Title:
Great
Books for African-American Children
(Click to Order On-line)
Author: Pamela Toussaint, Dutton
Publisher: NAL/Dutton
Date Published: February 1999
Format: Trade Paper
The Publisher:
By the time they finish high school, black children will have read countless books
featuring white heroes and heroines. It's a common experience for young children to color
these characters brown, wanting to see themselves as the protagonists of these stories.
Yet there are many wonderful books by and about African Americans that portray them in a
positive way, to build a child's self-esteem and to spur hopes, dreams, and imagination. Great
Books for African-American Children lists 250 of these books, which provide uplifting
and accurate images of African-American culture. Each entry includes:
* A one-paragraph review and plot description
* The value the book conveys
* The title and author's name, publisher, and price
Other special features include "Explore This" which has questions parents can
ask their children about a particular story, and indexes of books by title, by author, and
by the moral value each book teaches.
Library Journal:
Former Essence editor Toussaint has collected poetry, fiction, and nonfiction that reflect
a wide range of black experience, show sensitivity to black features in their
illustrations, and have a lesson or values to impart. For each age group, Toussaint
defines what children like in a book and includes advice about how to choose books.
Entries suggest ways to explore a story further. An author-devised code helps the user
determine what values the story reflects; an emphasis on Christian values--e.g.,
"God's protection," "covetousness"--may be objectionable to some
users. Helpful extras include a list of out-of-print titles, a bookstore directory, and a
section listing magazines, television shows, web sites, videos, and other sources that
promote reading and regularly include African Americans. Overall, a good purchase for
education and children's collections.
-- Glynys Thomas, Wheelock Coll. Lib., Boston