Cream of the crop: something for every young reader.A Suggested Summer Reading List from the Coretta Scott King Coretta Scott King (April 27, 1927 – January 30, 2006) was the wife of the assassinated civil rights activist Martin Luther King, Jr., and a noted civil rights leader, author, singer, and founder and former president of the King Center in Atlanta, Georgia. Book Award Committee of the American Library Association American Library Association, founded 1876, organization whose purpose is to increase the usefulness of books through the improvement and extension of library services. for Black Issues Book Review. Preschoolers Ellington Was Not a Street by Ntozake Shange Pictures by Kadir Nelson Simon & Schuster Simon & Schuster U.S. publishing company. It was founded in 1924 by Richard L. Simon (1899–1960) and M. Lincoln Schuster (1897–1970), whose initial project, the original crossword-puzzle book, was a best-seller. , January 2004 $18.95, ISBN ISBN abbr. International Standard Book Number ISBN International Standard Book Number ISBN n abbr (= International Standard Book Number) → ISBN m 0-689-82884-5 The warmth and pride of the Harlem Renaissance comes alive in this poignant story of great African American African American Multiculture A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa. See Race. men who made outstanding contributions to American culture. The strong, powerful illustrations by Kadir Nelson capture the reader and make the period real and the reader proud. God Bless the Child by Billie Holiday and Arthur Herzog Jr. Pictures by Jerry Pinkney Amistad/HarperCollins, January 2004 $16.99 (book & CD edition) ISBN 0-060-28797-7 The story of a family moving from the rural South to the urban North during the great migration in the 1930. Powerfully illustrated to depict the strong feeling of family, hope and promises many African Americans felt during that era. (A CD of Holiday singing "God Bless the Child" is included.) The People Could Fly: The Picture Book by Virginia Hamilton Pictures by Leo and Diane Dillon Leo and Diane Dillon are a prolific American husband and wife team of illustrators. Leo was raised in Brooklyn, and Diane in the Los Angeles area. They met at the Parsons School of Design in NYC in 1953, some time after Diane moved from California to New York. Knopf, November 2004 $16.95, ISBN 0-375-82405-7 The distinctive voice of Virginia Hamilton comes alive with the rich, textured artwork of the Dillons. Summer Sun Risin' by W. Nikola-Lisa Pictures by Don Tate Lee & Low Books February 2002, $16.95 ISBN 1-584-30034-5 The rhyming text invites small children to delight in the everyday activities of farm life. Clear, colorful illustrations provide a realistic picture of life on the farm. The Talking Cloth Stories and pictures by Rhonda Mitchell Orchard Books, March 1997 $15.95, ISBN 0-531-30004-8 Aunt Phoebe teaches Amber and her father the importance of the symbols found in African cloth from the Ashanti people of Ghana. Grades 1-4 Coming on Home Soon by Jacqueline Woodson Pictures by E.B. Lewis Putnam, October 2004 $16.99, ISBN 0-399-23748-8 Ages 6-9 During World War II, Ada Ruth is left in the care of her grandmother while her mother seeks employment in Chicago. Ada Ruth knows her mother "loves her more than anything in the world, more than rain and more than snow" and will be coming on home soon. Hot Day on Abbott Avenue by Karen English Pictures by Javaka Steptoe Clarion Books/ Houghton Mifflin Company May 2004 $15, ISBN 0-395-98527-7 Ages 5-8 Two young girls show the ups and downs ups and downs pl.n. Alternating periods of good and bad fortune or spirits. ups and downs Noun, pl alternating periods of good and bad luck or high and low spirits of friendship. The subtle messages of sharing and forgiveness will resonate with young readers. The collage illustrations capture the charm and activity of the neighborhood and the characters. Major Taylor: Champion Cyclist by Lesa Cline-Ransome Pictures by James E. Ransome Atheneum ath·e·nae·um also ath·e·ne·um n. 1. An institution, such as a literary club or scientific academy, for the promotion of learning. 2. A place, such as a library, where printed materials are available for reading. Books for Young Readers January 2004 $16.95, ISBN 0-689-83159-5 Ages 6-9 Another little-known hero of African American culture African American culture or Black culture, in the United States, includes the various cultural traditions of African American communities. It is both part of, and distinct from American culture. The U.S. is introduced in this biography of Major Marshall Taylor. In 1899, Major Taylor won the World Championship Cycling Competition. Jump! From the Life of Michael Jordan by Floyd Cooper Philomel phil·o·mel n. A nightingale. [Alteration (influenced by French philomèle) of Middle English phylomene, from Medieval Latin philom Books/Penguin Young Readers Group October 2004, $15.99, ISBN 0-399-24230-9 Ages 6-9 An inspiring story of how young Michael Jordan came to make the first string but instead made junior varsity and through hard work became the person to watch at the game. Michael Jordan fans will enjoy this easy-to-read biography Skin Again by bell hooks Pictures by Chris Raschka Jump at the Sun/Hyperion Books for Children October 2004, $16.99, ISBN 0-786-80825-X Ages 6-9 A famous author and an illustrator collaborate to create a sincere, powerful book about the importance of accepting people for who they are on