K-3
Bone, Jeffrey and Lisa Bone. Not Every Princess.
Magination Press.
Anyone can be a princess, a pirate, a mermaid, or a superhero.
Demonstrated through rhyming text and whimsical illustrations,
whatever you can imagine, you can become.
Grades Pre-K-3.
Bradby, Marie. More Than Anything Else. New York, NY: Orchard Books,
1995.
A fictionalized story about the life of young Booker T. Washington. Nine-
year-old Booker works with his father and brother at the saltworks but
dreams of the day when he'll be able to read.
Y-E B7271m
Award: ALA Notable 1996.
Grades: PreK-3
Bridges, Ruby. Through My Eyes. New York, NY: Scholastic Press, 1999.
In November 1960, all of America watched as a tiny six-year-old black girl,
surrounded by federal marshals, walked through a mob of screaming
segregationists and into her school. An icon of the civil rights movement,
Ruby Bridges chronicles each dramatic step of this pivotal event in history
through her own words.
379.263092 B7647t
Awards: ALA Notable 2000 and Carter G. Woodson Book Award 2000.
Grades: 3-7
4
Britt, Paige. Why Am I Me? New York, NY: Scholastic Press, 2017.
Presented as a thoughtful, poetic exchange between two characters --
who don't realize they are thinking and asking the very same questions --
this beautiful celebration of our humanity and diversity invites readers of
all ages to imagine a world where there is no you or me, only we.
Y-E B7779w
Grades: PreK-3
Bryan, Ashley. Beautiful Blackbird. New York, NY: Atheneum Books for
Young Readers, 2003.
Blackbird was voted the most beautiful bird in the forest. The other birds,
who were colored red, yellow, blue, and green, were so envious that they
begged Blackbird to paint their feathers with a touch of black so they
could be beautiful too. Although Blackbird warns them that true beauty
comes from within, the other birds persist. Adapted from a tale from the
Ila-speaking people of Zambia.
398.2096894 B84b
Award: Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award 2003.
Grades: PreK-3
Bunting, Eve. Smoky Night. San Diego, CA: Harcourt Brace, 1994.
When the Los Angeles riots break out in their neighborhood, a young boy
and his mother learn the values of getting along with others no matter
what their background or nationality. A compelling child’s-eye view of
urban violence. Fires and looting force neighbors to come together in the
face of danger and concern for their missing pets.
Y-E B886s
Awards: ALA Notable 1995 and Caldecott Medal 1995.
Grades: 1-4
Cline-Ransome, Lesa. Before She was Harriet. New York, NY: Holiday
House, 2017.
This biography of Harriet Tubman is written in verse and illustrated by an
award-winning artist. We know her today as Harriet Tubman, but she was
called by many names. As General Tubman, she was a Union spy. As
Moses, she led hundreds to freedom on the Underground Railroad. As
Minty, she was a slave whose spirit could not be broken.
973.7115092 T79b
Awards: Christopher Awards 2018, Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor
2018, Jane Addams Book Honor 2018, Notable Books of the English
Language Arts 2018, and Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young
People 2018.
Grades: PreK-3
5
Cline-Ransome, Lesa. Finding Langston. New York, NY: Holiday House,
2018.
When 11-year-old Langston's mother dies in 1946, he and his father leave
rural Alabama for Chicago's brown belt as a part of what came to be
known as the Great Migration. It's lonely in the small apartment with just
the two of them, and at school Langston is bullied. But his new home has
one fantastic thing, a local public library welcomes everyone. There,
Langston discovers another Langston, a poet whom inspired his mother.
Y C615f
Awards: ALA Notable 2019, Coretta Scott King Honor Book 2019, Notable
Books of the English Language Arts 2019, Notable Books for a Global
Society 2019, Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People 2019,
and Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction 2019.
Grades: 3-7
Clinton, Catherine. When Harriet Met Sojourner. New York, NY:
Katherine Tegen Books, 2007.
Two women with similar backgrounds. Both slaves; both fiercely
independent. Both great, in different ways. One day in 1864, the lives of
these two women came together.
929.737115 T79c
Grades: 1-2
Coles, Robert. The Story of Ruby Bridges. New York, NY: Scholastic, 1995.
The year is 1960, and six-year-old Ruby Bridges and her family have
recently moved from Mississippi to New Orleans in search of a better life.
When a judge orders Ruby to attend first grade at William Frantz
Elementary, an all-white school, Ruby must face angry mobs of parents
who refuse to send their children to school with her. For months six-year-
old Ruby Bridges must confront the hostility of white parents when she
becomes the first African American girl to integrate Frantz Elementary
School in New Orleans in 1960.
370.19342 C6796s
Grades: 1-2
Colfer, Eoin; Andrew Donkin; & Giovannie Rigano. Illegal. Naperville, IL:
Sourcebooks Young Readers, 2018.
Ebo is alone. His brother, Kwame, has disappeared, and Ebo knows it can
only be to attempt the hazardous journey to Europe, and a better
life―the same journey their sister set out on months ago. But Ebo refuses
to be left behind in Ghana. He sets out after Kwame and joins him on the
quest to reach Europe. Ebo's epic journey takes him across the Sahara
Desert to the dangerous streets of Tripoli, and finally out to the merciless
sea. But with every step he holds on to his hope for a new life, and a
reunion with his family.
741.5941 C68i
Grades: 3-7
6
Collier, Bryan. Uptown. New York, NY: Henry Holt, 2000.
Uptown is a rich mix of flavors, colors, sounds, and cultures that come
together to create a vibrant community like no other in the world. Seen
through the eyes of one little boy who lives there, the details of life in
Harlem are as joyous as a game of basketball on a summer's afternoon
and as personal as a trip to the barbershop where old-timers reminisce.
Y-E C69u
Awards: Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award 2001 and Ezra Jack Keats
Book Award 2001.
Grades: PreK-2
Cooke, Trish. So Much! Cambridge, MA: Candlewick, 2008.
Auntie and Uncle and Nannie and Gran-Gran and all the cousins want to
hug and kiss the new baby—they all love the baby SO MUCH! Captures
the closeness of a family and the wonder of a baby . . . A celebration of a
warm and loving family.
Y-E C7762s 1994
Award: Kurt Maschler Award 1994.
