A Marked Man: The Assassination of Malcolm X by Doeden - ESSENTIAL

Doeden. Matt A Marked Man: The Assassination of Malcolm X, 82 p. Twenty-First Century (Lerner), 2013.  $25.00.  Content: PG (the assassination and it does mention that Malcolm’s grandmother was raped by a white man).  

From Malcolm’s beginnings and the events that shaped, through the assassination and on to the aftermath – including a discussion of how the men who were charged with the crime may not have been the perpetrators.  Any student who combined this with Malcolm’s autobiography would have a wealth of material for a research project.  

MS, HS – ESSENTIAL.  Cindy, Library Teacher

Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad by David Adler - ESSENTIAL

Adler, David A. Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad, 129 p. Holiday House, 2013.  $19.  

Adler turns his remarkable talent to chronicalling the life of Harriet Tubman.  You can tell that Adler has done extensive research and he has written a book that is detailed and interesting, but still at a level that is appropriate for students.  While most students will probably not read the book from cover to cover, it is a valuable research source for the Civil War, the Underground Railroad or just the history of this very brave woman.  

MS – ESSENTIAL.  Cindy, Library Teacher

Light in the Darkness by Lesa Cline-Ransome-ADVISABLE

Cline-Ransome, Lesa, ill. by James Ransome, Light in the Darkness. Disney Press, 2013. PICTURE BOOK.

Slaves during the 19^thcentury were forbidden from learning to read. Some slaves were taught in secret by their masters, but others risked everything to learn in secret from those who already knew how to read and write. If they were caught, they would suffer severe punishment. Here is just one example of many stories.

The pictures are a little dark, but are detailed, enjoyable, and complement the text. The story is well-written and would appeal to older students. Recommended for use in classroom or for older readers interested in slavery. EL (3-6), MS. ADVISABLE. Reviewer: Kira M, Youth Services Librarian, WHI Public Library.

In the Land of Milk and Honey by Jpyce Carol Thomas - ADVISABLE

Thomas, Joyce Carol In the Land of Milk and Honey, PICTURE BOOK. Amistad, 2012. $16.99. Content: G. 

Follow along on one family’s journey to California; the Land of Milk and Honey.  The main character is a little girl in anticipation of her new home, describing what she sees along the route and how she feels once she arrives.  

The writing comes off as an enchanting poem with thought-provoking vocabulary that will encourage investigation by readers.  The descriptive language and graceful pictures help to create a warm atmosphere of expectation that is translated well to the reader.    A strong author’s note at the end of the book helps to tie the whole piece together.  

EL - ADVISABLE.  Reviewed by: Shay, School Librarian

Glory Be by Augusta Scattergood - OPTIONAL

Scattergood, Augusta  Glory Be, 199 pgs.  Scholastic Press, 2012.  $16.99  Content: Language: G; Mature Content: G; Violence: PG.  

Glory is the daughter of the local preacher and during the summer of 1964, living in the south brings with it a lot changes.  Glory is excited to celebrate her 12th birthday at the local swimming pool and is disappointed by the town council’s decision to close the pool to keep out the blacks.  She befriends a new girl whose mother is visiting her small Mississippi town as one of the Freedom workers, and her new friendship disrupts Glory’s old friendship with her best friend Frankie because his father is very prejudice.  Glory is also struggling with her sister Jesslyn, because Jessie is growing up and has found herself a boyfriend, so their sisterhood is changing.  Throughout the change in this short summer, Glory comes of age and stays true to what she believes and learns more about herself and those in her town.  

I’m torn about my review of this book because it had an interesting historical setting, but I didn’t love the main character.  I also felt like the historical parts of this book needed to be explained, it was assumed that the reader knew what was going on in Mississippi during this time in the Civil Rights Movement and I don’t think the young audience this book was directed towards would have that kind of knowledge base.  To me this book was almost good, it was almost really good, but it was missing the character development that would have made it great.  

EL (4-6), MS-OPTIONAL.  Reviewer, C. Peterson.

Come August, Come Freedom by Gigi Amateau - ESSENTIAL

Amateau, Gigi Come August, Come Freedom: the Bellows, the Gallows, and the Black General Gabriel, 231 pgs. Candlewick Press, 2012. $16.99. Language: G (0 swears, 0 “f”); Mature  Content: PG; Violence: PG.  

This is the true story of Gabriel Prosser, a man born into slavery in 1776 in Virginia.  He is brought up as a playmate to his master’s son.  Thus, he learns to read and write along with the white boy. As a young man, he is sent to Richmond with his brother to learn blacksmithing from Jacob Kent.  Because he is educated, he understands all the talk of liberty and what “all men are created equal” means.  His soul yearns to be free.  With the blessing of his strong wife, Nanny, he prepares to lead a rebellion against the white slave owners under the inspiration of Toussaint’s successful rebellion in Haiti. 

The title of the book leaves no surprise how his story ends. The man, Gabriel, becomes real with the skillful writing of Amateau. The book inspires one to learn more about the life of this obscure hero.  The author enriched this story by adding in real document s of this era pertaining to the slave, Gabriel. It would be a great read for any history class or for discussions on slavery, courage, injustice, treachery, etc. 

