African-American Children's Books

Compiled by Sally Lodge --12/11/00

Reprinted with permission from the December 11, 2000 issue of Publishers Weekly, published by Cahners Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright (c) 2000 by Reed Elsevier Inc.

Permission obtained for republication/translation by U.S. Embassy Public Affairs/press outside the United States.

CAROLRHODA
Children of the Civil Rights Era (Jan., $22.60, 7-10) by Catherine Welch takes a look at the lives of young freedom fighters of the 1950s and '60s.

Family (Feb., $15.95, 4-8) by Isabell Monk, illus. by Janice Lee Porter. In this sequel to Hope, Aunt Poogee and Aunt Hope share a special dinner with their multicultural family.

Voice of Freedom: A Story About Frederick Douglass (Feb., $21.27, paper $5.95; 8-11) by Maryann Weidt, illus. by Jeni Reeves, centers on this advocate for equal rights.

President of the Underground Railroad: A Story About Levi Coffin (Feb., $21.27, paper $5.95; 8-11) by Gwenyth Swain, illus. by Ralph Ramstad, recounts the life of this abolitionist.

CHELSEA HOUSE
Brandy (Sept., $17.95, paper $9.95; 8-up) by Matthew Newman joins the Galaxy of Superstars series.

Jackie Robinson (Nov.) by Gina De Angelis and Stevie Wonder (Mar.) by Tenley Williams ($19.95, paper $9.95 each; 10-up) are new to the Overcoming Adversity series.

Nigeria by Dan Harmon and South Africa by Bruce and Becky Durost Fish (Nov., $29.95 each; 12-up) are the first releases in the Exploration of Africa: The Emerging Nations series.

Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth and Harriet Tubman (Dec., $18.95, paper $8.95 each; 8-up) by Norma Jean Lutz launch the Famous Figures of the Civil War Era series.

The History of Rap Music (Jan.) by Cookie Lommel, The History of the Black Church (Jan.) by Norma Jean Lutz, The History of Motown (Feb.) by Virginia Aronson, The NAACP (Feb.) by Darren Rhym, Black Filmmakers (Mar.) by Cookie Lommel and The History of Gospel Music (Mar.) by Rose Blue and Corinne Naden ($19.95, paper $9.95 each; 10-up) are additions to the African-American Achievers series.

Toni Morrison by Jean Blashfield Black and Oprah Winfrey by Belinda Frederick (Mar., $19.95, paper $9.95 each; 10-up) are new Women of Achievement titles.

Angela Bassett by Dennis Tuttle, Halle Berry and Wesley Snipes by Rose Blue and Corinne Naden, Aretha Franklin by Jim McAvoy and Terry McMillan by Bruce and Becky Durost Fish (Mar., $19.95, paper $9.95 each; 10-up) are additions to the Black Americans of Achievement series.

CHICAGO REVIEW PRESS
A Kid's Guide to African American History: More Than 70 Activities (Oct., $14.95 paper, 6-11) by Nancy Sanders collects games, activities and songs celebrating African-American people and culture.

CHRONICLE
Off to the Sweet Shores of Africa: And Other Talking Drum Rhymes (Sept., $16.95, all ages) by Uzo Unobagha, illus. by Julia Cairns, compiles 75 rhymes inspired by West African culture.

CLARION
Aunt Flossie's Hats (and Crab Cakes Later): 10th Anniversary Edition (Jan., $16, 3-6) by Elizabeth Fitzgerald Howard, illus. by James Ransome. This edition features an essay by Howard and family photographs.

Gugu's House (Jan., $14, 5-8) by Catherine Stock. Paintings and clay animals decorate the house of Kukamba's grandmother in a Zimbabwe village.

A Pocketful of Poems (Jan., $15, 6-10) by Nikki Grimes, illus. by Javaka Steptoe. Collages illustrate this collection of free verse and haiku.