Grades: PreK-2
Cooper, Melrose. Getting’ Through Thursday. New York, NY: Lee & Low
Books, 1998.
Andre is upset when he realizes that his report card and the promised
celebration for making the honor roll will come on a Thursday. But Andre
can't believe his eyes when he looks at the calendar and sees that report
card day falls on the worst possible day of the week -- a Thursday. Andre's
predicament -- and the loving solution that his family offers -- will strike a
chord with readers of all backgrounds.
Y-E C786g
Grades: K-3
Copland, Misty. Firebird: Ballerina Misty Copeland Shows a Young Girl
How to Dance Like the Firebird. New York, NY: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2014.
American Ballet Theater soloist Misty Copeland encourages a young
ballet student, with brown skin like her own, by telling her that she, too,
had to learn basic steps and how to be graceful when she started out, and
that someday, with practice, the little girl will become a firebird too.
Y-E C79f
Awards: Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award 2015 and Ezra Jack Keats
Honor Award 2015.
Grades: 2-6
7
Curtis, Christopher Paul. Bud, Not Buddy. New York, NY: Delacorte Press,
1999.
It's 1936, in Flint, Michigan. Ten-year-old Bud may be a motherless boy
on the run, but he's on a mission. His momma never told him who his
father was, but she left a clue: posters of Herman E. Calloway and his
famous band, the Dusky Devastators of the Depression! Bud's got an idea
that those posters will lead to his father. Once he decides to hit the road
and find this mystery man, nothing can stop him.
Y C941b
Awards: Coretta Scott King Author Award 2000 and Newbery Medal 2000.
Grades: 3-7
De la Pena, Matt. Last Stop on Market Street. New York, NY: G.P.
Putnam’s Sons, 2015.
Every Sunday after church, CJ and his grandma ride the bus across town.
But today, CJ wonders why they don't own a car like his friend Colby. Why
doesn’t he have an iPod like the boys on the bus? How come they get off
in the dirty part of town? Each question is met with an encouraging
answer from grandma, who helps him see beauty.
Y-E D37l
Awards: Caldecott Honor 2016, Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor 2016,
and Newbery Medal 2016.
Grades: PreK-K
Dempsey, Kristy. A Dance Like Starlight: One Ballerina’s Dream. New
York, NY: Philomel Books, 2014.
Little ballerinas have big dreams. Dreams of pirouettes and grande jetes,
dreams of attending the best ballet schools and of dancing starring roles
on stage. But in Harlem in the 1950s, dreams don’t always come true—
they take a lot of work and a lot of hope. But the first African-American
prima ballerina, Janet Collins, did make her dreams come true and
inspired ballerinas everywhere.
Y-E D3995d
Award: Golden Kite Award Picture Book 2015.
Grades: K-3
Dillon, Diane. Rap a Tap Tap: Here’s Bojangles—Think of That! New
York, NY: Blue Sky Press, 2002.
Illustrations and rhymes describe the life of a ground-breaking African
American tap dancer. Bill "Bojangles" Robinson was one of the most
popular entertainers of the 1920s-30s. People said he "talked with his
feet," and in the Dillons' graceful paintings of old New York, he dances
from page to page to the tune of a toe-tapping rhyme.
Y-E D5875r
Award: Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor 2003.
Grades: PreK-2
8
Duncan, Alice Faye. Memphis, Martin, and the Mountaintop: The
Sanitation Strike of 1968. Honesdale, PN: Calkins Creek, 2018.
This historical fiction picture book presents the story of nine-year-old
Lorraine Jackson, who in 1968 witnessed the Memphis sanitation strike--
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s final stand for justice before his assassination-
-when her father, a sanitation worker, participated in the protest.
331.8928 D9121m
Award: Coretta Scott King Honor Book 2018.
Grades: 4-7
Evans, Shane. Underground: Finding the Light to Freedom. New York, NY:
Roaring Brook Press, 2011.
A family silently crawls along the ground. They run barefoot through unlit
woods, sleep beneath bushes, take shelter in a kind stranger's home.
Where are they heading? They are heading for Freedom by way of the
Underground Railroad.
Y-E Ev167u
Awards: ALA Notable 2012, Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award 2012, and
Notable Children's Books in the Language Arts 2012.
Grades: K-3
Evans, Shane. We March. New York, NY: Square Fish, 2016.
On August 28, 1963, a remarkable event took place--more than 250,000
people gathered in our nation's capital to participate in the March on
Washington for Jobs and Freedom. The march began at the Washington
Monument and ended with a rally at the Lincoln Memorial, where Martin
Luther King Jr. delivered his historic "I Have a Dream" speech, advocating
racial harmony. Compelling illustrations bring the thrill of the day to life
for even the youngest reader to experience.
Y-E K585w
Grades: 1-2
Ferris, Jeri. Walking the Road to Freedom: A Story about Sojourner
Truth. Minneapolis, MN: Millbrook Press, 1988.
Sojourner Truth was born into slavery in New York in 1779 or 1778. She
never knew for sure which year she was born, or even whether it was
summer or winter. By the time she was a young woman, Sojourner knew
she could no longer live as a slave and, with the help of Quakers, escaped
to freedom. She then began her long struggle to reunite her family and to
free other slaves.
eBook: http://semo.iii.com/record=b1632421~S1
Award: Carter G. Woodson Winner 1989.
Grades: 3-8
Finley Mosca, Julia. The Girl with a Mind for Math: The Story of Raye
Montague. Seattle, WA: The Innovation Press, 2018.
After touring a German submarine in the 1940s, young Raye set her sights
on becoming an engineer. Little did she know sexism and racial inequality
would challenge that dream, even keeping her career accomplishment a
secret for decades. The gifted mathematician persisted―finally gaining
her well-deserved title: a pioneer who changed ship design forever.
623.8092 M76g
Grades: 2-5
9
Giovanni, Nikki. Rosa. New York, NY: H. Holt, 2005.
An inspiring account of an event that shaped American history. Fifty years
after her refusal to give up her seat on a Montgomery, Alabama, city bus,
Mrs. Rosa Parks is still one of the most important figures in the American
civil rights movement. This picture-book tribute to Mrs. Parks is a
celebration of her courageous action and the events that followed.
923.2761 P237g
Awards: ALA Notable 2006, Caldecott Honor Book 2006, and Coretta
Scott King Illustrator Award 2006.