EL, MS, HS- ESSENTIAL. Reviewer: MOMMC.

Harriet Tubman and the Freedom Train by Sharon Gayle - ADVISABLE

Gayle, Sharon  Ready to Read: Harriet Tubman and the Freedom Train  Illustrated by Felicia Marshall  Aladdin, 2003.  $3.99  PICTURE BOOK  Content: G.  This is a short biography of Harriet Tubman’s life.  When she was born she was named Minty and was taken away from her family at a young age.  Because she wouldn’t help tie up a runaway slave, a slave owner hit her over the head with a metal bar that caused her to go into a coma for a long time.  When she got better she was one of the hardest working slaves in the field.  She befriended a neighboring white woman who eventually helped her escape slavery through the Underground Railroad.  Minty renamed herself Harriett upon her freedom and dedicated her life to helping other slaves find freedom through the Underground Railroad.  She assisted fifteen groups of slaves from the South to the North and later during the Civil War she helped the soldiers sneak into the South.  Harriet was buried with full military honors.  This is an excellent summary of Harriet Tubman’s life.  The illustrations are a bit dreary, but the story is well told.  EL (4-6)-ADVISABLE.  Reviewer, C. Peterson.

Black & White by Larry Brimner - ADVISABLE

Brimner, Larry Dane Black & White: The Confrontation between Reverend Fred L. Shuttlesworth and Eugene “Bull” Conner, 112 p. Calkins Creek, 2012.  $17.  

When Fred Shuttlesworth started preaching at Bethel Baptist in Birmingham, Alabama in the 1950’s, he never expected to become a lightning rod for the civil rights movement in his town.  But since he couldn’t stop pushing for more rights for his congregation and all blacks within the city, he becamse a favorite target for Bull Conner, the city’s Commissioner for Public Safety, who felt it was his divine calling to keep the uppity Negroes in their place.  

Pretty much everything incident that we know about Birmingham’s fight for civil rights was shepherded by, prompted by something Reverend Shuttlesworth did.  Brimner does a fantastic job bringing his story – and the story of his rival – to life.  I can’t wait to share this.  

MS, HS – ADVISABLE.  Cindy, Library Teacher.

Fire in the Streets by Kekla Magoon - ESSENTIAL

Magoon, Kekla Fire in the Streets, 321 pgs.Aladdin,2012. $15.99. Language: G (0 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG; Violence PG.

Maxie, a fourteen year old black girl who lives in the ghetto of Chicago, experiences the fear that pervades the city during a riot in Grant Park. The occasion was the Democratic Convention of 1968, just 5 short weeks after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. Although the title of this book describes the unrest in the Chicago streets, there is fire burning elsewhere in many hearts, including Maxies’.  Maxie aches to belong to the Black Panthers, where she feels protected from all the evil in the world.  Maxie soon discovers a traitor in the group and has to decide between her loyalties.  

This book is an immensely satisfying read.  The history of the Black Panthers is outlined somewhat.  But, most of all, one will sense the feelings brewing deep in the hearts of those involved in the civil rights movement of the 1960s. Kekla  Magoon captured that spirit in the first person account of Maxie.   

EL, MS, HS-ESSENTIAL. MOMMC

The 1963 Birmingham Children’s March by Levinson - ESSENTIAL

Levinson, Cynthia We’ve Got A Job: The 1963 Birmingham Children’s March, 160 p. $20. Content: G.

 In 1944, Birmingham, Alabama adopted the first of their Segregation Ordinances, to keep blacks away from whites.  In 1956, when Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth starts found a Human Rights Coalition, things start heating up, culminating in the racially charged, physically dangerous year of 1963.  AS part of the Movement, 100’s of the black children of Birmingham decide that they, too, will participate in a march of their own, willing to be attacked or go to jail for the chance to be treated like a human being.  

Loaded with photographs, testimonies and well-researched information, this book is a powerhouse look at the power of children.  Levinson looks through the eyes of four specific child participants, but gives an excellent overview to the entire history of racial strife in Birmingham.  In her afterword, Levinson mentions the concerns of those marchers who feel like the latest black generation is wasting all of the rights that their parents and grandparents fought for.  I’m glad we love non-fiction at my school – I hope yours does too.  

MS, HS – ESSENTIAL.  Cindy, Library Teacher

I, Too Am America by Langston Hughes - ADVISABLE

Hughes, Langston I, Too Am America, illustrated by Bryan Collier.  Simon, 2012.  $17.  PICTURE BOOK.  Content: G.  

Using mixed media illustrations, Collier brings Hughes poem to life.  This short poem is powerful – especially in a world that still doesn’t want to look beyond the color of someone’s skin.  Great for any poetry unit or art class.  

EL, MS – ADVISABLE.  Cindy, Library Teacher

To the Mountaintop by Charlayne Hunter-Gault - ESSENTIAL

Hunter-Gault, Charlayne,  To the Mountaintop,  198 pgs.  New York Times Company 2012. $22.99, Language-PG (  n-word).  Violence-PG.  