THE CREATIVE COMPANY
Freedom Like Sunlight (Sept., $17.95, 10-up) by J. Patrick Lewis, illus. by John Thompson, compiles 13 poems that pay tribute to notable African-Americans.

CROWN
Hurry Freedom (Oct., $18.95, 14-16) by Jerry Stanley. This National Book Award nominee chronicles the life of Mifflin Gibbs, a civil rights activist in California during the Gold Rush.

DELACORTE
The Times They Used to Be (Dec., $12.95, 10-up) by Lucille Clifton, illus. by E.B. Lewis, is a novella describing life in the 1940s.

Black Angels (Mar., $14.95, 9-up) by Rita Murphy. This novel about an African-American community's fight for equality in 1961 centers on an 11-year-old girl.

DIAL
Dancing in the Wings (Sept., $16.99, 4-8) by Debbie Allen, illus. by Kadir Nelson. An aspiring ballerina with too-large feet and too-long legs yearns to perform center stage.

Callie Ann and Mistah Bear (Sept., $15.99, 5-8) by Robert D. San Souci, illus. by Don Daily. A girl sees through the disguise of her widowed mother's suitor.

DUTTON
A Triangle for Adaora: An African Book of Shapes (Dec., $16.99, 3-8) by Ifeoma Onyefulu. Photos reveal objects of various shapes in an African village.

Short Takes (Feb., $16.99, 8-up) by Charles R. Smith, Jr., collects brief poems about basketball.

FARRAR, STRAUS & GIROUX
My Baby (Mar., $16, 3-6) by Jeanette Winter. Nakunte's mother teaches her how to make bógólan, a traditional mud-dyed cloth made by the women of Mali.

FLYWHEEL PUBLISHING
(530-269-2020)
Through the Wormhole by Robert Favole (Feb., $17.95, 10-up). An African-American teenager travels back in time to save his ancestor, a Revolutionary War cavalryman.

GHB PUBLISHERS
(636-441-7991)
Michael Johnson: Sprinter Deluxe (Sept., $12.95 paper, 6-9) by Bert Rosenthal is an addition to the Sports Snaps series.

GROSSET & DUNLAP
Shaquille O'Neal--Man of Steel (Dec., $3.99 paper, 7-9) by Douglas Bradshaw is a biography of this basketball star.

Martin Luther King and the March on Washington (Jan., $3.99 paper, 6-8) by Frances Ruffin, illus. by Stephen Marchesi, recounts this pivotal 1963 civil rights demonstration.

HARCOURT/GULLIVER
Let It Shine: Stories of Black Women Freedom Fighters (Sept., $20, all ages) by Andrea Davis Pinkney, illus. by Stephen Alcorn, collects biographies of 10 courageous individuals.

HARCOURT/SILVER WHISTLE
Dream Freedom (Oct., $17, 10-up) by Sonia Levitin. Based on a true story, this novel centers on a group of American students who work to help free children enslaved in Sudan.

HARPERCOLLINS
Do You Know What I'll Do? (Sept., $15.95, 3-7) by Charlotte Zolotow, illus. by Javaka Steptoe, celebrates a girl's love for her brother.

Words with Wings: A Treasury of African-American Poetry and Art (Jan., $16.95, all ages), selected by Belinda Rochelle, pairs 20 poems with works of art.

Lulu's Birthday (Jan., $15.95, 4-up) by Elizabeth Fitzgerald Howard, illus. by Pat Cummings. Two children plan a surprise party for their favorite aunt.

Building a New Land: African Americans in Colonial America (Jan., $17.95, 7-10) by James Haskins and Kathleen Benson, illus. by James Ransome, is the third title in the From African Beginnings series.

My Family Shall Be Free!: The Life of Peter Still (Jan., $16.95, 10-up) by Dennis Brindell Fradin recounts the life of this African-American hero.

Every Time a Rainbow Dies (Jan., $15.95, 14-up) by Rita Williams Garcia is a novel that reveals the healing power of love.