Grades: 3-5
Goilo, Gary. Strange Fruit: Billie Holiday and the Power of a Protest
Song. Minneapolis, MN: Millbrook Press, 2017.
Silence. That was the response at Cafe Society the first time Billie Holiday
performed a song called "Strange Fruit." In the 1930s, Billie was known as
a performer of jazz and blues music, but her song wasn't either of those
things. It was a song about injustice, and it would change her life forever.
Discover how two outsiders -- Billie Holiday, a young black woman raised
in poverty, and Abel Meeropol, the son of Jewish immigrants -- combined
their talents to create a song that challenged racism and paved the way
for the civil rights movement.
782.42165 H717s
Grades: 3-6
Haack, Daniel and Lewis, Stevie. Prince & Knight.
Little Bee Books, 2018.
The Prince and the Knight meet when they have to defeat a terrifying
dragon, and their friendship blossoms into love.
Grades Pre-K to 3.
Hill, Laban Carrick. Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave. New York, NY:
Little, Brown, 2010.
The life of an astonishingly prolific and skilled potter who lived and died a
slave in 19th-century South Carolina.
927.38 D272h
Awards: Caldecott Honor 2011 and Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award
2011.
Grades: PreK-2
Hoffman, Mary. Amazing Grace. New York, NY: Dial Books, 1991.
Grace loves stories, whether they're from books, movies, or the kind her
grandmother tells. When she gets a chance to play a part in Peter Pan,
she knows exactly who she wants to be. Remarkable watercolor
illustrations give full expression to Grace's high-flying imagination.
Y H6752am
Award: Kate Greenaway Medal 1991.
Grades: PreK-3
10Hood, Susan. Shaking Things Up: 14 Young Women Who Changed the
World. New York, NY: Harper, 2018.
Shaking Things Up introduces fourteen revolutionary young women--each
paired with a noteworthy female artist--to the next generation of
activists, trailblazers, and rabble-rousers.
305.4 H7617s
Grades: PreK-3
Hopkinson, Deborah. Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt. New York, NY:
Knopf, 1993.
Clara, a slave and seamstress on Home Plantation, dreams of freedom.
When she overhears a conversation about the Underground Railroad, she
has a flash of inspiration. Using scraps of cloth from her work in the Big
House and information gathered from other slaves, she fashions a map
that the master would never even recognize.
Y H7765s
Award: International Reading Association Award 1994.
Grades: PreK-2
Hubbard, Rita Lorraine. Hammering for Freedom. New York, NY: Lee &
Low Books, 2018.
William Lewis was born into slavery in Tennessee. He learned the
blacksmith trade as soon as he was old enough to grip a hammer. He
proved to be an exceptional blacksmith and earned so much money fixing
old tools and creating new ones that he was allowed to keep a little
money for himself. With just a few coins in his pocket, Bill set a daring
plan in motion: he was determined to free his family.
682.092 L5894h
Award: ALA Notable 2019.
Grades: K-2
Hudson, Wade & Cheryl Willis Hudson, eds. We Rise, We Resist, We Raise
Our Voices. New York, NY: Crown, 2018.
What do we tell our children when the world seems bleak, and prejudice
and racism run rampant? With 96 pages of original art and prose, fifty
diverse creators lend voice to young activists.
303.4 W3697
Grades: 3-7
Hughes, Langston. I, Too, Am American. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster,
2012.
Presents the popular poem by one of the central figures in the Harlem
Renaissance, highlighting the courage and dignity of the African American
Pullman porters in the early twentieth century.
Y-E H8745i
Award: Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award 2013.
Grades: PreK-3
11Hughes, Langston. My People. New York, NY: Atheneum, 2009.
Hughes's spare yet eloquent tribute to his people has been cherished for
generations. Now, photographer Smith interprets this beloved poem in
vivid sepia photographs that capture the glory, the beauty, and the soul
of being a black American today.
818.52 H874my
Awards: ALA Notable 2010, Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award 2010, and
Notable Books of the English Language Arts 2010.
Grades: PreK-3
Hughes, Langston. That is My Dream! New York, NY: Schwartz & Wade
Books, 2017.
An African-American boy faces the harsh reality of segregation and racial
prejudice, but he dreams of a different life--one full of freedom, hope,
and wild possibility, where he can fling his arms wide in the face of the
sun.
818.52 H874t
Grades: K-12
Ismail, Yasmeen. I’m a Girl! Bloomsbury, 2016.
A spunky child is not afraid to be herself.
Ages 3-7.
Keats, Ezra Jack. John Henry, an American Legend. New York, NY:
Pantheon Books, 1965.
John Henry was born with a hammer in his hand. He was taller and
stronger than anyone around. When men started talking about laying
railroad tracks across the prairies and deserts, and right through the
mountains, John Henry knew he and his hammer had to be a part of it.
And drive those spikes he did! Then came the day when a challenge was
announced: Hammer? Or a steam drill?
398.22 K225j
Grades: PreK-2
Keats, Ezra Jack. The Snowy Day. New York, NY: Puffin Books, 1976.
Full of wonder, this universal favorite captures the magic and sense of
possibility of the first snowfall.
Y-E K225s 1976
Award: Caldecott 1963.
Grades: PreK-1
12King, Martin Luther, Jr. I Have a Dream. New York, NY: Schwartz & Wade
Books, 2012.
On August 28, 1963, on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial during the
March on Washington, Martin Luther King gave one of the most powerful
and memorable speeches in our nation's history.
Y-E K585i
Award: Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor 2013.
Grades: K-12
Kruell, Kathleen. Starstruck: The Cosmic Journey of Neil deGrasse Tyson.
New York, NY: Crown Books for Young Readers, 2018.
A picture-book biography on science superstar Neil deGrasse Tyson, the
groundbreaking American astrophysicist whose work has inspired a
generation of young scientists and astronomers to reach for the stars!
523.01092 T988s
Grades: PreK-3
Latham, Irene. Meet Miss Fancy. New York, NY: G.P. Putnam’s Sons,
2019.
Frank has always been obsessed with elephants. When Miss Fancy, the
elephant, retires from the circus and moves two blocks from his house to
Avondale Park, he's over the moon! But Avondale Park is just for white
people, so Frank is not allowed to see Miss Fancy. So Frank writes to the
City Council so his church can host a picnic in the park, and he can meet
Miss Fancy. His neighbors sign the letter, but protest cancel the picnic.
