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128 pp.
| Enslow
| May, 2004
|
LibraryISBN 0-7660-1944-6$$20.95
(4)
YA
Issues in Focus series.
This slightly rushed but well-organized offering traces the civil rights movement from the Reconstruction era through the late sixties, when black militant groups challenged Martin Luther King, Jr.'s nonviolent activism. Especially moving among the archival black-and-white photos are those featuring black children fighting for their rights. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind.
32 pp.
| Lee
| June, 2004
|
TradeISBN 1-58430-170-8$16.95
(4)
K-3
Clayton "Peg Leg" Bates lost his leg in a mill accident at age twelve but continued to dance, eventually becoming a professional tapper. This biography balances the impact of discrimination on his life (Bates was the son of a sharecropper) with his irrepressible spirit, well communicated in the sprightly illustrations. Barasch provides no sources, which detracts from her book's success.
32 pp.
| Holiday
| February, 2004
|
TradeISBN 0-8234-1650-X$$16.95
(4)
K-3
Illustrated by
Colin Bootman.
Bootman's somber paintings capture the tenderness of the relationship between Simms and his papa in this story, with an indeterminate setting, about a black community's first exercise in voting. While the story has too many elements and not enough context, its themes shine clear, as the men courageously cast their first ballots.
(4)
K-3
Illustrated by
Cozbi A. Cabrera.
A child spends the summer in the Sea Islands and learns to make the traditional seagrass baskets that symbolize the African-American culture of that region. Richly colored paintings evoke setting and interpret character in a diffuse but attractive vignette of the history and traditions of a unique people.
(2)
4-6
York, William Clark's "personal 'body servant'" (i.e., slave), couldn't write, so Blumberg charted a difficult task for herself when she chose to make York the focus of this book. Remarkably, she succeeds. She consistently distinguishes between facts and her opinion, using suppositions to convey the history of the times or the expedition as a whole. Black-and-white illustrations accompany the clear narrative. Bib., ind.
Reviewer: Betty Carter
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
January, 2004
88 pp.
| Dutton
| January, 2004
|
TradeISBN 0-525-47043-3$$18.99
(3)
4-6
Illustrated by
Ansel Pitcairn.
Twenty profiles focus on how each person overcame obstacles in order to reach his or her goals. A fluid writing style and the range of personalities--from Frederick Douglass to Joe Louis to Judith Jamison--will appeal to a wide audience. Pitcairn's paintings bring these heroes to life. Reading list, source notes.
128 pp.
| Abrams
| March, 2004
|
TradeISBN 0-8109-4527-4$$24.95
(3)
4-6
Approximately thirty African-American artists are highlighted in this well-organized book. In clear prose, the author gives us a survey of two hundred years of African-American fine art, devoting equal attention to biography and art history. Reproductions of works are accompanied by excellent brief critiques. Illustration credits, notes, reading list. Glos., ind.
246 pp.
| Atheneum/Jackson
| January, 2004
|
TradeISBN 0-689-85615-6$$15.95
(2)
4-6
Eleven-year-old Pearl is thrilled when sophisticated Lenore begins paying attention to her, but it's clear to readers that Lenore is bad news. Bradby writes with real understanding of the conflicting feelings of a preteen who tries to keep up with the wrong kind of friend, and the book's issues of standing up to bullies, yearning for a friend, and struggling with ordinary family problems should have universal appeal.
40 pp.
| Atheneum/Schwartz
| January, 2004
|
TradeISBN 0-689-83159-5$$16.95
(3)
K-3
Illustrated by
James E. Ransome.
This is the story of a lesser-known African-American athlete breaking down racial barriers. Major Taylor rose to the top of the cycling world in the early 1900s, starting out working in a bike store as a boy and ending up a world champion cyclist. The engaging narrative and rich oil paintings create an impressive portrait of an inspiring man.
330 pp.
| Hyperion/Jump
| June, 2004
|
TradeISBN 0-7868-1851-4$$16.99
(4)
YA
African-American teens Jason the jock and Kyra the brain realize their feelings for each other, begin dating, experience peer pressure, break up, and reunite. The book's uniqueness stems from its narrative voice. The omniscient narrator's use of slang in both dialogue and narration can be forced and stilted but at times is poetic and contemporary.
