Black+History+Month



Barnes and Noble has an outstanding display of books for readers to enjoy in honor of Black History Month. The selection at the bookstore is enormous and diffricult to narrow down to a few...that's what makes bookstores so inviting...everywhere you turn you find another book that captures your interest. The offerings range from picture books and chapter books for children to adult reads...actually, as often happens, I believe the children's selection on this topic will be just as rewarding to the adults as they will be for the kids. First up is THE COLOR OF WATER: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother by James McBride. This was on The New York Times Bestseller List for over two years. When James asked his mother what color he was, she replied, "You are a human being." When he asked what color God was, his mother responded, "He is the color of water." This is a true story written about a remarkable white woman who raised 12 children in Harlem with her black husband. School and church are the two things that matter to James' mother and this story tells of how these two issues are central in this family's life. Race and religion play an important part of what made this family strong. This book for adults also includes a readers guide to help assistance with small group discussion. Through My Eyes by Ruby Bridges is the historical recollection of Ruby entering an all white elementary school as the only black child in the bunch. The turmoil she created as she walked through the crowd of protestors in 1960 captured her innocence, yet courage. Eventually, a few brave white families who refused to be bullied by the issue of segregation, escorted their children into the school, even though their choice to enter resulted in their house later being damaged by protestors. Although this book is set up as a picture book with black and white photographs supporting the events, the text is "wordy" and may be more suitable for upper elementary grade children. This book won the Jane Addams Children's Book Award. NO MORE! by Dorren Rappaport and illustrated by Shane W. Evans is a collection of stories and songs of slave resisitance. Again, shaped as a paperback picture book, but has a text that is more suitable for the older elementary student. One gripping story of Fredick Douglas and his escape from slavery to the North speaks of dignity and determination to be free. Every story ends in trimuph and gives the reader hope and may even help the reader see that life is much better now. Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom by Carole Boston Weatherford and illustrated by Kadir Nelson is a Caldecott Honor book. "I set the North Star in the heavens and I mean for you to be free." These are the words Harriet Tubman heard from her God and used them encourage to escape her life of slavery and leave her husband and children behind. This is a children's picture book for both the young and old as its illustrations and text tell the story of one of the most courageous figures of the Underground Railroad. Again, letting us know how much easier our lives are now. The Beatitudes: From Slavery to Civil Rights by Carole Boston Weatherford and illustrations by Tim Ladwig. I simply love this book. As portions of The Beatitudes are imprinted in large, yet soft, print on each page, the text that centers each illustration speaks of where God was during instrumental occasions in Black History. For example, "I was with Richard Allen, Absalom Jones and James Varick, who founded churches where African Americans could praise the Lord and shout 'Hallelujah!' I rang the church bells." It is an awesome, brief look at the good works of people who shaped the world we have today. Barnes and Noble offers a series of books that salute historical figures in a small chapter book form. When you purchase two books from the series, you get the thrid free. I purchased Who Was Rosa Parks? and two other books about Presidents in this same series. This series of books is factual, but also allows you to take a glimpse at the more personal sides of each person. For instance, Rosa was a girl who liked to fish and as a teenager she cleaned housed to make money. The three books that I purchased from this series range from a 2.8 to 3.6 reading level.

I hope I have offered you a peek at purposeful reading about our rich past. Happy Reading! Happy Black History Month! Peace, Todd Cole, Teacher of Masterpieces