The Beatitudes: From Slavery to Civil Rights

Name of Book:  The Beatitudes: From Slavery to Civil Rights Author:  Carole Boston Weatherford Illustrator:  Tim Ladwig Publisher:  Eerdmans Books for Young Readers Audience:  Ages 6-9 Summary:  This is a story of African American history in the United States from slavery to present day. The author highlights 13 historical figures and shares a bit about [...]

A Year Down Yonder

Name of Book:  A Year Down Yonder Author: Richard Peck Illustrator: None Publisher: Puffin Books Audience: Ages 10+ (all the way up to senior citizens!) Summary:  A Year Down Yonder, winner of the 2001 Newberry Medal, is the sequel to A Long Way from Chicago.  The first book was narrated by Joey; this one is [...]

Bread and Roses, Too

Name of Book: Bread and Roses, Too Author: Katherine Paterson Publisher: Sandpiper an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt ISBN: 978-0-547-07651-5 Audience: Grades 4-8 Summary: A historical fiction novel that follows Jake and Rose, two children whose lives are impacted by the struggles of immigrant workers during a labor strike of a mill during the industrial [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

Fly Away Home

Name of Book:  Fly Away Home Author:  Eve Bunting Illustrator:  Ronald Himler Publisher:  Clarion Books Audience:  ages 5+ Summary:  A small boy and his father live in a busy airport.  The story explores some of the problems facing the homelessness as seen through the eyes of a homeless child.  Although there is no “and they [...]

A Wreath for Emmitt Till

Name of Book:   A Wreath for Emmett Till Author:   Marilyn Nelson Illustrator: Philippe Lardy Publisher:   Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Audience:  Youth 14-18 and adults Summary:  This book is a collection of sonnets that the author put together to speak about the tragic lynching of Emmett Till, a young African American who was visiting relatives in Mississippi [...]

Jubilee

Name of Book: Jubilee Author: Ellen Yeomans Illustrator: Tim Ladwig Publisher: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers Audience: Can be used with all ages Summary: Jubilee paints a beautiful picture, through words and illustrations, of what Heaven will be like, but also speaks to the glory of the Kingdom of God and our need to strive [...]