Author Award Winner

Bronx Masquerade
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by Nikki Grimes

ISBN: 0803725698
Format: Hardcover, 176pp
Pub. Date: January 2002
Publisher: Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers

When Wesley Boone writes a poem for his high school English class, some of his classmates clamor to read their poems aloud too. Soon they're having weekly poetry sessions and, one by one, the eighteen students are opening up and taking on the risky challenge of self-revelation. There's Lupe Alvarin, desperate to have a baby so she will feel loved. Raynard Patterson, hiding a secret behind his silence. Porscha Johnson, needing an outlet for her anger after her mother OD's. Through the poetry they share and narratives in which they reveal their most intimate thoughts about themselves and one another, their words and lives show what lies beneath the skin, behind the eyes, beyond the masquerade.

Honor Books:

The Red Rose Box
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Brenda Woods

ISBN: 039923702X
Format: Hardcover, 160pp
Pub. Date: June 2002 Publisher:
Putnam Publishing Group, The

When Leah's aunt Olivia sends her a red rose box all the way from California for her tenth birthday, she and her younger sister Ruth can hardly imagine what could be inside. Living in dusty Sulphur, Louisiana, the arrival of the box, full of magical things-lipstick, nailpolish, and a 100% silk bedjacket-is about the most exciting thing that has ever happened to Leah and Ruth.

Aunt Olivia has also sent some train tickets for a trip to Los Angeles and freedom, far away from the Jim Crow laws that keep the Southern blacks down. Leah is enchanted by her rich aunt's lifestyle and the California culture. Like the treasures in the box, California is almost too good to be true. But when tragedy forces Leah and Ruth to make Los Angeles their permanent home, the girls are torn by longing for their roots.

Brenda Woods has written an evocative first novel about the importance of remembering your past, even as you move away from it.

Talkin' About Bessie: the Story of Aviator Elizabeth Coleman
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Nikki Grimes, E.B. Lewis (Illustrator)

ISBN: 0439352436
Format: Hardcover, 144pp
Pub. Date: October 2002
Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.

Soar along with Bessie Coleman in this inspirational tale of a woman whose determination reached new heights. Elizabeth "Bessie" Coleman was always being told what she could and couldn't do. In an era when Jim Crow laws and segregation were a way of life, it was not easy to survive. Bessie didn't let that stop her. Although she was only 11 when the Wright brothers took their historic flight, she vowed to become the first African-American female pilot.

Illustrator Award Winner

Talkin' About Bessie: The Story of Aviator Elizabeth Coleman
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Nikki Grimes, E.B. Lewis (Illustrator)

ISBN: 0439352436
Format: Hardcover, 144pp
Pub. Date: October 2002
Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.

Soar along with Bessie Coleman in this inspirational tale of a woman whose determination reached new heights. Elizabeth "Bessie" Coleman was always being told what she could and couldn't do. In an era when Jim Crow laws and segregation were a way of life, it was not easy to survive. Bessie didn't let that stop her. Although she was only 11 when the Wright brothers took their historic flight, she vowed to become the first African-American female pilot.

Honor Books:

Rap A Tap Tap: Here's Bojangles-Think of That
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Leo and Diane Dillion

ISBN: 0590478834
Format: Hardcover, 32pp
Pub. Date: July 2002
Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.

This simple book for young children tells the life story of a ground-breaking African-American tap dancer. Bill "Bojangles" Robinson was one of the most popular entertainers of the 1920s-30s. People said he "talked with his feet," and in the Dillons' graceful paintings of old New York, he dances from page to page to the tune of a toe-tapping rhyme.

Visiting Langston
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Bryan Collier (Illustrator), Willie Perdomo, Author

ISBN: 0805067442
Format: Hardcover, 32pp
Pub. Date: January 2002
Publisher: Henry Holt & Company, Incorporated
Edition Description: 1ST

A little girl and her father visit the house where acclaimed African-American poet Langston Hughes lived. A poet herself, the girl is thrilled. This beautifully illustrated story is a great introduction to the legendary writer.

"Today I'm going to wear
My favorite pink blouse
I'm going with my daddy
To visit Langston's house."

It's a special day when a little girl and her father go to visit the house where the great poet Langston Hughes lived-especially when the little girl is a poet herself!

This rhythmic tale is a wonderful introduction to the work and world of Langston Hughes, who was a central figure of the Harlem Renaissance and an American cultural hero.