Our top choice for a collective biography this year is Andrea Davis Pinkney’s Hand in Hand: Ten Black Men Who Changed America (Disney, 2012; Gr 6 Up). Last week Hand in Hand won the 2013 Coretta Scott King Award, and rightly so. In the Preface to the book, Pinkney writes of visiting a reading clinic attended by young men “who sought direction in the books they read.” In this title, all children will find role models.

Beginning with Benjamin Banneker and ending with Barack Obama, the accounts span three centuries and a range of occupations from scientist and orator to Supreme Court Justice and President of the United States. The author devotes significant space and detail to the histories, influences, and impact of these men—men that join part of a “cohesive chain…marching together into the lives” of readers.

Each chapter begins with a poem about the subject by Davis Pinkney, and a full-page watercolor portrait by Brian Pinkney. The impressionist images are rendered in black line on pages of bright colors. Touches of purple, red, or gold, and swirling lines highlight facial features in these vivid, close-up studies. Smaller images spotlight group scenes and a couple of poignant reminders of an earlier era: a water fountain labeled “COLORED” and a Pullman Porter cap.

The Doers

David Adler, the prolific author of both fiction and nonfiction titles, has just released with Holiday House a biography, Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad (2013; Gr 4-8). Published in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the death of this indefatigable humanitarian, the book covers her life from her childhood years (when she was volleyed between slave owners); her years as a conductor on the Underground Railroad; time spent as a cook, nurse, and spy for the Union army; and her later years, when she established a home for “elderly former slaves.”  This well-researched title incorporates primary resources including excerpts from The National Era, The Christian Recorder, and the Douglass’ Monthy, newspapers offering the African-American community’s point-of-view and reaction to events of the period; black-and white archival photos and reproductions; documented quotes; and other valuable resources for student researchers.

His wallet was small but his dream was big–huge really–for a young man born into slavery in the American South of the 1800s: Booker T. Washington wanted to read and write. With the gift of a spelling book from his mother and powerful inspiration from a literate African American man, he was on his way. After emancipation, Washington heard about Hampton Institute and was determined to study there. With  Fifty Cents and a Dream (Little, Brown, 2012; Gr 2-6) he walked the 500 miles to the school, stopping along the way to earn money. The book ends with Washington’s arrival at Hampton and the hope it held for its students. Gorgeous, full-page collage and watercolor illustrated on sepia-toned paper depict the youth in prayer, in labor, and in study. The generous back matter presents additional facts about Washington, notes from the author Jabari Asim and illustrator Bryan Collier, and a bibliography.

There are many books about Martin Luther King, Jr., but none like Arthur Flowers’s  I See the Promised Land (Groundwood, 2013; Gr 9 Up). The book is illustrated by Manu Chitrakar, an artist working in the Padua style of Bengal region of India. That traditional art is a form of scroll painting used in storytelling and performance; here it’s adopted to present the Civil Rights leader’s story in a graphic format. A minimal text featuring generous quotes from King’s historic speeches define his evolution as a thinker and a leader, and later, his doubts and fears about the direction of the Civil Rights Movement. Featuring a broad palette of deep, bold colors and stylized figures, and the Flowers’s poetic intonations, King’s legacy becomes one that transcends time and place in this stunning book.

The Dreamers

Bill Traylor was born in 1854 near Benton, Alabama to an enslaved woman on the Traylor farm. When the Civil War ended, his family stayed on as sharecroppers. Bill farmed on the Traylor’s land until 1935, when in his eighties, with his family scattered, he headed to nearby Montgomery. There he worked at a shoe factory until his rheumatism forced him to stop. Without work, but not without friends, Traylor was offered a place to sleep in the storage area of a local business establishment. It was about that time that the octogenarian picked up paper and a pencil and It Jes’ Happened (Lee & Low, 2012).

In his book, Don Tate relates the story of Traylor’s life and art, and the discovery of Traylor by a young artist that led to exhibits and recognition. Characterizing Traylor as “talkative,” Tate peppers the text with quotes by the man that touch on the memories he translated into art. R. Gregory Christie’s paintings, featuring bold, flat colors, and depicting solid figures and animals (often in profile), mirror those that the self-taught painter created during his lifetime. Source notes and an afterword add more details about this humble man and his extraordinary art.

One of the last informational texts by the late Dennis Brindell Fradin, Zora! The Life of Zora Neale Hurston (2012; 5-8) celebrates the life of the indomitable African American woman who gained international recognition during the Harlem Renaissance. Co-written with Judith Bloom Fradin, the accessible and thorough biography is complete with archival photos, reproductions, source notes, and an index. The prolific and award-winning team’s fascinating subject led an impoverished, yet full life.