I Can Draw a Weeposaur and Other Dinosaurs (Mar., $14.95, 4-up) by Eloise Greenfield, illus. by Jan Spivey Gilchrist, collects poems in which a young artist introduces various dinosaurs.

Master Man: A Tall Tale of Nigeria (Mar., $15.95, 5-up) by Aaron Shepard, illus. by David Wisniewski, presents a Nigerian story in comic-book format.

HOLIDAY HOUSE
Molasses Man (Sept., $16.95, 4-8) by Kathy May, illus. by Felicia Marshall, is a tale about the making of molasses and the importance of family traditions.

To Dinner, for Dinner (Sept., $16.95, 4-8) by Tololwa M. Mollel, illus. by Synthia Saint James. A rabbit outwits a mighty leopard in this African folktale.

HENRY HOLT
Sitting Pretty: A Celebration of Black Dolls (Oct., $18, 5-up) by Dinah Johnson, photos by Myles Pinkney. Poems introduce the author's doll collection.

Miss Opal's Auction (Nov., $16, 4-up) by Susan Vizurraga, illus. by Mark Graham, reveals the special relationship between a girl and her neighbor.

HOUGHTON MIFFLIN
In the Hollow of Your Hand: Slave Lullabies (Sept., $18, all ages) by Alice McGill, illus. by Michael Cummings. This collection of songs includes a CD.

The Black Soldier: 1492 to the Present (Sept., $17, 10-14) by Catherine Clinton traces the history of African-American soldiers.

John Blair and the Great Hinkley Fire (Oct., $16, 6-10) by Josephine Nobisso, illus. by Ted Rose, depicts a train's porter's struggles to save passengers during a devastating firestorm.

Slavery: Bondage Throughout History (Mar., $18, 8-12) by Richard Watkins presents an illustrated history of slavery.

HYPERION/JUMP AT THE SUN
Take It to the Hoop, Magic Johnson (Sept., $15.99, 5-9) by Quincy Troupe, illus. by Shane Evans, pays tribute to this basketball star.

The Education of Mary, a Little Miss of Color of 1832 (Sept., $15.99, 10-14) by Ann Rinaldi offers a fictional account of the first Connecticut school to admit African-American girls.

A Child Is Born (Oct., $16.99, all ages) by Margaret Wise Brown, illus. by Floyd Cooper, features an African-American baby Jesus.

One Nation Under a Groove: Rap Music and Its Roots (Oct., $15.99, 10-14) by James Haskins presents a history of rap music.

Brown Sugar Babies (Nov., $14.99, up to 5) by Charles R. Smith, Jr., pairs poems with photos of babies.

Lift Every Voice and Sing: A Pictorial Tribute to the Negro National Anthem (Jan., $15.99, all ages) by James Weldon Johnson, intro. by Henrietta M. Smith. Photos illustrate the lyrics of this song.

Sweet, Sweet Memory (Jan., $14.99, 5-9) by Jacqueline Woodson, illus. by Floyd Cooper, is a story about the death of a loved one.

KNOPF
The People Could Fly: American Black Folktales (Oct., $24.95, 8-up) by Virginia Hamilton, illus. by Leo and Diane Dillon, collects 24 stories from the days of slavery.

Only Passing Through: The Story of Sojourner Truth (Dec., $16.95, 7-10) by Anne Rockwell, illus. by R. Gregory Christie, is a biography of this abolitionist and advocate for women's rights.

Storm Warriors (Jan., $16.95, 10-13) by Elisa Carbone relays an African-American boy's post-Civil War adventure.

LEE & LOW
Grandma's Purple Flowers (Oct., $15.95, 4-up) by Adjoa Burrowes. A girl finds a way to remember her grandmother after the woman dies.

Ray Charles (Mar., $16, paper $6.95; 4-10) by Sharon Bell Mathis, illus. by George Ford, is an updated edition of this biography.

