Be A King: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Dream And You
By: Carole Boston Weatherford
Illustrated By: James E. Ransome
“You can be a King.
Lift up the less fortunate.
Be the King or Queen of Help.”
There is no doubt that we are all aware of the impact Dr. King has made on our nation. He envisioned a better future for his children, and he fought for it without hesitation. What excites you the most? What gets you up in the morning? What is it that makes you look forward to a new day, a new year, your future? This book brings all of this to a personal level and states how, you too, can be King. It encourages readers to acknowledge their own unique gifts, and use them to positively impact our world. It reminds us to, “keep the faith, know that bigotry hurts, learn as much as you can, march to your own conscience.” We don’t have to conform to what society currently praises, no. We should be embodying everything that we already ARE. Let’s raise up the next generation of Martins and Rosas… although times have changed we still have something to fight for, right?
The Hula-Hoopin’ Queen
By: Thelma Lynne Godin
Illustrated By: Vanessa Brantley-Newton
“I sort through my hoops and pick out my favorite. And then I feel it comin’ on. The itch. The Hula-Hoopin’ itch. My fingers start snappin’, and my feet start tappin’.”
Chiilleeee, this book is going to have you grinning ear to ear. The story has such a classic and timeless feel to it. Kameeka is the beautiful black girl on this book’s cover who plans on beating her main competitor, Jamara, at a hula-hooping contest so she can become The Hula-Hoopin’ Queen of 139th street. Unfortunately, Kameeka finds herself in some trouble when she can no longer face-off with Jamara because of an important birthday party she has to plan… will she ever find the time to earn the special title? Another story based in Harlem, New York! YASSS, and you get all the feels of community, family, laughter, fun… all things that make for the most memorable childhood experiences. The intensity of Black culture is also ALL OVER this book. Our beauty (from young to old), our language, our fashion, our forever-young spirits, and most importantly our love. This is a book I especially enjoyed… yes, I was a hula-hooper myself ; ).
Let The Children March
By: Monica Clark-Robinson
Illustrated By: Frank Morrison
“Boys and girls, brothers and sisters, cousins and friends,
on and on we marched,
we marched.
we marched.
SINGING THE SONGS OF FREEDOM, ONE THOUSAND STRONG WE CAME.”
Tears flowed as I read this. While I am not a parent yet, I am an aunt and we just LOVE our nieces, nephews, cousins, siblings, we love our children unconditionally. The pain that a parent must feel knowing they cannot help their child in a situation where they may not be able to fend for themselves… unbearable. This tells the true historical events of The Children’s Crusade March of Birmingham, Alabama in May 1963. After Dr. King urges folks to fight for their freedom and march, a number of adults expressed their fears of losing their jobs… so the children stepped in. Dr. King proclaimed, “Let the children march. They will lead the way.” May 2nd was the beginning of 8 consecutive days of marching. Children were attacked by dogs, hoses, people, and thousands were imprisoned. On May 10th, Dr. King was able to reach an agreement with city leaders to begin the process of desegregation in Birmingham. The children’s resilience and energy, led to a great victory. This book makes you think about the things you might hold the little people in your life back from… let them lead. Children have the power to change the world, we just need to trust them with it.
Yo, Jo!
By: Rachel Isadora
“I love you Grandpa,”
Jomar says.
“That’s better,” Grandpa says with a wink.”
This book has such a fun-loving, upbeat, and SWAGGED out feel to it! And the illustrations are dope, having been done in collage and oil on pallete paper. It all JUMPS out right at you and I love it! It also has very humorous aspects that made me chuckle a number of times as I flipped through the pages. You watch all of the different ways Jomar and his brother Franklin say hello to people in their neighborhood. Then, you hear how Jomar says hello to Grandpa, haha! Who sets that boy straight. Another book set in the concrete jungle of New York City, the cool vibes of the Hip-Hop influenced culture spews out in every part of this book. Different places and activities commonly seen in urban neighborhoods are also represented in this book; from the infamous Spanish Bodega, to B-boys break dancing on the side walk. This is an awesome book for a little black boy or girl! Who lives in or is familiar with the culture of an urban city, as the images and language used in this book easily mirrors people and places within these cities. Being able to have real life examples and books representative of personal life experiences are invaluable resources for children to have when building literacy skills. If you’re looking for a quick, hip, easy, and fun read –Yo, Jo is the way to go, go!
TRAILBLAZER: The Story of Ballerina Raven Wilkinson
By: Leda Schubert
Illustrated By: Theodore Taylor III
With A Foreword By: Misty Copeland
“In some states, it was illegal for black dancers and white dancers to share the same stage. Sometimes Raven lightened her skin with makeup.”
This book tells of the triumphant life of Raven Wilkinson, the first African-American ballerina to ever dance with a major American touring troupe. Misty Copeland regards Ms. Wilkinson as her inspiration, as she helped pave the way for many Black ballerinas. Although very fair-skinned, Raven did not always go below the radar and encountered threatening incidents, simply from being a member of an all-white troupe. In the foreword, Misty states, “the lack of diversity and representation in classical ballet is an ongoing issue,” as is in a number of other sports. One that immediately comes to mind is Tennis, where trailblazing sisters Venus and Serena Williams have unapologetically brought every part of their Blackness onto those courts with them (STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON). I’m grateful Raven Wilkinson’s story is being told, as I had never heard of her until I discovered this book. There’s a quote that says, “You cannot BE what you have not SEEN.” It becomes this collective victory for our people when someone Black makes history because then it becomes OUR history, and then it sparks the next generation to MAKE history. This is a beautiful and inspiring book for your aspiring ballerina.
sweetSARendipity 