the inside and not by the color of their skin. Grades 5-8 Legend of Buddy Bush by Shelia P. Moses Shelia P. Moses, born in the small, rural, northeastern North Carolina town of Rich Square is an African-American writer whose subjects include comedian Dick Gregory, and Buddy Bush. Moses grew up ninth in a family of ten children. Margaret K. McElderry Books, January 2004 $15.95, ISBN 0-689-85839-6 Ages 10-13 This compelling story is told by Pattie Mae Shoals, a 12-year-old girl in Rich Square, North Carolina Rich Square is a town in Northampton County, North Carolina, United States of America (U.S.). The population was 931 at the 2000 census. Geography Rich Square is located at (36.273267, -77.284132)GR1. . The year is 1947 and Uncle Buddy returns from Harlem to Rich Square with a new way of thinking, which ultimately results in an encounter with the Klu Klux Klan. His influence causes Pattie to dream of a better life in New York City New York City: see New York, city. New York City City (pop., 2000: 8,008,278), southeastern New York, at the mouth of the Hudson River. The largest city in the U.S. . Promises to Keep: How Jackie Robinson Changed America by Sharon Robinson Scholastic Press, February 2004 $16.95, ISBN 0-439-42592-1 The daughter of baseball legend Jackie Robinson shares memories of her famous father. Her memories paint the life of a man devoted to his family, dedicated to civil rights causes and quietly setting about to break the color barrier in baseball. The story provides an interesting glimpse into segregated America during the '40s. To Establish Justice: Citizenship and Constitution by Patricia McKissack and Arlene Zarembka Knopf Books for Young Readers September 2004 $20.99, ISBN 0-679-89308-3 Ages 5-8 To Establish Justice is an honest and truthful account of the Supreme Court's role in legalizing or negating civil rights for various groups. What Is Goodbye? by Nikki Grimes Pictures by Raul Colon Hyperion Books for Children, April 2004 $15.99, ISBN 0-786-80778-4 It is hard to understand the death of a loved one. So many questions rush forth and in this story as a brother and sister describe their pain, suffering and finally a sense of being whole again. Grades 9-12 Bucking the Sarge sarge n. Informal Sergeant. sarge Noun Informal sergeant by Christopher Paul Curtis Christopher Paul Curtis (born May 10, 1953) is an American children's author and a Newbery Medal winner who wrote the and the critically acclaimed Bud, Not Buddy. Bud, Not Buddy is the first novel to receive both the Coretta Scott King Award and the Newbery Medal. Wendy Lamb Books, September 2004 $15.95, ISBN 0-385-32307-7 Age 14 The mother of Luther T. Farrell is the "Sarge," ruthless and devoted to money. Luther reveals Mom's shady real estate practices when he does a science fair project on lead paint. There are some funny moments, and the unusual approach of making MOM the villain will appeal to young teens. A Wreath for Emmett Till by Marilyn Nelson Illustrated by Philippe Lardy Houghton Mifflin Company, April 2005 $17, ISBN 0-618-39752-3 Ages 14-18 This is the story of Emmett Till, who was murdered by lynching in Mississippi at the dawn of the Civil Rights Movement. Told in the form of a heroic crown of sonnets A crown of sonnets or sonnet corona is a sequence of sonnets, usually addressed to some one person, and/or concerned with a single theme. Each of the sonnets explores one aspect of the theme, and is linked to the preceding and succeeding sonnets by repeating the , Nelson says this format was a "way to protect herself from the intense pain of the subject matter." This book has tremendous appeal to the literary students of poetry and to teachers. The endnotes offer explanation and guidance. A great summer read. Emako Blue by Brenda Woods Putnam Juvenile, May 2004 $15.99, ISBN 0-399-24006-3 Ages 14-18 The story begins at the funeral of Emako Blue. Talented, beautiful, poor and trapped Emako has the voice of a songbird songbird Any oscine passerine (suborder Passere), all of which have a complex vocal organ, the syrinx. Some species (e.g., thrushes) produce melodious songs; others (e.g., crows) have a harsh voice; and some do little or no singing. See also birdsong. and is the envy of her classmates Classmates can refer to either:
Jason and Kyra by Dana Davidson Jump at the Sun/Hyperion Books for Children June 2004, $16.99, ISBN 0-786-81851-4 Ages 14-18 Jason, star basketball player, dumps the beautiful, shallow Lisa for the brainy brain·y adj. brain·i·er, brain·i·est Informal Intelligent; smart. brain  i·ly adv. , plain Kyra. What is it in Jason's life that makes
his implausible attraction to Kyra so surprising?
The book tackles many issues that young adults face, yet it's a light romance that teens will enjoy and savor over the summer. Who Am I Without Him? Short Stories About Girls and the Boys in Their Lives by Sharon Flake Jump at the Sun/Hyperion Books for Children June 2004, $15.99, ISBN 0-786-80693-1 Ages 12 and up A collection of 10 insightful short stories told from various points of view explores what it is like to be adolescent in a complex world. The stories cover themes of identity, love, respect and growing up. The author masterfully captures the narratives by using humor, raw language and thought-provoking descriptions. --Compiled by Fran Ware, chair of the Coretta Scott King Book Award Committee, the American Library Association. |
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