With jobs ranging from Hollywood movie writer and college professor to doctor’s receptionist and maid, the charismatic Hurston never stopped spinning tales. Counting Langston Hughes and Alain Locke as critics and friends, she has made a lasting contribution to American literature, though she died in relative obscurity at age 69. In the 1970s, her most well-known work, Their Eyes Were Watching God gained renewed attention from writers such as Alice Walker. Hurston was always proud of her African American heritage and confident in her writing prowess. Young readers will be inspired by her unconquerable spirit to strive like she did “for a toe-hold on the world.”

Florence Mills’s voice was never recorded, and no films of her performances have been found, and yet her indelible mark on music history can never be erased. Flo’s effervescent personality and unique talent was evident from a young age. Alan Schroeder’s Baby Flo (Lee & Low, 2012; Gr 3-5) concentrates on the entertainer’s early life and career. The daughter of former slaves, Flo and her sisters helped their family survive in one of the poorest Washington DC neighborhoods by collecting debris to stoke the oven in their frigid home. Her talent for singing, dancing, and charming a crowd was discovered early, and she was soon cakewalking into the hearts of African American audiences everywhere. Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu illustrate the child’s enthusiasm and love for the stage in bright watercolor scenes. Text and art unite to express the effusive energy bursting from this child who would one day become an internationally renowned artist.

An essential part of the Harlem Renaissance’s early jazz scene, Mills’s achievements in fighting against segregation plays a major role in Renée Watson’s picture book biography, Harlem’s Little Blackbird (Random, 2012; K-3 ). Encompassing a broader view of her life, this title covers the songstress’s humble beginnings and touches upon her early death, and her lasting influence. The narrative highlights an incident in which the little girl refused to perform at a theater that wouldn’t allow her friends in the audience because of the color of their skin. Later in her career, in London, she wowed listeners despite their prejudice against black performers; her powerful voice mesmerizing crowds wherever she went.

Watson adeptly handles bleaker sides of Flo’s story, especially with the poetic description of her song’s final note. At the age of 31, Flo Mills died from tuberculosis on November 1, 1927. Christian Robinson’s mixed-media art is never more striking than in the book’s final spread, in which blackbirds fill the skies of Harlem as 150,000 mourners flood the streets to say goodbye to the “Little Blackbird.”

Gary Golio and Rudy Gutierrez’s Spirit Seeker (Clarion, 2012; Gr 4-6) recounts the spiritual journey of jazz’s legendary John Coltrane, from preacher’s grandson to haunted drug addict and restored virtuoso to music master. Not shying away from the details of his harrowing sojourn into depression and substance abuse, Golio’s composition is honest and lyrical. He examines how the twin forces of music and religion shaped Coltrane’s early life and were his saving grace in his later years. A true labor of love, Spirit Seeker is perfect marriage of art and text.

Gutierrez’s psychedelic art, reminiscent of the saxophonist’s intricate work, underscores the musician’s tumultuous path with his use of light and dark. The artist’s and author’s notes, an afterword, and extensive back matter provide insight into the book creators’ thought process and connection with their subject. Just as jazz was Coltrane’s pulpit, budding artists will be inspired to find their own outlet for expression.

Related articles of interest:
Joy Fleishhacker’s article, “Great Books for Celebrating Martin Luther King Day.”

Jennifer M. Brown’s “A Mission Above and Beyond Them: An Interview with Tanya Lee Stone.”

]]> http://www.slj.com/2013/02/books-media/doers-and-dreamers-celebrating-black-history/feed/ 1 http://www.slj.com/2013/02/collective-book-list/on-the-radar-top-picks-from-the-editors-at-junior-library-guild-k-8-books-on-african-americans-who-inspire/ http://www.slj.com/2013/02/collective-book-list/on-the-radar-top-picks-from-the-editors-at-junior-library-guild-k-8-books-on-african-americans-who-inspire/#comments Mon, 04 Feb 2013 14:56:32 +0000 Deborah B. Ford http://www.slj.com/?p=30294 In 1926, noted historian Carter G. Woodson lobbied schools and organizations to encourage the study of African American history. A dedicated time was set aside and called “Negro History Week”, celebrated in February to commemorate the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. President Gerald R. Ford urged Americans to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.” Since 1976, every U.S. president has designated February as Black History Month. From slavery to civil rights, and science to music, the following books for young readers honor the accomplishments of African Americans.

CLINE-RANSOME, Lesa. Light in the Darkness: A Story About How Slaves Learned in Secret. illus. by James E. Ransome. Disney/Jump at the Sun. 2013. ISBN 9781423134954. JLG Level: I+ : Independent Readers (Grades 2–4).

