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(2)
YA
Fourteen-year-old Essie longs to escape her miserable life in post-Reconstruction Savannah, Georgia, where her mother earns her living as a prostitute. After Essie leaves home, wealthy Dorcas Vashon transforms her into a socialite in Washington, DC, with an invented background. Essie, now Victoria, has an epiphany that helps her understand the tragic complexities of her mother's life. Bolden captures the period with meticulous detail in this engrossing coming-of-age story.
225 pp.
| Scholastic/Focus
| January, 2019
|
TradeISBN 978-1-338-26204-9$19.99
(3)
4-6
With Tonya Bolden. Beginning with the Emancipation Proclamation, African American scholar Gates documents the people and events that led to the end of the Civil War and the beginning of Reconstruction; the readable narrative then describes the debates, violence, and racism that ensued. Quotes from influential people along with black-and-white drawings and photos help tell the story of this overlooked period in history. Bib., ind.
(1)
YA
In 1873, a mob of armed white men massacred more than one hundred black "freedmen" in the town of Colfax in central Louisiana. Goldstone sets the stage for this horrific, unpunished event by tracing important ideas through the early history of the United States. The book is, in large part, the story of how racism evolves, persisting in laws and politics despite major social advances. Bib., glos., ind.
Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
September, 2018
(3)
YA
Essential Library of the Civil War series.
This series covers a broad spectrum of the American Civil War. Causes and Aftermath present overviews of the events leading up to and following the conflict; the other volumes zero in on the roles various groups played during the period. Each thorough book contains an abundance of archival photographs, maps, and related inserts. There are five other fall 2016 books in this series. Reading list, timeline. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers the following Essential Library of the Civil War titles: Civil War Causes, African Americans in the Civil War, Women in the Civil War, Civil War Leaders, and Civil War Aftermath and Reconstruction.
50 pp.
| Eerdmans
| April, 2015
|
TradeISBN 978-0-8028-5379-0$17.00
(3)
K-3
Illustrated by
Don Tate.
Reconstruction-era Mississippi is the setting of former slave Lynch's story, during which time he witnessed many ways in which slaves' happy freedom "soon turned sour." Lynch saw racialized violence, used cunning to gain an education, and became an advocate for equal rights as a U.S. Congressman. A dignified biography illustrated with much emotion. Back matter encourages further exploration. Reading list, timeline.
(2)
YA
Sauerwein's atmospheric narrative, set ten years after the Civil War, explores turning points in the lives of a dozen characters and, in thirty short chapters, unveils their interlocking relationships. Like the post-bellum South in which they live, these characters need to reimagine their ties, including family ties, in order to thrive. Sauerwein engages her memorable characters in an elegantly crafted web of mysteries.
Reviewer: Joanna Rudge Long
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 2014
96 pp.
| Enslow
| September, 2014
|
LibraryISBN 978-0-7660-6063-0$27.94 New ed. (1999)
(4)
YA
In United States History series.
In these informative volumes, originally published under slightly different titles in the In American History series, four seminal events in United States history are recounted in detailed but never dull prose. Unfortunately, the black-and-white photos have been removed from these new editions, making for dense packages. There are four other fall 2014 books in this series. Reading list, timeline. Ind. Review covers these In United States History titles: The Battle of the Little Bighorn in United States History, The Watergate Scandal in United States History, The Industrial Revolution in United States History, and The Reconstruction of the South After the Civil War in United States History.
362 pp.
| Viking
| September, 2013
|
TradeISBN 978-0-670-01439-2$17.99
(4)
YA
Living in postbellum Virginia, Shad follows older brother Jeremiah in joining the KKK. But after stumbling into an arrangement to teach tailoring at the colored school in exchange for reading lessons, Shad's loyalty to the Klan begins to come into conflict with his conscience. Though the tension is mostly well sustained, the narrative slows at times and the resolution feels rushed.
32 pp.
| Putnam
| January, 2012
|
TradeISBN 978-0-399-25003-3$16.99
(4)
K-3
Illustrated by
Daniel Minter.
Newly freed slaves, Ellen and her family are thrilled to learn that "all former slaves living as husband and wife" will be allowed to legally register their marriages. Her mother explains the custom of jumping over a broomstick to symbolize a union even though couples were frequently separated and sold away. Vibrant linoleum block prints capture the purposeful story's moods.
32 pp.
| ABDO
| January, 2012
|
LibraryISBN 978-1-61783-274-1$18.95
(4)
4-6
Civil War series.
This series gives an abbreviated account of slavery and the ensuing war that divided the nation. Major battles are briefly covered, as well as the roles Lincoln, Davis, Lee, Grant, and Jackson played in the conflicts. The contributions of abolitionists Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman are highlighted. Illustrations and archival photographs enhance the lackluster texts. Glos., ind. Review covers these Civil War titles: Early Battles, The Final Years, Leaders and Generals, and Slavery.