LERNER
Muhammad Ali (Sept., $7.95 paper, 12-18) by Arlene Schulman focuses on the life of this boxer.

Queen Latifah (Jan., $25.26, 12-18) by Amy Ruth offers a biography of this performer.

Jimi Hendrix (Feb., $25.26, paper $7.95; 12-18) by Rita J. Markel presents a profile of this musician.

Ella Fitzgerald: The First Lady of Song (Mar., $25.26, 12-18) by Katherine Krohn chronicles the life of this jazz singer.

LITTLE, BROWN
Minnie Saves the Day (Apr., $13.95, 6-9) by Melodye Benson Rosales launches The Adventures of Minnie, a series starring an African-American doll.

ORCHARD
Only One Cowry: A Dahomean Tale (Sept., $16.95, 4-7) by Phillis Gershator, illus. by David Soman, tells of an African king in search of a bride.

The Doorman (Sept., $16.95, 4-7) by Edward Grimm, illus. by Ted Lewin, centers on the kind, hardworking doorman of an apartment building.

Shoe Magic (Sept., $16.95, 5-up) by Nikki Grimes, illus. by Terry Widener, collects poems celebrating shoes and dreams.

My Great-Grandmother's Gourd (Sept., $16.95, 6-9) by Cristina Kessler, illus. by Walter Lyon Krudop. A girl in modern-day Africa discovers how much she depends on the past.

OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS
The Book of Rhythms (Nov., paper $9.95, 6-12) by Langston Hughes, illus. by Matt Wawiorka, is a newly illustrated edition of this examination of rhythm.

Black Misery (Nov., paper $7.95, 7-up) by Langston Hughes, illus. by Arouni, describes the life of an African-American child grappling with racism and integration in the 1960s.

Popo and Fifina: Children of Haiti (Nov., paper $8.95, 8-up) by Arna Bontemps and Langston Hughes, illus. by E. Simms Campbell. Two African-American children move from the Haitian hills to a town by the sea.

PENGUIUN PUTNAM/FOGELMAN
Albidaro and the Mischievous Dream (Oct., $16.99, 4-8) by Julius Lester, illus. by Jerry Pinkney. A mischievous dream inspires children and pets to stop doing what they're told.

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry: 25th Anniversary Edition (Jan., $17.99, 10-up) by Mildred D. Taylor is a new edition of this Newbery-winning novel.

PHILOMEL
Freedom School, Yes! (Jan., $16.99, 4-8) by Amy Littlesugar, illus. by Floyd Cooper, is a story based on the 1964 Mississippi Freedom School Summer Project.

PLEASANT COMPANY
Addy's Wedding Quilt (Mar., $3.95 paper, 7-up) by Connie Porter, illus. by Dahl Taylor. Addy's parents have a second wedding ceremony in this new novel in the American Girls Collection.

The Minstrel's Melody (Mar., $9.95, paper $5.95; 10-up) by Eleanora Tate, illus. by Glen Harrington and Greg Dearth. This addition to the History Mysteries series is set during the St. Louis World's Fair of 1904.

PUFFIN
Sister Anne's Hands (Nov., $6.99 paper, 4-8) by Marybeth Lorbiecki, illus. by K. Wendy Popp. Set in the early 1960s, this book tells of the relationship between a white girl and her African-American teacher.

Mister and Me (Nov., $3.99 paper, 7-10) by Kimberly Willis Holt, illus. by Leonard Jenkins. Jolene refuses to call her mother's boyfriend anything but "Mister."

Boundless Grace (Dec., $5.99 paper, 4-8) by Mary Hoffman, illus. by Caroline Binch. Grace visits Africa in this sequel to Amazing Grace.

Minty (Dec., $6.99 paper, 5-9) by Alan Schroeder, illus. by Jerry Pinkney, recounts Harriet Tubman's childhood.