Then Miss Fancy escapes, and it's up to Frank to find her.
Y-E L346m
Grades: K-3
Lawrence, Jacob. The Great Migration: An American Story. New York,
NY: HarperCollins, 1993.
After World War I, large numbers of African Americans began leaving
their homes in the rural South in search of employment, and a better life,
in the industrial cities of the North. Jacob Lawrence chronicled their
journey of hope in his sixty-panel Migration Series that can now be found
divided between the Museum of Modern Art and the Phillips Collection.
305.896073 L437g
Grades: 1-3
Levine, Ellen. Henry’s Freedom Box. New York, NY: Scholastic Press, 2007.
Henry Brown doesn't know how old he is. Nobody keeps records of
slaves' birthdays. He dreams about freedom, but that dream seems
farther away than ever when he is torn from his family and put to work in
a warehouse. As he lifts a crate at the warehouse, he knows exactly what
he must do: He will mail himself to the North. After an arduous journey in
the crate, Henry finally has a birthday -- his first day of freedom.
Y-E L5776h
Award: Caldecott Honor 2008.
Grades: PreK-3
13Levinson, Cynthia. The Youngest Marcher. New York, NY: Atheneum,
2017.
Meet the youngest known child to be arrested for a civil rights protest in
Birmingham, Alabama, 1963, in this moving picture book that proves
you’re never too little to make a difference.
323.092 H3842y
Grades: K-4
Magoon, Kekla. The Season of Styx Malone. New York, NY: Wendy Lamb
Books, 2018.
Caleb and Bobby Gene meet the new neighbor Styx Malone. Styx is
sixteen and oozes cool. Styx promises the brothers that together, the
three of them can pull off the Great Escalator Trade--exchanging one
small thing for something better until they achieve their wildest dream.
But as the trades get bigger, the brothers soon find themselves in over
their heads. In this madcap, one-thing-leads-to-another adventure,
friendships are forged, loyalties are tested, and miracles might happen.
Y M2758s
Award: Coretta Scott King Honor 2019.
Grades: 3-7
Mathis, Sharon Bell. Ray Charles. New York, NY: Lee & Low Books, 2001.
A fascinating biography of the acclaimed musician invites young readers
to follow Ray Charles from his childhood, when he became blind and
learned how to read and write music in Braille, to his extraordinary
success as a jazz and blues musician.
927.8242164 C38m 2001
Award: Coretta Scott King Author Award 1974.
Grades: 3-6
McKissack, Pat. Martin Luther King, Jr.: Man of Peace. Berkeley Heights,
NJ: Enslow Publishers, 2001.
Simple text and illustrations describe the life and accomplishments of the
revered civil rights pioneer.
923.32 K585m 2001
Grades: 2-4
McKissack, Pat. What is Given from the Heart. New York, NY: Schwartz &
Wade Books, 2019.
"Misery loves company," Mama says to James Otis. It's been a rough
couple of months for them, but Mama says as long as they have their
health and strength, they're blessed. One Sunday before Valentine's Day,
Reverend Dennis makes an announcement -- the Temples have lost
everything in a fire, and the church is taking a collection. James thinks
hard, but what does he have worth giving?
Y-E M217w
Grades: PreK-3
14Michelson, Richard. As Good as Anybody: Martin Luther King Jr. and
Abraham Joshua Heschel’s Amazing March Toward Freedom. New York,
NY: Dragonfly Books, 2008.
Martin grew up in the American South, at a time when this country was
plagued by racial discrimination. He aimed to stop to it, so he became a
minister. Abraham grew up years earlier, in a Europe that did not
welcome Jews. He found a new home in America, where he became a
respected rabbi. These two icons for social justice formed a friendship
and turned their experiences into a message of love and equality for all.
323.092 K585h
Grades: 1-4
Miller, William. Night Golf. New York, NY: Lee & Low Books, 1999.
James loves sports, but he's too short for basketball and too small for
football. Then he discovers golf. When he goes to the local golf course to
learn more about the game, he finds out that only white players are
admitted. He accepts a job as a caddy but fears he may never get the
chance to play the game he loves. In this true-to-life story, another caddy
tells James how to realize his dream: by playing at night.
323.092 K58d
Grades: K-3
Miller, William. Richard Wright and the Library Card. New York, NY: Lee
& Low Books, 1997.
Based on a scene from Wright's autobiography, Black boy, in which the
seventeen-year-old African American borrows a white man's library card
and devours every book as a ticket to freedom. A story of segregation in
libraries.
Y-E M6193r
Grades: 1-4
Miller, William. Zora Hurston and the Chinaberry Tree. New York, NY: Lee
& Low, 1994.
This book illuminates a little-known episode in the childhood of
renowned African American writer Zora Neale Hurston, one of the most
important voices of the Harlem Renaissance. William Miller presents an
uplifting account of how Zora was inspired by her dying mother to pursue
her dreams.
813.52 H946Xmi
Grades: K-2
15Mitchell, Barbara. Shoes for Everyone: A Story about Jan Matzeliger.
Minneapolis, MN: Carolrhoda Books, 1986.
A biography of the half-Dutch/half-black Surinamese man who, despite
the hardships and prejudice he found in his new Massachusetts home,
invented a shoe-lasting machine that revolutionized the shoe industry in
the late nineteenth century.
926.8531 M438s
Grades: 3-4
Mora, Oge. Thank You, Omu! New York, NY: Little, Brown & Co., 2018.
Everyone in the neighborhood dreams of a taste of Omu's delicious stew!
One by one, they follow their noses toward the scrumptious scent. And
one by one, Omu offers a portion of her meal. Soon the pot is empty. Has
she been so generous that she has nothing left for herself?
Y-E M79t
Awards: Caldecott Honor 2019, Ezra John Keats Illustrator Award 2019,
and John Steptoe New Talent Illustrator Award 2019.
Grades: PreK-3
Morrison, Toni. Remember: The Journey to School Integration. Boston,
MA: Houghton Mifflin Co., 2004.
Toni Morrison has collected a treasure chest of archival photographs that
depict the historical events surrounding school desegregation. These
unforgettable images serve as the inspiration for Ms. Morrison’s text—a
fictional account of the dialogue and emotions of the children who lived
during the era of “separate but equal” schooling.
