ISBN: 0689822901 Format: Mass Market Paperback, 144pp Pub. Date: July 2000 (originally published August 1998) Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Edition Description: 1 ALADDIN Age Range: 12 and up
Winner of the 1999 Coretta Scott King Author Award. Marley has lived
in heaven with her parents and her brother for 12 years since the accident. She can't
imagine her life any other way, but she may have to. Does Marley have the perfect life, or
is her life the perfect lie?
What
makes a person who she is? Is it her name, the people she lives with, or is blood the only
link to identity? Marley, 14, suddenly plunges head first into these complex questions
when she discovers that the people she's been living with her entire life aren't her real
parents. Butchy is not her real brother, and her mysterious Uncle Jack, who has been
writing her short but beautiful letters for as long as she can remember, turns out to be
her real, very absent father. In spare, often poetic prose reminiscent of Patricia
MacLachlan's work, Johnson relates Marley's insightful quest into what makes a family. Her
extreme anger with her supposed parents, who turn out to be her aunt and uncle, for not
telling her the truth, for not being the perfect family that she'd always thought them to
be, wars with her knowledge that not even her friend Shoogy Maple's model family is as
perfect and beautiful as it seems. The various examples of "family" Marley
encounters make her question what's real, what's true, what makes sense, and if any of
that really matters as much as the love she continues to feel for her parents in spite of
their seeming betrayal. Johnson exhibits admirable stylistic control over Marley's
struggle to understand a concept that is often impossible to understand or even to define.
-- Linda Bindner, formerly at Athens Clarke County Library, Georgia
Gr
6-10 With exuberance, passion, perception, and wit, 14-year-old Jazmin Shelby
fills her notebook with glimpses of her life, neighborhood, family, and dreams in Harlem
in the 1960s. Rescued from a series of foster homes and makeshift living arrangements by
her older sister, CeCe, Jazmin draws strength and wisdom from her devoted sibling when
their alcoholic mother is institutionalized. Jazmin is an observer and a thinker. From her
apartment stoop, she savors the rhythm and blues that drifts out of the Garden of Eden Bar
& Grill next door and watches customers come and go. At school, she avoids a fight by
locking herself in the bathroom and scribbling her anger in verse. When a high-school
guidance counselor suggests pursuing a vocational career, Jazmin clings to her aspirations
of being a writer and demands a college-prep schedule. Despite her "second hand"
appearance, the girl's goals are high and her attitude is positive. The sadness in her
life comes from watching her gentle father die after a car crash and being unable to
connect with her troubled, aloof mother. However, Jazmin is resilient. Her lyrical journal
is a treasure of sensory observations, intellectual questioning, and moral
decision-making. Secondary readers will delight in her candor and imagination. Her gritty
determination to survive and succeed is inspiring and heartwarming.-Gerry Larson, Durham
Magnet Center, Durham, NC (School Library Journal)
Describes the
discovery and study of the African burial site found in Manhattan in 1991, while
excavating for a new building, and what it reveals about the lives of black people in
Colonial times.
