"A must-read for a deeper understanding of a well-connected genius who enriched the cultural road map for African-Americans and books about them. (Picture book/biography/poetry. 9-12)"
An eccentric, smart, and quirky bibliophile, Arturo Schomburg fueled his life with books.
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"A memorable life dedicated to music and civil rights, presented with commensurate style. (bibliography, further reading, listening, and viewing) (Picture book/biography. 7-10)"
Twentieth-century racism tried hard to deny this great performer her voice—and failed.
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"Weatherford and Christie dazzlingly salute African-Americans' drive to preserve their dignity and pride. (foreword, glossary, author's note) (Picture book. 5-9)"
Count down the days until Sunday, a day for slaves in New Orleans to gather together and remember their African heritage.
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"Parks' photography gave a powerful and memorable face to racism in America; this book gives him to young readers. (afterword, author's note, photographs) (Picture book/biography. 6-8)"
He aimed his camera lens at fashion models and at struggling African-American workers.
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"Weatherford and Colón's beautiful book does children a service by giving them one more African-American performer to applaud. (author's note) (Picture book/biography. 5-8)"
Rising from the Mississippi Delta to the stages of the Metropolitan Opera and La Scala, Price had a groundbreaking operatic career.
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"A fine tribute to the local color of Sugar Hill, who have made America a better and more interesting country for almost a century. (Informational picture book. 7-9)"
Weatherford's poetic, swinging textual rhythms meet Christie's artistic razzmatazz to create one hot picture book.
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"Weatherford's commemorative 'American Baptism' provides a powerful finale to this undeniably passionate offering. (Picture book/biography. 6-9)"
This lyrical tribute to the 44th U.S. President describes Barack Obama's diverse childhood experiences and his various mentors and concludes with his successful presidential election.
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"A remarkable tribute well worthy of its subject. (afterword, bibliography, references, further reading and listening) (Poetry. 14 & up)"
"I toted my songs / like a satchel and felt most / at home when I sang," says Billie Holiday in this gorgeously produced fictional "life in poems" of the great jazz singer.
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Weatherford's compressed poetic homage to Coltrane's early influences relays biographical details through metaphors evoking sound: "Before John was a jazz giant, / he heard Grandpa's Sunday sermons, / Mama playing hymns for the senior choir, / and the scoutmaster's call to join a band."
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"Lovely and inspiring. (Picture book/biography. 6-11)"
A poetic first-person narrative puts readers in Matthew Henson's head as he endures institutionalized discrimination to pursue greatness in adventure, moving from cabin boy to able seaman, stock boy to explorer, eventually one of "[s]ix men—one black, one white, four Eskimos—" to reach the North Pole in 1909.
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"It's a gorgeous memorial to the four killed on that horrible day, and to the thousands of children who braved violence to help change the world. (Poetry. 10-14)"
Exquisitely understated design lends visual potency to a searing poetic evocation of the Birmingham church bombing of 1963.
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"Perfunctory reading list appended. (Picture book/biography. 7-9)"
This soaring tribute to Owens reserves biographical details for the afterword, focusing instead on his Olympics experience from arrival in Berlin to triumphant ticker-tape parade back in New York.
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In elegant free verse, Weatherford imagines Tubman's remarkable escape from slavery and her role in guiding hundreds to freedom.
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"Accomplished yet accessible, this is an important book for every library. (Picture book/nonfiction. 8-10)"
Set in the rural south in the early 1920s, this terrific picture book uses evocative free verse to describe the building of a school for black children using seed money from Julius Rosenwald, the Sears catalog magnate.
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"This quietly moving story pays tribute to the peaceful protesters who did indeed 'overcome.' (author's note) (Picture book. 5+)"
An ordinary African-American girl witnesses extraordinary events in this first-person account of the Greensboro sit-ins of 1960.
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"There are numerous picture books for young people that cover this territory with more energy and delight; most notably i see the rhythm (1998). (Picture book. 5-8)"
A brief history of African American music told in rhyme and dramatically rendered oils.
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