379.2630973 M8347r
Award: Coretta Scott King Author Award 2005.
Grades: 3-8
Mulholland, Loki. She Stood for Freedom: The Untold Story of a Civil
Rights Hero, Joan Trumpauer Mulholland. Salt Lake City, UT: Shadow
Mountain, 2016.
Biography of Joan Trumpauer Mulholland follows her from her childhood
in 1950’s Virginia through her high school and college years, when she
joined the Civil Rights Movement, attending demonstrations and sit-ins.
She also participated in the Freedom Rides of 1961 and was arrested and
imprisoned. Her life has been spent standing up for human rights.
323.092 M899s
Grades: K-3
16Myers, Walter Dean. Amistad: A Long Road to Freedom. New York, NY:
Puffin Books, 2001.
When a group of illegally enslaved Africans take over their captors' ship,
the Amistad, in 1839, they find themselves facing a judge, with not only
their freedom at stake but also the issue of slavery on trial. Traces the
1839 revolt of Africans against their Spanish captors aboard the slave ship
Amistad, their landing in the United States and arrest for piracy and
murder, and trials which ended in their acquittal by the Supreme Court.
973.0496 M992a 2001
Grades: 3-6
Nelson, Kadir. Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African
Americans. New York, NY: Balzer & Bray, 2011.
A simple introduction to African American history, from Revolutionary-
era slavery up to the election of President Obama.
818.52 H874t
Award: Coretta Scott King Author Award 2012 and Coretta Scott King
Illustrator Honor 2012.
Grades: 1-5
Nelson, Kadir. Nelson Mandela. New York, NY: Katherine Tegen Books,
2013.
It is the story of a young boy's determination to change South Africa, and
of the struggles of a man who eventually became the president of his
country. Mandela believed in equality for all people, no matter the color
of their skin. Readers will be inspired by Mandela's triumph and his
lifelong quest to create a more just world.
Y N3346n
Award: Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor 2014.
Grades: 1-5
Nelson, Kadir. We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball.
New York, NY: Jump at the Sun, 2008.
The story of Negro League baseball is the story of gifted athletes and
determined owners; of racial discrimination and international
sportsmanship; of fortunes won and lost; of triumphs and defeats on and
off the field. It is a perfect mirror for the social and political history of
black America in the first half of the twentieth century.
796.35764 N3346w
Award: Coretta Scott King Author Award 2009.
Grades: 3-7
Nelson, Vaunda Micheaux. Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life
of Bass Reeves. Minneapolis, MN: Carolrhoda Books, 2009.
Sitting tall in the saddle, with a wide-brimmed black hat and twin Colt
pistols on his belt, Bass Reeves seemed bigger than life. As a U.S. Marshal
- and former slave who escaped into the Indian Territories - Bass was
cunning and fearless. For three decades, Bass was the most feared and
respected lawman in the territories. He made more than 3,000 arrests.
923.47665 R25944n
Award: Coretta Scott King Author Award 2010.
Grades: 3-6
17Nelson, Vaunda Micheaux. Let ‘Er Buck!: George Fletcher, the People’s
Champion. Minneapolis, MN: Carolrhoda Books, 2019.
In 1911, three men were in the final round of the famed Pendleton
Round-Up. One was white, one was Indian, and one was black. When the
judges declared the white man the winner, the audience was outraged.
They named black cowboy George Fletcher the "people's champion" and
took up a collection, ultimately giving Fletcher far more than the value of
the prize that went to the official winner.
791.84092 F633l
Grades: 3-6
Parker, Robert Andrew. Piano Starts Here: The Young Art Tatum. New
York, NY: Schwartz & Wade Books, 2008.
Energetic ink-and-wash illustrations show the world as Art Tatum might
have seen it. Tatum was nearly blind, but his passion for the piano and his
acute memory for any sound that he heard drove him to become a
virtuoso who was revered by both classical and jazz pianists.
927.86165 T189p
Award: Schneider Family Book Award 2009.
Grades: PreK-3
Pinkney, Andrea Davis. Duke Ellington: The Piano Prince and His
Orchestra. New York, NY: Hyperion Books, 1998.
A brief recounting of the career of this jazz musician and composer who,
along with his orchestra, created music that was beyond category.
781.65092 El56m
Awards: Caldecott Honor 1999 and Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor
1999.
Grades: K-4
Pinkney, Andrea Davis. Sit-in: How Four Friends Stood up by Sitting
Down. New York, NY: Little, Brown and Company, 2010.
This picture book is a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the
momentous Woolworth's lunch counter sit-in, when four college students
staged a peaceful protest that became a defining moment in the struggle
for racial equality and the growing civil rights movement.
323.11 P6561s
Grades: 1-4
Pinkney, Andrea Davis. Sojourner Truth’s Step-Stomp Stride. New York,
NY: Disney, 2009.
Born into slavery, Belle had to endure the cruelty of several masters
before she escaped to freedom. But she knew she wouldn't really be free
unless she was helping to end injustice. She changed her name to
Sojourner and began traveling across the country, demanding equal
rights for black people and for women.
306.362092 T777p
Grades: K-4
Award: Jane Addams 2010.
18Pitman, Gayle E. Sewing the Rainbow. Magination Press, 2018.
Growing up, Gilbert Baker loved sewing and design. He left Kansas for the
bright colors of San Francisco to pursue his dreams and went on to create
an enduring symbol of the LGBTQIAP+ community.
Grades Pre-K to 3.
Pitman, Gayle E., Litten, Kristyna (illustrator). This Day in June.
American Psychological Association Magination Press, 2014.
This Day In June welcomes young readers to experience a pride
celebration and share in a day when we are all united.
Age range: 4-8.
Ramsey, Calvin Alexander & Gwen Strauss. Ruth and the Green Book.
Minneapolis, MN: Carolrhoda Books, 2010.
Ruth was excited to take a trip in her family's new car! In the early 1950s,
few African Americans could afford to buy cars. But she soon found out
that black travelers weren't treated very well in some towns. Many hotels
and gas stations refused service to black people. Daddy was upset about
the Jim Crow laws. A friendly attendant at a gas station showed Ruth's
family The Green Book. It listed the places that welcomed black travelers.
