Our Children Can Soar

Name of Book:  Our Children Can Soar Author:  Michelle Cook Illustrator:  Cozbi Cabrera, R. Gregroy Christie; Bryan Collier; Pat Cummings; Leo and Diane Dillon; AG Ford; E.B. Lewis; Frank Morrison; James Ransome; Charlotte Riley Webb; Shadra Strickland; Eric Velasquez Publisher: Bloomsbury Audience: 3-8 years old Summary: This book highlights some key figures in the African [...]

Eleanor, Quiet No More

Name of Book: Eleanor, Quiet No More Author: Doreen Rappaport Illustrator: Gary Kelley Publisher: Hyperion Books Audience: Ages 9-12 Summary: This is the story of a young girl who encountered many stumbling blocks along her life’s journey and a few removers of stumbling blocks, a few who let her praise the LORD with her life’s [...]

Harvesting Hope

Name of Book:  Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez Author:  Kathleen Krull Illustrator:  Yuyi Morales Publisher: Harcourt Audience: 10+ Summary: At the age of 10,  Cesar’s family had to migrate to California in search of farm work after being displaced from their ranch in Arizona due to a severe drought which resulted in their [...]

My Brother Martin

Name of Book:  My Brother Martin Author:  Christine King Farris Illustrator:  Chris Soentpiet Publisher: Aladdin Paperback Audience: Age 10+ Summary: Christine Martin’s sister highlights some of the events she remembers while growing up with her younger brother. She talks about how close her siblings were while they were growing up on Auburn Street in Atlanta [...]

Sonia Sotomayor: A Judge Grows in the Bronx

Name of Book: Sonia Sotomayor: A Judge Grows in the Bronx Author: Jonah Winter Illustrator: Edel Rodriguez Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers Audience: Ages 4-10 Summary: Sonia Sotomayor: A Judge grows in the Bronx is the life story of Supreme Court Justice, Sonia Sotomayor’s rise from her very humble beginnings, living in the projects [...]

Elizabeth Leads the Way

Name of Book: Elizabeth Leads the Way: Elizabeth Cady Stanton and the Right to Vote Author: Tanya Lee Stone Illustrator: Rebecca Gibbon Publisher: Henry Holt and Company Audience: Ages 4 – 10 Summary: This is the remarkable story of a remarkable woman, Elizabeth Cady Stanton.  From a very young age Elizabeth felt strongly that ALL [...]

Henry’s Freedom Box

Name of Book: Henry’s Freedom Box Author: Ellen Levine Illustrator: Kadir Nelson Publisher: Scholastic Press Audience: 3 – 99 Summary: Henry’s Freedom Box is the poignant, harrowing and true story of Henry Brown, an African American slave, who in the mid-nineteenth century escaped slavery by mailing himself to freedom.  Henry traveled 350 miles in a [...]

Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom

Name of Book: Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom Author: Carole Boston Weatherford Illustrator: Kadir Nelson Publisher: Hyperion Books for Children Audience: Ages 6 and up Summary: The story of a particular slave, Harriet Tubman, who escapes from slavery and is called by God to go back for the purpose of saving [...]

Coming Home

Name of Book: Coming Home Author: Floyd Cooper Illustrator: Floyd Cooper Publisher: Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers Audience: Intended audience is 4-8 years, but could be used with all ages. Summary: “Can I get a witness?” to “Can I give a witness?”  Coming Home tells the story of the life of Langston Hughes.  Langston [...]

Michael Rosen’s Sad Book

Name of Book: Michael Rosen’s Sad Book Author: Michael Rosen Illustrator: Quentin Blake Publisher: Candlewick Press Audience: Intended age range: age 8-12; more suitable age range: age 13-adults. Summary: This book features a story about Michael Rosen who deals with grief at the loss his son. He shares his feelings, the ways in which he [...]