168 pp.
| Hyperion/Jump
| May, 2004
|
TradeISBN 0-7868-0693-1$$15.99
(2)
YA
These stories go right to the deepest longings, fears, and needs of teens. In ten first-person narratives, Flake holds back nothing but judgment, allowing these young black women and men plenty of room for missteps in their search for love and self-esteem. Flake considers the particular dynamics of relationships for black adolescents while addressing issues central to all teenage lives with insight and humor.
Reviewer: Lauren Adams
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
July, 2004
48 pp.
| Enslow
| June, 2004
|
LibraryISBN 0-7660-2254-4$18.95
(4)
K-3
Civil War Library series.
These broad overviews examine different aspects of the Civil War. The simplistic text and brief excerpts from firsthand accounts are accompanied by color and black-and-white archival images. In an attempt at brevity, some information becomes confusing. Maps, chapter notes, and facsimiles of wartime memorabilia enhance these books. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Civil War Library titles: African-American Soldiers in the Civil War, Daring Women of the Civil War, and Slavery and the Underground Railroad.
109 pp.
| Clarion
| March, 2004
|
TradeISBN 0-618-15976-2$$18.00
(1)
4-6
Freedman's comprehensive account of Anderson's burgeoning career shows the singer's intensive study of and dedication to the classical concert and lieder repertory and presents her accomplishments as both an actor in and an emblem of her times. The many photos are well chosen; appended material includes source notes, a selective bibliography and discography, and an index.
Reviewer: Roger Sutton
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
May, 2004
48 pp.
| Enslow
| April, 2004
|
LibraryISBN 0-7660-2209-9$$18.95
(4)
K-3
Finding Out about Holidays series.
Gnojewski covers the history of Kwanzaa, its celebrations in the U.S., and its roots in the harvest customs of various African countries. The text is choppy, but the attractive photos and large, clear typeface make this an accessible if bland introduction. Instructions for playing mancala, an African counting game, are included. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.
(3)
4-6
Almost thirty years after Philip Hall Likes Me. I Reckon Maybe., Greene has revived self-conscious but spunky Beth Lambert to narrate another novel about growing up in Pocahontas, Arkansas. The first half of the book provides encounters with familiar characters and situations, but the second half offers little resolution. Still, readers who haven't forgotten Philip Hall may appreciate this chance to renew their acquaintance.
Reviewer: Betty Carter
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
March, 2004
112 pp.
| Lerner
| February, 2004
|
LibraryISBN 0-8225-4690-6$$27.93
(3)
4-6
People's History series.
Accompanied by sepia-toned images, this solidly written history presents a picture of bold ex-slaves and freedmen taking charge of their lives and their families, determined to not be returned to bondage. Excerpts from slave narratives add authenticity. Includes the text of the Emancipation Proclamation, the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments, and the 1875 Civil Rights Act. Reading list, source notes, timeline, websites. Bib., ind.
(4)
K-3
Illustrated by
Jan Spivey Gilchrist.
Greenfield's appealing collection of old and new poems celebrates the beauty of words and encourages listeners to let their own imaginations take wing. Gilchrist's fabric collage illustrations are sometimes fuzzily reproduced on unimaginatively designed pages. Ind.
100 pp.
| Houghton
| May, 2004
|
TradeISBN 0-618-37163-X$$15.00
(3)
1-3
To work off a family debt, eleven-year old Viney goes to spend the summer with Missy Violet, the local midwife, to learn about "catchin' babies." During this eventful summer, Viney learns midwifery basics, acquires knowledge about roots, and has adventures with many memorable characters. This is a heartfelt glimpse into African-American life during the early twentieth century.
152 pp.
| Little/Tingley
| January, 2004
|
TradeISBN 0-316-81411-3$$18.95
(4)
YA
While focusing on the writers, painters, musicians, and performers of the Harlem Renaissance, this book ranges widely across early twentieth-century African-American history. Much information and some good reproductions of artworks are here, but the text is clumsily written and repetitive, and the overuse of boxes, borders, insets, patterned backgrounds, and color blocks makes for a feverish design. Bib., ind.