Gr 5 Up The painstaking care with
which archaeologists unearthed graves from a rediscovered cemetery in 1991 is reflected in
the detailed research that frames this account of the African Burial Ground that has
become a National Historic Landmark in New York City. Men, women, and children of African
descent, both enslaved and free, have been a part of the city's history since the arrival
of the Dutch in 1623. Drawing on a variety of scholarly resources and primary-source
documents, Hansen and McGowan relate what is known about the experiences of the earliest
members of the black community in Manhattan. Through black-and-white photographs of
uncovered artifacts and reproductions of archival records and maps, a fascinating picture
emerges. As the narrative states, analysis of skeletal remains have shown the signs of
trauma caused by lives of hard labor, and in some cases perhaps, the effects of punishment
for resisting slavery. An excellent portrayal of how archaeology helps to re-create and
affirm the past.Janet Woodward, Garfield High School, Seattle, WA (School Library Journal)
Title: The
Other Side, The: Shorter Poems
Author: Angela Johnson (Click Title to order
on-line)
Publisher: Orchard Books
Date Published: September 1998 Format: Trade ClothGr 5-7 These verses by the
versatile African-American writer give readers glimpses at her years growing up in the
small town of Shorter, AL. Through prose poetry and colloquial speech, Johnson recalls
skinny-dipping, the soft Alabama breeze, dirt roads, and red dusty porches. She presents
vivid images-mothers stripping their children in the Wash-a-Teria to launder their
clothes; houses smelling of "cinnamon and dead flowers;" getting up enough nerve
to ask the secret of growing old. She touches on topics such as Vietnam, racism, and the
Black Panthers, but also recalls dancing in the woods with a "boom box blasting
through the trees." This slim volume just may open up increased awareness and
understanding about the way things were-and how they sometimes still are.-Sharon Korbeck,
Waupaca Area Public Library, WI (School Library Journal)
Author: Toyomi Igus, Michele Wood (Illustrator)
Publisher: Children's Book Press
Date Published: April 1998
Format: Perfect
A pictorial
timeline of African-American music from the 1500s to the 1990s. The text, made up of free
verse and music lyrics, incorporates different font sizes, shapes, and colors to underline
the mood of each genre. A chronology gives a historical perspective and a context for
young readers. It invites them to learn more, mentioning parallel historical events and
the well-known singers, songwriters, and recording artists of the time. The first three
double-page spreads, "Origins," "Slave Songs," and "Birth of the
Blues," seem purposely more subdued and somber. With ragtime, the joy of music
predominates. Through the eras of jazz, swing, bebop, cool jazz, gospel, rhythm and blues,
rock `n' roll, funk, rap, and hip hop, the music is the message. The repetition of "I
see" to open each genre gives the book an action and a rhythm particularly apt to its
subject. The colors of each full-page scenario underline the mood. Golds and blues
dominate the stained-glass scene from the gospel pages. A green-hued patchwork underscores
the scenes of rhythm and blues and soul music of the `60s. For cool jazz, broad stroked,
defined skyscrapers fill the deep blues of a night city sky as white or black text flies
at various angles against a gray-blue page. This book celebrates music with art and words
and successfully blends all three. -- Jane Marino, Scarsdale Public Library, New York
Author: Joyce Carol Thomas (Illustrator), Floyd Cooper
(Illustrator)
Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books
Date Published: May 1998
Format: Library Binding
K-Gr
4 All who gave their hearts to Brown Honey in Broomwheat Tea (HarperCollins,
1993) will have to clear a spot for I Have Heard of a Land. Thomas and Cooper shine again
in this powerful tribute to the African-American pioneers who participated in the Oklahoma
land runs of 1889 and 1893. This gem reveals some hidden facets as it singles out a lone
woman who hears of a place where she has only to "Lift up her feet running for the
land/As though running for her life/And in the running claim it," a place where
"Her possibilities reach as far/As her eyes can see/And as far as our imaginations
can carry us." Thomas's evocative poem is exalted by Cooper's warm, joyous, and
majestic paintings of people living out their dreams. The layout and design of the book
capture the expanse of the prairie with full double-page spreads and carefully placed
text. In an author's note, Thomas provides some historical and personal context. Both she
and Cooper demonstrate a love for the raw beauty of the land. Though good readers can
enjoy the book alone, this lyrical poem sings when read aloud.--Jody McCoy, Lakehill
Preparatory School, Dallas, TX (School Library Journal)
Author: Gavin Curtis, Earl B. Lewis
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's
Date Published: March 1998
Format: Perfect
Reginald is more
interested in practicing his violin than in his father's job managing the worst team in
the Negro Leagues, but when Papa makes him the bat boy and his music begins to lead the
team to victory, Papa realizes the value of his son's passion.
