A Patchwork of Picture Books
Celebrating Black History Month
Barbara Auerbach, Curriculum Connections -- School Library Journal, 2/14/2008
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Although Black History month is traditionally celebrated in February, teachers and librarians will want to share these captivating books with their elementary students all year. From runaway slaves to civil rights leaders and pioneers to artists, these titles shed light on some unforgettable individuals and events in African-American history.
On the Road to Freedom
While many students know about the Underground Railroad, few have heard of Henry “Box” Brown, “the man who mailed himself to freedom.” Ellen Levine’s Henry’s Freedom Box (Scholastic, 2007) is a fictional account of the true story of Brown’s inventive escape to Philadelphia in a wooden crate. Born into slavery, Brown never knew his birthday, but on March 30, 1849, he finally declared one—his first day of freedom. Kadir Nelson’s handsome illustrations inspired by antique lithographs effectively convey the drama with feeling. Ask students to imagine a trip in a box: what would they bring with them? Also, what special day in their life would they pick to celebrate their birthday if they didn’t know the actual date?
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When Harriet Met Sojourner (Clinton) © 2007 by Shane W. Evans |
Elisa Carbone’s Night Running (Knopf, 2008) is another fictionalized account of an actual runaway slave boy and his dog. When Levi, a boy James considers a friend, informs slave catchers of his plans to run away, James’s dog Zeus helps the boy escape. Despite James’s intentions to ditch the noisy canine, the stubbornly loyal mutt saves him time and again on the journey. Together they run for five days and five nights until they reach the Ohio River where a Friend offers food and shelter to James, but shoos Zeus away. Tables turned, James refuses to stay without his faithful pet. Watercolor paintings by E. B. Lewis capture the drama of the escape and the rescue. Ask students to write about a time when they felt betrayed, or how their pets show their devotion.
The Road to EqualityAbolishing slavery was a first step toward establishing equality for African Americans, but the struggle continues. David A. Adler’s Heroes for Civil Rights (Holiday House, 2008) pays tribute to individuals—white and black, celebrated and lesser known—who played crucial roles in the Civil Rights Movement. Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Medgar Evers, The Greensboro Four, The Little Rock Nine, Lyndon Baines Johnson, Earl Warren, and others are introduced in brief, accessible portraits. Each spread includes a page of text and a painting of the subject(s) by Bill Farnsworth; a red rose commemorates those that died for the cause. In the words of Ralph Abernathy, “You can kill the dreamer, but you cannot kill the dream.”
Richard Michelson’s As Good as Anybody (Knopf, 2008) opens with the hopes and dreams of Dr. King and his parents, and pairs them with those of Abraham Joshua Heschel, a rabbi and poet from Warsaw who fled Nazi Germany in pursuit of peace and equality in America. When Heschel learned that the Ku Klux Klan would not allow African-Americans to vote, he joined King in his march across America; both men “stamped their feet” at injustice. Raul Colón’s signature illustrations in watercolor and colored pencils capture the loving upbringings, the determination, and the dignity of these two improbable friends. |
Unsung Heroes
In addition to books portraying pioneers of civil rights, several recent titles pay tribute to pioneers of uncharted lands. While students learn about explorers Lewis and Clark, and their guide Sacagawea’s profile adorns a dollar coin, few have ever heard of “my black man York”—William Clark’s “personal servant” and companion from his childhood days. Laurence Pringle’s American Slave, American Hero (Boyds Mills, 2006) reveals York’s contributions to the Corps of Discovery, using information and quotes from Clark’s journals. In addition to hunting for food, nursing the sick, felling trees, and rowing, York charmed the native peoples the expedition encountered, earning him a special name meaning “black Indian.” Nevertheless, when the others were rewarded on their return with double pay and acres of land, York—still a slave—received nothing. Ask students to design a coin commemorating this unheralded hero of the American West; Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu’s illustrations will provide them with plenty of ideas and inspiration.
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Carole Boston Weatherford’s I, Matthew Henson (Walker, 2008) celebrates the life
of the Arctic explorer who accompanied Robert Peary on his seven journeys to reach the North Pole. Though Henson saved Peary’s life, befriended the Inuit, and was instrumental in the team’s celebrated success, he didn’t receive proper recognition for his contributions because of his race. The poetic text and Eric Velasquez’s pastel illustrations take readers to the icy, frigid frontier these men finally conquered. When asked, most students can recall times they didn’t receive the credit or acknowledgment they deserved. Have them talk about those experiences, or write about them.Finding a Voice
The Harlem Renaissance was a golden age of expression in music, writing, poetry, and art. Sue Stauffacher’s Bessie Smith and the Night Riders (Putnam, 2006) is a fictional account of a true incident that occurred in July 1927 when the glamorous, larger-than-life singer performed in Concord, NC. Little Emmarene wants nothing more than to hear Smith, but can’t afford a ticket. The night of the show, she hides by the tent to sneak a peek, but sees more than she’s bargained for—the Ku Klux Klan ride up bearing torches, intending to burn down the tent and everyone inside it. The courageous child stops the show to warn her favorite singer in time for the woman to save the day. John Holyfield’s brightly colored acrylic paintings bring this child-friendly, exciting story to life. Play Bessie’s blues for your students and ask them about their favorite music.
Just one year after the incident described in Bessie Smith took place, 12-year-old Lilly Belle Turner from Smyrna, TN, spends the summer in New York City attending the Harlem Young Writers Summer Workshop in Patricia C. McKissack’s A Song for Harlem (Viking, 2007), illustrated by Gordon C. James. Though she is homesick, the talented girl makes an impression on her teacher, Zora Neale Hurston, and several friends. This
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The Entrance Place of Wonders (Muse) © 2006 by Charlotte Riley-Webb |
The Entrance Place of Wonders (Abrams, 2006) contains 20 such poems and brief biographies of the Harlem Renaissance poets who wrote them. Selected by Daphne Muse, offerings by Langston Hughes, Claude McKay, and others celebrate the seasons, nature, and childhood. The illustrations by Charlotte Riley-Webb feature bold, broad strokes of color and portray youngsters singing, dancing, and dreaming. Students will want to wax poetic about their own lives and dreams after reading these selections.
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