This is a book of nonfiction about the  Civil Rights movement.  Charlayne was part of that movement.  Charlayne was born and lived in Georgia.  She takes on the journey from 1959 to 1965   through her perspective of this  tumultuous time.  Charlayne  is one of two of the first  black students to desegregate the University of Georgia.  She needed tenacity and persistence to make it happen.  She withstood so much adversity and  racism  during her historic ordeal.  She does tell herstory  as part of the  movement from  the lunch counter sit ins to the March on the Mall, where Martin Luther King Jr. spoke and gave his “I have a Dream” speech. From the experiences of the Freedom Riders to the demonstrations , she takes you year by year  through these social changes. I would recommend this book to all libraries.

MS,HS- ESSENTIAL. Linda,  Elementary Teacher.

Lunch-Box Dream by Tony Abbott - OPTIONAL

Abbott, Tony  Lunch-Box Dream  Frances Foster Books,2011.  $16.99  173 pages.  Content:  Language PG (9 swears; 8 God); Violence: PG; Sexual Content: G.  

Bobby and his brother Ricky are going on a road trip with their grandmother and mother.  Their plan is to visit Civil War sights on their way to Atlanta to drop off their grandma and then take an airplane ride home, but on one of their stops they get lost, and Bobby’s mother panics and ruins the car tires.  They end up having to take a bus back home because they can’t afford the plane tickets.  Every other chapter is told from the view of a black family in the South who send their son to visit relatives, but their son goes missing and they all assume the worst.  When the black family gets on the bus with Bobby and his family they sing a mourning song, but when they family stops at their destination they are relived to find that their son is waiting for them on the platform and he isn’t lost.  

This story reflects on some of the history surrounding the Civil War and Jim Crow laws.  The main character is not likable and his story isn’t resolved, he doesn’t come of age at any point in the novel and he has a negative attitude were he criticizes himself constantly.  The kid is obsessed with the gross parts of battle, vomiting, body odor and mentions them in points of the story that are unexpected.  I thought the storyline was boring and had no direction, the characters were vague and the writing was choppy.  

MS-OPTIONAL.  Reviewer, C. Peterson.

Sources of Light by Margaret McMullan - ADVISABLE

McMullan, Margaret Sources of Light 240 pg. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2010. Language- PG; Violence- PG; Sexual Content- G. $16.00. Fourteen year old Sam moves with her mother in 1962 to Jackson, Mississippi. The South is at the height of racial segregation issues, and Sam and her mother are considered "liberal". As Sam adjusts to her new life and struggles to fit in, she receives a camera from her mother's friend, Perry. It's this camera that enables her to see the shades of gray in a world that only sees in black and white.
This was a very age appropriate book with great historical information. Sam is a very endearing character that young adults will relate to. My favorite parts about the book were the poignant, thought provoking passages. EL/MS- ADVISABLE. Whitney, Library-Teacher.

Lunchbox Dream by Tony Abbott-OPTIONAL

Abbott, Tony, Lunchbox Dream. Farrar Straus Giroux, 2011. pgs. 192.  Language: PG (4 swears, no “f”s), Sexual Content: G, Violence: PG

Set in the summer of 1959, Bobby, a young white boy, is traveling across the country with his family are traveling across the country visiting Civil War battle sites. When a car accident forces the family to return home, they find themselves witnessing an incident where a black family is denied seats. A family that was desperate to get a few towns away where their child had gone missing. Jacob, a young African American boy from Atlanta, is visiting family in a nearby town and is having trouble understanding the racial nuances of the town. When Jacob disappears, his relatives become desperate to find him and inspire Bobby to help right the racial injustices in his town. Will Bobby be able to make a difference? Will Jacob’s relatives ever find Jacob?

The characters’ personalities aren’t consistent and the plot is really slow. The alternating viewpoints are more distracting than helpful. Although emotionally moving, the topic and its unsettling tone might prove daunting to some readers. Readers, however, who are interested in the Civil Right Movement might enjoy reading this book. EL (4-6), MS. OPTIONAL. Reviewer: Kira M, Youth Services Librarian, WHI Public Library.

Ellen’s Broom by Kelly Starling Lyons

Lyons, Kelly Starling  Ellen’s Broom Illustrated by Daniel Minter  G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 2012.  $16.99  PICTURE BOOK Content: G  

Ellen celebrates the fact that her family no longer has to sit at the back of the church because the slave days are over.  As part of registering the families the local government has each previously considered slave couple register as married couples with their children.  This spurs a story from Ellen’s mother about the broom marriage that they first had when they were slaves.  Because slaves couldn’t marry legally, they use to have a broom ceremony where they would jump over the broom together and start their life, but because that marriage wasn’t recognized by the law they could be separated by their owners.  At the end of the story, Ellen decides that she wants to have a broom ceremony when she grows up and her parents decide that is okay because it’s part of their heritage.  

The illustrations are great and the story is an interesting  way to explain the fact that slave couples couldn’t  be married and could be separated at any time.

EL (K-3) (4-6)-ADVISABLE.  Reviewer, C. Peterson.