128 pp.
| Abrams
| February, 2009
|
TradeISBN 978-0-8109-8338-0$24.95
(3)
4-6
Primary source quotes and stories provide the backbone of this compelling examination of slavery, the Civil War, and Reconstruction from the perspectives of young African Americans. Osborne addresses common misconceptions and assumptions from past and present interpretations of the eras. Accompanying photos, illustrations, maps, and reproductions enhance the narrative. Timeline. Bib., ind.
40 pp.
| Hyperion
| September, 2008
|
TradeISBN 978-1-4231-0802-3$16.99
(3)
4-6
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.'s American Heroes series.
Illustrated by
Patrick Faricy.
Robert Smalls, a slave and skilled sailor, maneuvers a ship manned by other slaves past guards in South Carolina to freedom. He later becomes a congressman. The text's wordiness is counterbalanced by the fast pace and heroism of this Civil War tale. Occasional illustrations, both full-page and double-page spread paintings and black-and-white spot art, ably display the story's drama. Bib.
245 pp.
| Simon
| May, 2008
|
TradeISBN 978-1-4169-1164-7$16.99
(3)
4-6
Fourteen-year-old Stella stands out in her post–Civil War Mississippi town for being a tomboy, having African American friends, and speaking her mind. After her father's murder, she fears foreclosure on their plantation on which freed slaves democratically work the farm. LaFaye effectively shows a community where blacks and whites work together during Reconstruction.
104 pp.
| Lucent
| December, 2007
|
LibraryISBN 978-1-4205-0009-7$32.45
(4)
YA
Lucent Library of Black History series.
Many of the volumes in this series tracing African American history address slavery, from the Atlantic slave trade to the ongoing slavery reparation movement; Rosa Parks focuses on the civil rights movement and Religious discusses faith and the history of gospel music. The texts are dense but informative. Some black-and-white illustrations and photographs help break up the pages. Reading list, timeline, websites. Bib., ind. Review includes these Lucent Library of Black History titles: Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott, Reparations for Slavery, The Civil War and Emancipation, The African American Religious Experience, The Atlantic Slave Trade, and Reconstruction.
96 pp.
| Atheneum
| October, 2006
|
TradeISBN 0-689-86543-0$22.95
(3)
4-6
Full-page period photographs and paintings make this informative collection especially intriguing. Each illustration is paired with a brief summary of an important aspect of the American Reconstruction period and the rapid westward expansion during the nineteenth century. A "Quick Facts" feature on each page offers interesting details. Timeline, websites. Bib., glos., ind.
112 pp.
| Lerner
| February, 2004
|
LibraryISBN 0-8225-4690-6$$27.93
(3)
4-6
People's History series.
Accompanied by sepia-toned images, this solidly written history presents a picture of bold ex-slaves and freedmen taking charge of their lives and their families, determined to not be returned to bondage. Excerpts from slave narratives add authenticity. Includes the text of the Emancipation Proclamation, the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments, and the 1875 Civil Rights Act. Reading list, source notes, timeline, websites. Bib., ind.
133 pp.
| Wiley
| October, 2003
|
LibraryISBN 0-471-44393-X$$22.95
(4)
YA
American Heritage American Voices series.
This book on the Civil War and its aftermath features excerpts from primary source documents by known and relatively unknown Americans (former slaves, abolitionists, soldiers, novelists, politicians). Sidebars and archival illustrations highlight or summarize information in the main text. This loosely organized introduction for older readers is intended to spark further research. Sources. Ind.
(4)
1-3
My America series.
Virginia has moved with her family from Washington, D.C., to New York City. Enchanted by the theater and worried that her father won't be able to support the family, she gets a job as an actress's dresser but eventually decides to finish her education and write plays. The prose is bland, but Virginia's fans will welcome this continuation of her adventures. An illustrated endnote provides historical facts.
48 pp.
| Benchmark
| December, 2002
|
LibraryISBN 0-7614-1347-2$$24.21
(3)
4-6
North American Historical Atlases series.
Brief overviews of westward expansion, the resulting conflicts with Native Americans, the Civil War and its aftermath, and the effects of new technologies (telegraph, railroads) are presented in these books. Copiously illustrated with maps, period reproductions, and sidebars, the texts are good jumping-off points for report writers. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. [Review covers these North American Historical Atlases titles: The Civil War, The Civil War and Reconstruction, Growth in America, The Indian Wars, and Texas and the Far West.]
32 pp.
| Cavendish
| March, 2001
|
TradeISBN 0-7614-5067-X$$15.95
(4)
K-3
Illustrated by
Cedric Lucas.
Five years after emancipation, Little Bit and her family are still enslaved. Nine-year-old Little Bit narrates this story of their dangerous escape to freedom. Understated illustrations in pastels enhance the history revealed in the story, but the text is overlong and sometimes difficult to read against the dark artwork.