Gr
1-4 This picture book offers readers many things: an interesting look at life in
the Negro National Baseball League of the 1940s, a wonderfully delineated father-son
relationship, and a gentle advocacy of the sometimes intangible value of culture. Reginald
is serious about playing his violin but his father, who coaches "the worst team in
the Negro National League," the Dukes, believes his son would use his time more
wisely by serving as bat boy for the team. After a couple of humorous disasters, the child
becomes an unusual bat boy who plays his violin in the dugout to urge the players on,
while his father takes care of the equipment. Ultimately, the Dukes' success and
appreciation for Reginald's talents make his father alter his view of violin playing and
find pride in his son's achievements. Lewis's soft watercolor illustrations portray the
characters with depth and beauty, resulting in a very special book.--Judith
Constantinides, East Baton Rouge Parish Main Library, LA (School Library Journal)
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Jump At The Sun; 1st edition (April 29, 1998)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0786801786
ISBN-13: 978-0786801787
Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.8 x 0.3 inches
Grade Level: K and up
Awards, Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Books, Caldecott Honor Book
The award-winning author/illustrator team of Andrea Davis Pinkney and Brian
Pinkney--creators of the popular picture book "Alvin Ailey"--now present a
swinging, vibrant picture book about the jazz composer Edward Kennedy
Ellington, better known as "Duke" Author/illustrator publicity .
A brief recounting
of the career of this jazz musician and composer who, along with his orchestra, created
music that was beyond category.
A
royal introduction to the piano prince. Told in a swingy conversational tone and
highlighting the musician's childhood, early ragtime days, and stellar rise to popularity,
playing at the Cotton Club and, later, Carnegie Hall, this is a jazzy treat. It is rare to
find text that describes music so well. Phrases such as "sassy ride on his
cymbal," "musical stream," and "purple dash of brass" carry the
auditory experiences of the Duke's music right off the page. Young readers will find more
than just a few facts here. They will learn what Duke Ellington did for the jazz world,
how his music was played, and the legacy he left behind. Brian Pinkney's distinctive
scratchboard, gouache and oil paintings are a harmonious complement to Andrea Pinkney's
text. Bright, wild colors on soft neon backgrounds are beautifully balanced with
black-and-white highlights. It is the blending of words, symbols, and pictures that bring
this subject to life. A page of biographical information and impressive source notes
conclude the presentation. This book swings. Don't miss it. Beth Tegart, Oneida City
Schools, NY (School Library Journal)
Coretta Scott
King/John Steptoe Award for New Talent
Author: Sharon G. Flake Publisher: Hyperion Books for Children Date Published: August 1998 Format: Trade Cloth
Thirteen-year-old
Maleeka, uncomfortable because her skin is extremely dark, meets a new teacher with a
birthmark on her face and makes some discoveries about how to love who she is and what she
looks like.
Gr 6-8 Seventh-grader Maleeka
Madison is miserable when a new teacher comes to her depressed inner-city school. Miss
Saunders evidently is rich, self-assured in spite of the white birthmark across her black
skin, and prone to getting into kids' faces about both their behavior and their academic
potential. Black and bright, Maleeka is so swamped by her immediate problems that Miss
Saunders's attentions nearly capsize her stability. The girl's mother has just emerged
from a two-year period of intense mourning for her dead husband, during which time her
daughter has provided her with physical and moral support with no adult assistance. At
school, Maleeka endures mean-spirited teasing about the darkness of her skin and her
unstylish clothing. She seeks solace in writing an extended creative piece, at Miss
Saunders's instigation, and also in the company of a powerful clique of nasty girls. Told
in Maleeka's voice, this first novel bristles with attitude that is both genuine and
alarming. The young teen understands too well that her brains aren't as valuable as the
social standing that she doesn't have. In the end, she is able to respond positively to
Miss Saunders; she also becomes socially anointed through the affections of the most
popular boy in the school. This message rings true in spite of the fact that Maleeka's
salvation isn't exactly politically correct. Young teens will appreciate Flake's
authenticity and perhaps realize how to learn from Maleeka's struggle for security and
self-assurance.-Francisca Goldsmith, Berkeley Public Library, CA (School Library Journal)