Y-E R1493r
Grades: 3-5
Rappaport, Doreen. Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Martin Luther King
Jr. New York, NY: Hyperion Books, 2001.
This picture-book biography is an excellent and accessible introduction
for young readers to learn about one of the world's most influential
leaders, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
923.230 K585r
Awards: Caldecott Honor 2002 and Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor
2002.
Grades: K-3
Reynolds, Aaron. Back of the Bus. New York, NY: Philomel Books, 2010.
A boy and his mother are riding the bus in Montgomery, Alabama like any
other day—way in the back of the bus. The boy passes time by watching
his marble roll up and down the aisle with the motion of the bus… Until a
big commotion breaks out from way up front. From the back of the bus,
an African American child watches the arrest of Rosa Parks.
Y-E R34b
Award: ALA Notable 2011.
Grades: 1-3
19Ringgold, Faith. Dinner at Aunt Connie’s House. New York, NY: Scholastic,
1996.
Melody loves the annual family excursion to Aunt Connie's house--
everyone gets to go swimming, share a fabulous dinner and see an
exhibition of Aunt Connie's most recent art. From their frames on the
wall, stories of famous African American women such as Rosa Parks and
their devotion to causes from civil rights to education are shared.
Y-E R473d
Grades: K-4
Robbins, Dean. Two Friends: Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass.
New York, NY: Orchard Books, 2016.
Two friends, Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass, get together for
tea and conversation. They recount their similar stories fighting to win
rights for women and African Americans. The premise of this particular
exchange between the two is based on a statue in their hometown of
Rochester, New York, which shows the two friends having tea. Includes
back matter with photos of Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass.
Y-E R534t
Grades: PreK-3
Romito, Dee. Pies from Nowhere: How Georgia Gilmore Sustained the
Montgomery Bus Boycott. New York, NY: Little Bee Books, 2018.
Georgia Gilmore was a cook at the National Lunch Company in
Montgomery, Alabama. When the bus boycotts broke out in
Montgomery, she organized a group of women who cooked and baked to
fund-raise for gas and cars to help sustain the boycott. Called the Club
from Nowhere, Georgia was the only person who knew who baked and
bought the food, and she said the money came from "nowhere" to
anyone who asked. When Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested for his role
in the boycott, Georgia testified on his behalf. It also includes one of her
delicious recipes for kids to try with the help of their parents!
323.092 G423p
Grades: K-3
Russell-Brown, Katheryn. Little Melba and Her Big Trombone. New York,
NY: Lee & Low Books, 2014.
At age seven, Melba fell in love with a big, shiny trombone, and soon
taught herself to play the instrument. By the time she was a teenager,
Melba’s gift for music led her to the world of jazz. Overcoming obstacles
of race and gender, Melba went on to become a famed trombone player
and arranger, creating songs for jazz greats: Randy Weston, Duke
Ellington, Count Basie, Billie Holiday, and Quincy Jones.
927.889 L698r
Awards: ALA Notable 2015, Amelia Bloomer List 2015, Coretta Scott King
Illustrator Honor 2015, NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary
Work 2015, and Notable Books for a Global Society 2015.
Grades: 1-3
20Schroeder, Alan. Minty: A Story of Young Harriet Tubman. New York, NY:
Dial Book, 1996.
When she grew up, she became Harriet Tubman, the courageous and
heroic woman who helped hundreds of slaves escape to freedom through
the Underground Railroad. But she was just a little girl, and this is her
story. Minty, short for Araminta, was a feisty and headstrong young slave,
whose rebellious spirit often got her into trouble.
923.05567 T79s
Award: ALA Notable 1997, Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award 1997, and
Kentucky Bluegrass Award 1998.
Grades: PreK-3
Shabazz, Ilyasah. Malcolm Little: The Boy Who Grew Up to Become
Malcolm X. New York, NY: Atheneum, 2013.
Malcolm X grew to be one of America’s most influential figures. But first,
he was a boy named Malcolm Little. Written by his daughter, this
inspiring picture book biography celebrates a vision of freedom and
justice.
320.546092 X1s
Grades: 1-5
Shange, Ntozake. Ellington Was Not a Street. New York, NY: Simon &
Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2004.
Ntozake Shange recalls her childhood home and the close-knit group of
innovators that often gathered there. These men of vision lived at a time
when the color of their skin dictated where they could live, what schools
they could attend, and even where they could sit on a bus. Yet in the face
of this adversity, they not only demonstrated the importance of Black
culture in America, but also helped issue in a movement that "changed
the world."
811.54 Sh186e
Award: ALA Notable 2005, Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award 2005, and
Notable Books of the English Language Arts 2005.
Grades: K-6
Smith, Charles R., Jr. 28 Days: Moments in Black History that Changed
the World. New York, NY: Roaring Brooks Press, 2015.
Each day features a different influential figure in African-American
history, from Crispus Attucks, the first man shot in the Boston Massacre,
sparking the Revolutionary War, to Madame C. J. Walker, who after years
of adversity became the wealthiest black woman in the country, as well
as one of the wealthiest black Americans, to Barack Obama, the country's
first African-American president.
973.0496073 Sm535t
Grades: 2-3
21Smith, Charles R., Jr. Brick by Brick. New York, NY: Amistad, 2012.
Describes the building of the White House, the home of the United States
president, and how it took many hands, several of them slaves', who will
be remembered throughout history for their extraordinary feat.
975.3 Sm535b
Grades: PreK-3
Steptoe, Javaka. In Daddy’s Arms I am Tall. New York, NY: Lee & Low
Books, 1997.
A collection of poems celebrating African American fathers by Angela
Johnson, E. Ethelbert Miller, Carole Boston Weatherford, and others.
811 In1
Award: Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award 1998.
Grades: 3-6
Steptoe, Javaka. Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel
Basquiat. New York, NY: Little, Brown and Company, 2016.
A visually stunning picture book biography about modern art
phenomenon Jean-Michel Basquiat.
740.92 B2932r
Awards: Coretta Scott King Illustrator Book Award 2017 and Caldecott
Award 2017.
Grades: 1-5
Strickland, Dorothy. Families: Poems Celebrating the African American
Experience. Honesdale, PA: Wordsong/Boyd Mills Press, 1994.