In an age when some kids drop out of school because they’re bored, it seems ironic that just over 100 years ago people of all ages risked their lives to learn to read. Rosa goes with her mother in the dark of night to learn her letters in a pit school. Pit schools were large holes covered in branches where slaves could hide while learning the alphabet. They could be whipped for every letter learned. Based on historical facts, the Ransomes weave an enlightening story about the thirst for knowledge.

DAVIDSON, Tish. African-American Scientists and Inventors. Mason Crest. 2013. ISBN 9781422223758. JLG Level: H35 : Series Nonfiction: History 3–5 (Grades 3–5).

Thomas Jennings received the first patent given to an African American for his dry cleaning process in 1821. When car traffic became a problem in the early 1920s, Garrett Morgan invented a crossing pole to regulate the vehicles. Mae Jemison was the first African American female astronaut to fly in space in 1992. In five short chapters, Davidson introduces African American scientists and inventors who made a difference in agriculture, industry, transportation, medicine, and aerospace. When George W. Carter’s crop rotation plan resulted in an excess harvest of peanuts, he invented 270 uses for them. Edison’s light bulb was short-lasting and expensive. Lewis Latimer succeeded in making a less expensive, longer-lasting carbon filament. In spite of racism, lack of education, and resources, these African Americans made important contributions to our history. Chapter notes, chronology, glossary, and resources support this informational text.

FRADIN, Judith Bloom and Dennis Brindell Fradin. The Price of Freedom: How One Town Stood Up to Slavery. illus. by Eric Velasquez. Walker. 2013. ISBN 9780802721679. JLG Level: NE : Nonfiction Elementary (Grades 2–6).

Husband and wife team up in an edge-of-your-seat picture book about a town that stands together to save one of their own. In spite of Ohio’s free state status, the Fugitive Slave Act allows slave hunters to capture runaways and return them to slavery for the reward money. Runaway and teacher John Price is in Oberlin, Ohio when Anderson Jennings and his team catch up with him. Thirteen-year-old Shake Boynton accepts $20 to help capture the fugitive. As the slave hunters take Price to nearby Wellington, they pass college student, Ansel Lyman, who runs to town for help. Hundreds of community members join in the fight to rescue Price. The narrative gets stronger when the Oberlin residents are arrested; a lone girl stands up for her teacher, “There is more goodness in his little finger than in your whole carcass!” The price of freedom in this town is three months in jail, but their release binds them together in a pledge, “No fugitive slave shall ever be taken from Oberlin either with or without a warrant, if we have power to prevent it.” Powerful illustrations accompany this amazing tale.

ORR, Tamra. Louis Armstrong. Mitchell Lane. 2013. ISBN 9781612282640. JLG Level: S68 : Series Nonfiction: Social Studies 6–8 (Grades 6–8).

Footnotes and short chapters combine for a brief introduction to a legend in America’s music history. From a night in jail to posthumous honors, jazz performer Louis Armstrong is portrayed as a man who blazed his own trail, never losing sight of his path. “Pleasing the people” was his way of life. He lived to make music, whether it was on the beat-up cornet he found for five dollars, or his last concert at the Waldorf Hotel.

Orr blends research with dialogue to make Armstrong’s story more accessible to readers of. “My belief and satisfaction is that, as long as a person breathes, they still have a chance to exercise the talents they were born with.” While the author doesn’t omit the hardships Louis faced (multiple marriages, poverty, lack of education and musical training), she paints a vivid picture of a man who was born to bring music to everyone around him. Chapter notes, selected works, and other back matter supplement the short chapters.

WINTER, Jonah. You Never Heard of Willie Mays?! illus. by Terry Widener. Random/Schwartz & Wade. 2013. ISBN 9780375968440. JLG Level: SE : Sports Elementary (Grades 2-6).

The award-winning baseball-loving team, Winter and Widener, is back with another grand slam. Willie Mays, the “Say-Hey Kid,” wanted to be the next Joe DiMaggio. Trouble was he lived in a time when major league baseball teams didn’t allow black men to play with white guys. Then in 1951, Mays got his chance. In his first bat at the Polo Grounds he hit a homerun. In 1954, the Hall of Fame-bound sportsman made a play that even today we still call “the Catch.” Fact-filled side bars add even more details about Willie and the records he broke. Beautiful acrylic illustrations allow readers to feel the tension in the game and the determination of a man who made a difference in the baseball’s history.

For ideas about how to use these books and links to supportive sites, check out the Junior Library Guild blog, Shelf Life.

Junior Library Guild is a collection development service that helps school and public libraries acquire the best new children’s and young adult books. Season after season, year after year, Junior Library Guild book selections go on to win awards, collect starred or favorable reviews, and earn industry honors. Visit us at www.JuniorLibraryGuild.com.