Miz Berlin Walks (Dec., $6.99 paper, 3-8) by Jane Yolen, illus. by Floyd Cooper. A girl loves to listen to the stories that her elderly neighbor tells.

The Starplace (Dec., $5.99 paper, 10-14) by Vicki Grove. In the early 1960s, a white girl becomes friends with an African-American girl who moves to her hometown.

Freedom's Children: Young Civil Rights Activists Tell Their Own Stories (Dec., $6.99 paper, 10-14) by Ellen Levine reveals the stories of 32 African-Americans who were children or teens in the 1950s and '60s.

To Be a Slave (Dec., $4.99 paper, 10-14) by Julius Lester, illus. by Tom Feelings, is a new edition of this Newbery Honor book that captures what it was like to be a slave.

Trapped Between the Lash and the Gun (Jan., $4.99 paper, 8-12) by Arvella Whitmore. A boy travels back to the 19th century, where he meets his ancestors who are slaves.

Dancer (Jan., $5.99 paper, 12-up) by Lorri Hewett is a novel about an African-American ballerina.

PUTNAM
The Other Side (Jan., $16.99, 5-up) by Jacqueline Woodson, illus. by E.B. Lewis. Despite the fence that separates their families' properties, an African-American girl and a white girl become friends.

RANDOM HOUSE
Jefferson's Children: The Story of One American Family (Oct., $19.95, 10-up) by Shannon Lanier and Jane Feldman introduces descendants of Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings.

Escape North!: The Story of Harriet Tubman (Dec., $3.99 paper, 5-8) by Monica Kulling, illus. by Teresa Flavin, chronicles the life of this abolitionist and suffragette.

There Comes a Time: The Struggle for Civil Rights (Jan., $16.95, 10-up) by Milton Meltzer features the campaign for civil rights during the 1960s.

Meet Martin Luther King, Jr. (Jan., $3.99 paper, 8-up) by James T. de Kay offers a biography of this civil rights crusader.

SCHOLASTIC
Nzingha, Warrior Queen of Matamba, Angola, Africa, 1595 (Aug., $10.95, 9-14). This addition to the Royal Diaries series introduces the daughter of a West African king.

Shades of Black (Nov., $14.95, 3-7) by Sandra L. Pinkney, photos by Myles Pinkney, is a photo essay celebrating the diversity of African-American children.

SCHOLASTIC/BLUE SKY
The Girl Who Spun Gold (Sept., $16.95, 4-up) by Virginia Hamilton, illus. by Leo and Diane Dillon, is an African-American retelling of the story of Rumplestiltskin.

The Spider Weaver: A Legend of Kente Cloth (Feb., $16.95, 4-up) by Margaret Musgrove, illus. by Julia Cairns. In this Ghanaian legend, two weavers discover a magical-looking spider web in the jungle.

SCHOLASTIC/LEVINE
The Hickory Chair (Jan., $15.95, 4-8) by Lisa Rowe Fraustino, illus. by Benny Andrews. When his grandmother passes away after having left notes for other family members, Luis worries that she forgot about him.

SCHOLASTIC PRESS
Wings (Oct., $16.95, 5-up) by Christopher Myers encourages readers to embrace their differences and celebrate their individuality.

The Greatest: Muhammad Ali (Nov., $16.95, 12-up) by Walter Dean Myers presents a biography of this athlete.

TROLL/BRIDGEWATER
Coming Home: A Story of Josh Gibson, Baseball's Greatest Home Run Hitter (Mar., $15.95, 4-8) by Nanette Mellage, illus. by Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu, recounts this player's triumph during a Negro Leagues World Series game.

VERMONT FOLKLIFE CENTER (Independent Publishers Group, dist.)
Daisy and the Doll (Sept., $14.95, 6-10) by Michael Medearis and Angela Shelf Medearis, illus. by Larry Johnson. One of the inaugural titles in the Family Heritage Series, this story centers on an African-American girl living in Vermont in the 1890s.