Family relationships are explored and affirmed in this joyful anthology of
poems celebrating the diversity of African American families. These
poems take as their source deeply felt values of belonging, creativity, and
mutual respect, values rooted in African American history to pass on as a
rich heritage to new generations.
811.008 F21
Grades: 2-3
Stroud, Bettye. The Patchwork Path: A Quilt Map to Freedom. New York,
NY: Scholastic, 2006.
Now that Hannah’s papa has decided to make the run for freedom, her
patchwork quilt is not just a precious memento of Mama — it’s a series of
hidden clues that will guide them along the Underground Railroad to
Canada.
Y St892pa
Grades: K-3
22Taylor, Debbie. Sweet Music in Harlem. New York, NY: Lee & Low Books,
2004.
C.J. needs to act fast. A photographer from Highnote magazine is on his
way to photograph Uncle Click, a well-known jazz musician, but Uncle
Click's signature hat is missing. Now it's up to C. J. to hunt down the hat in
time for the photo shoot. Little does C. J. know that his whirlwind search
through Harlem sets in motion the making of a magical moment of
friendship and music.
Y-E T2133s
Grades: 1-4
Thomas, Joyce Carol. The Blacker the Berry. New York, NY: HarperCollins,
2008.
A collection of poems, including "Golden Goodness," "Cranberry Red,"
and "Biscuit Brown," celebrating individuality and Afro-American identity.
811.54 T364bl
Awards: ALA Notable 2009, Coretta Scott King Author Honor Award 2009,
Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award 2009, and Notable Books of the
English Language Arts 2009.
Grades: PreK-3
Thomas, Joyce Carol. Cherish Me. New York, NY: HarperFestival, 1998.
An uplifting message about identify and self-esteem. This prose poem
carries with it a heartfelt message for young children, who are just
learning to appreciate their own unique and wonderful qualities.
Y-E T3436c
Grades: PreK-2
Towle, Wendy. The Real McCoy: The Life of an African American
Inventor. New York, NY: Scholastic, 1993.
Vivid paintings and a simple text chronicle the life and achievements of
African American inventor Elijah McCoy, developer of more than fifty
patented inventions, including an innovative oil cup that revolutionized
railroad operations.
608.72 T659r
Grades: 2-3
Trice, Mon. Cannon’s Crash Course. St. Louis, MO: Red Duck Books, 2015.
Cannon is eager to learn to ride his new bike but it doesn’t go well.
Encouragement comes from an unexpected person.
Grades: K-3
23Trice, Mon. Changing Seasons. St. Louis, MO: Red Duck Books, 2011.
Tanesha learns about the seasons in school. Her story includes insight in
her African-American culture and things that make her happy.
Grades: PreK-2
Vaughan, Marcia. The Secret to Freedom. New York, NY: Lee & Low
Books, 2001.
Lucy is a young when her parents are sold off. Later, Lucy's older brother,
Albert, comes home with a sack of quilts. The quilts are part of a secret
code, and each different pattern gives important information to slaves
planning to escape on the Underground Railroad. When Albert is caught
one night helping the runaways, he too must flee, leaving Lucy behind. As
he disappears into the darkness, Lucy fears she will never see him again.
Y-E V4655s
Grades: K-2
Wallace, Sandra Neil. Between the Lines: How Ernie Barns Went from the
Football Field to the Art Gallery. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster Books
for Young Readers, 2018.
When Ernie Barnes was growing up in North Carolina in the 1940s, he
loved to draw. He always had a sketchbook. But in the segregated south,
Ernie didn’t know how to make a living as an artist. Ernie grew tall and
athletic and became a football star. Still, Ernie longed to paint. Would
that day ever come? Ernie Barnes was one of the most important artists
of his time known for his style of elongation and movement.
796.332092 W1557b
Award: Orbis Picture Award Winner 2018.
Grades: PreK-3
Walton, Jessica. Written by Jessica Walton; illus. by Dougal MacPherson.
Introducing Teddy: A Gentle Story About Gender and Friendship
Bloomsbury, 2016.
Errol’s teddy bear, Thomas, is sad until telling Errol the bear is actually a
girl teddy bear and wants to be called Tilly. Errol and Tilly move the bow-
tie from her identity as Thomas to a hair bow for Tilly. Errol only cares
that the teddy bear is his friend.
Ages 3-6.
24Watson, Renee. Harlem’s Little Blackbird. New York, NY: Random House,
2012.
Born to parents who were both former slaves, Florence Mills knew at an
early age that she loved to sing. Performing catapulted her all the way to
the stages of 1920’s Broadway where she inspired everyone from
songwriters to playwrights. Florence chose to support and promote
works by her fellow black performers while heralding a call for their civil
rights.
782.4216509 M625h
Grades: PreK-2
Weatherford, Carole Boston. Gordon Parks: How the Photographer
Captured Black and White America. Chicago, IL: Albert Whitman & Co.,
2015.
Gordon Parks was the first black director in Hollywood. But before he
made movies and wrote books, he was a poor African American looking
for work. He taught himself how to take pictures and before long, people
noticed. In Washington DC Gordon wanted to take a stand against the
racism he observed. With his camera in hand, he found a way.
770.89 P236w
Grades: K-3
Weatherford, Carle Boston. Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her
People to Freedom. New York, NY: Hyperion Books for Children, 2006.
Discover Tubman's spiritual journey as she hears the voice of God guiding
her north to freedom on that very first trip to escape the brutal practice
of forced servitude. Tubman would make nineteen subsequent trips back
south, never being caught, but none as profound as this first one.
920.72 T79w
Awards: Caldecott Honor Book 2007 and Coretta Scott King Illustrator
Award 2007.
Grades: K-3
Weatherford, Carole Boston. Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer, Spirit
of the Civil Rights Movement. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2015.
Despite fierce prejudice and abuse, Fannie Lou Hamer was a champion of
civil rights from the 1950s until her death in 1977. Integral to the
Freedom Summer of 1964, Ms. Hamer gave a speech at the Democratic
National Convention that aired on national TV news.
973.0496073 H178v
Awards: Caldecott Honor 2016, John Steptoe New Talent Illustrator
Award 2016, and Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Honor 2016.
Grades: 3-5
Wheeler, Lisa. Jazz Baby. New York, NY: HMH Books for Young Readers,
2007.
To the contagious rhythm of the text, Baby and his extended family
members be-bop and hip-hop, and generally make jazzy music.
Y-E W565j
Awards: ALA Notable 2008 and Theodore Seuss Geisel Honor 2008.
Grades: PreK-3
25Wiles, Deborah. Freedom Summer. New York, NY: Atheneum Books,
2001.
Joe and John Henry both like shooting marbles, they both want to be
firemen, and they both love to swim. But Joe is white, and John Henry is
black, and in the South in 1964, that means John Henry isn't allowed to
do everything his best friend is. Then a law is passed that opens the pool
to everyone. Joe and John Henry race each other there...only to discover
that it takes more than a new law to change people's hearts.
Y-E W647fr
Awards: Ezra Jack Keats Award 2002 and John Steptoe Award for New
Talent 2002.
Grades: PreK-3
Williams-Garcia, Rita. P.S. Be Eleven. New York, NY: Amistad, 2013.
Eleven-year-old Brooklyn girl Delphine feels overwhelmed with worries
and responsibilities. She's just started sixth grade and is self-conscious
about being the tallest girl in the class, and nervous about her first school
dance. She's supposed to be watching her sisters, but Fern and Vonetta
are hard to control. Her uncle Darnell is home from Vietnam and seems
different. And her pa has a girlfriend. At least Delphine can write to her
mother in Oakland, California, for advice. But why does her mother tell
her to 'be eleven' when Delphine is now twelve?
Y W868br
Award: ALA Notable 2014, Amelia Bloomer List 2014, and Coretta Scott
King Author Award 2014.
Grades: 3-7
Woodson, Jacqueline. Each Kindness. New York, NY: Nancy Paulsen
Books, 2012.
Each kindness makes the world a little better. Chloe and her friends won't
play with the new girl, Maya. Every time Maya tries to join Chloe and her
friends, they reject her. Eventually Maya stops coming to school. When
Chloe's teacher gives a lesson about how even small acts of kindness can
change the world, Chloe is stung by the lost opportunity for friendship.
Y-E W868e
Award: ALA Notable 2013, Coretta Scott King Honor 2013, Jane Addams
Peace Award 2013, Notable Books of the English Language Arts 2013, and
Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People 2013.
Grades: K-3
Woodson, Jacqueline. The Other Side. New York, NY: G.P. Putnam’s Sons
Books for Young Readers, 2001.
Clover's mom says it isn't safe to cross the fence that segregates their
African American side of town from the white side where Anna lives. But
the two girls strike up a friendship and get around the grown-ups' rules
by sitting on top of the fence together.
Y-E W868o
Award: ALA Notable 2001.
Grades: K-3
26Woodson, Jacqueline. This Is the Rope: A Story from the Great
Migration. New York, NY: Nancy Paulsen Books, 2013.
The story of one family’s journey north during the Great Migration starts
with a little girl in South Carolina who finds a rope under a tree one
summer. She has no idea the rope will become part of her family’s
history. But for three generations, that rope is passed down, used for
everything from jump rope games to tying suitcases onto a car for the big
move north, and even for a family reunion.
Y-E W868t
Grades: K-3
Woodson, Jacqueline. Show Way. New York, NY: G. P. Putnam’s Sons,
2005.
Soonie's great grandma was seven when she was sold to a plantation
without her ma and pa, and with only some fabric and needles to call her
own. She pieced together bright patches with names like North Star and
Crossroads, patches with secret meanings made into quilts called Show
Ways -- maps for slaves to follow to freedom.
Y-E W868sh
Awards: ALA Notable 2006, Newbery Honor 2006, Notable Books of the
English Language Arts 2006, and Notable Social Studies Trade Books for
Young People 2006.
Grades: PreK-3
Wyeth, Sharon Dennis. Always My Dad. New York, NY: Knopf Books for
Young Readers, 1994.
"Sometimes the person I want to see more than anyone in the world is
my dad. But I only see my dad once in a while." So begins this story,
based on Wyeth's memories of her childhood with an often-absent
father. Though Dad moves around a lot and his jobs keep changing, a
young girl and her brother hold fast to memories of his visits in this
portrait of a family held together by a special bond of love.
Y-E W974a
Grades: K-3
Wyeth, Sharon Dennis. Something Beautiful. New York, NY: Doubleday
Books for Young Readers, 1998.
A little girl longs to see beyond the scary sights on the sidewalk and the
angry scribbling in the halls of her building. When her teacher writes the
word beautiful on the blackboard, the girl decides to look for something
beautiful in her neighborhood. Her search for “something beautiful”
leaves her feeling much happier. She has experienced the beauty of
friendship and the power of hope.
Y-E W974s
Grades: PreK-2
27Middle School
Adler, David A. Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad. New
York, NY: Holiday House, 2013.
Born a slave, Harriet Tubman was determined not to remain one. She
escaped on the Underground Railroad in 1849 and then fearlessly
returned thirteen times to help guide family members and others to
freedom as the most famous conductor of the Underground Railroad. Her
bravery served her well in the Union army, where she was a cook, a
nurse, and then a spy. She later founded a home for elderly former slaves
and became active in the women’s suffrage movement.
973.7115092 Ad593t
Grades: 5-6
Adoff, Arnold. Roots and Blues: A Celebration. New York, NY: Clarion
Books, 2011.
Lyrical text explores how Blues have been part of everyday life
throughout history, from its origins in the sounds of the earth, through
slaves' voices singing of freedom, to today's greatest performers--and
listeners.
811.54 Ad71ro
Award: Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People 2011.
Grades: 5-7
Bains, Rae. Harriet Tubman – The Road to Freedom. Mahwah, NJ: Troll
Associates, 1982.
The biography of a slave whose flight to freedom was the first step in her
becoming a "conductor" on the underground railroad.
920.72 T79h
Grades: 4-7
Bolden, Tonya. Facing Fredrick: The Life of Frederick Douglass, a
Monumental American Man. New York, NY: Abrams Books for Young
Readers, 2017.
Frederick Douglass (1818–1895) is best known for the telling of his own
emancipation. But there is much more to Douglass’ story than his time
spent enslaved and his famous autobiography. Facing Frederick captures
the whole complicated, and at times perplexing, person that he was.
Statesman, suffragist, writer, and newspaperman, this book focuses on
Douglass the man rather than the historical icon.
973.8092 D7475fa
Grades: 5-9
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