39 Books Published by Abrams on AALBC — Book Cover Collage
Sandy Toes: A Summer Adventure
by Shauntay GrantAbrams Appleseed (Apr 25, 2023)
Read Detailed Book Description
From patchwork-quilt farmland to the winding red roads, from sandy beaches to the endless stars at night, Apples and Butterflies shows Prince Edward Island shining in the bright blue and gold light of fall. Shauntay Grant’s award-winning poetry and Tamara Thi baux Heikalo’s rich and wild illustrations pull the reader towards the wide-open space of the island. New softcover edition.
An Earth Song (Petite Poems)
by Langston HughesCameron Kids (Apr 18, 2023)
Read Detailed Book Description
Discover the power and joy of poetry in this simple, modern introduction to Langston Hughes, featuring an ode to spring and long-awaited new beginnings
In this illustrated adaptation of a beloved Langston Hughes poem, a child delights as the world around him awakens from winter and comes to life with the long-awaited arrival of spring and new beginnings of all kinds.
Lark & Kasim Start a Revolution
by Kacen CallenderAmulet Books (Sep 27, 2022)
Read Detailed Book Description
From National Book Award–winner Kacen Callender, a contemporary YA that follows Lark’s journey to speak the truth and discover how their own self-love can be a revolution
Lark Winters wants to be a writer, and for now that means posting on their social media accounts––anything to build their platform. When former best friend Kasim accidentally posts a thread on Lark’s Twitter declaring his love for a secret, unrequited crush, Lark’s tweets are suddenly the talk of the school—and beyond. To protect Kasim, Lark decides to take the fall, pretending they accidentally posted the thread in reference to another classmate. It seems like a great idea: Lark gets closer to their crush, Kasim keeps his privacy, and Lark’s social media stats explode. But living a lie takes a toll—as does the judgment of thousands of Internet strangers. Lark tries their best to be perfect at all costs, but nothing seems good enough for the anonymous hordes––or for Kasim, who is growing closer to Lark, just like it used to be between them …
In the end, Lark must embrace their right to their messy emotions and learn how to be in love.
After the Rain
by Nnedi OkoraforAbrams ComicArts (Jul 12, 2022)
Read Detailed Book Description
Nnedi Okorafor’s story of Chioma, a young Nigerian-American woman whose destiny is revealed during a furious rainstorm—now in paperback, with bonus content including Q&As with the creative team and never-before-seen art and designs!
After the Rain is an adaptation of Nnedi Okorafor’s short story, “On the Road.” The adaptation, written by John Jennings and illustrated by David Brame, begins in Nigeria during a powerful and unexpected storm. While visiting her grandmother, a young Nigerian-American woman named Chioma answers a knock at the door and is horrified by what she sees—a young boy with a severe head wound is standing on the doorstep.
When he touches Chioma, his hand burns like fire and just as suddenly as he arrived, he disappears. Her grandmother comes down to see what is wrong and chastises Chioma for opening the door for a stranger. Outside there are only footprints in the mud which vanish in the same manner as their owner.
This event sets off a chain of mysterious occurrences that become more and more terrifying. Chioma knows that something is wrong, and that the boy has “marked” her in some way… . Haunted and hunted, Chioma must embrace her heritage in order to survive.
It Was All a Dream: Biggie and the World That Made Him
by Justin TinsleyAbrams Press (May 10, 2022)
Read Detailed Book Description
From a talented young journalist on the rise, a deeply reported, timely new biography of the Notorious B.I.G., publishing for what would have been his 50th birthday
The Notorious B.I.G. was one of the most charismatic and talented artists of the 1990s. Born Christopher Wallace and raised in Clinton Hill/Bed Stuy, Brooklyn, Biggie lived an almost archetypal rap life: young trouble, drug dealing, guns, prison, a giant hit record, the wealth and international superstardom that came with it, then an early violent death. Biggie released his first record, Ready to Die, in 1994, when he was only 22. Less than three years later, he was killed just days before the planned release of his second record Life After Death.
Journalist Justin Tinsley’s It Was All a Dream is a fresh, insightful telling of the life beyond the legend. It is based on extensive interviews with those who knew and loved Biggie, including neighbors, friends, DJs, party promoters, and journalists. And it places Biggie’s life in context, both within the history of rap but also the wider cultural and political forces that shaped him, including Caribbean immigration, the Reagan era disinvestment in public education, street life, the war on drugs, mass incarceration, and the booming, creative, and influential 1990s music industry. This is the story of where Biggie came from, the forces that shaped him, and the legacy he has left behind.
The Eightfold Path
by Steven Barnes and Charles JohnsonAbrams ComicArts (Apr 12, 2022)
Read Detailed Book Description
From award-winning authors Charles Johnson and Steven Barnes comes a graphic novel anthology of interconnected Afrofuturistic parables inspired by the teachings of Buddha.
Eight strangers looking for enlightenment from an ancient spiritual teacher are trapped in a cave high in the mountains on their way to his temple. One of his acolytes directs them to each tell a story that the group can learn from as they wait out the horrible snowstorm that rages outside the cave’s entrance.
One by one the travelers each share a story that, unbeknownst to them, is actually a morality tale representing one of the aspects of final enlightenment as taught in Buddhism. As the wind howls through the night, they tell symbolic stories of horror, dystopia, high adventure, cyberpunk, and urban fantasy. Each story is a spoke on the symbolic Dharma wheel, and each interlocking tale gets the travelers closer to their true destiny—unveiling the future of the entire human race.
This remarkable collection borrows heavily from the traditions of pop-culture morality anthology series such as The Twilight Zone, The Outer Limits, Night Gallery, Lovecraft Country, and the publications of E.C. Comics. Heavily influenced by the science fiction pulps of the 1950s and 1960s, this brilliant collection remixes classic social narratives such as Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales, and The Arabian Nights, through an edgy, contemporary, yet spiritually centered lens. In The Eightfold Path, our destinies lie in heeding the lessons given in every one of these entrancing tales.
Music Is History
by QuestloveAbrams Image (Oct 12, 2021)
Read Detailed Book Description
Bestselling author and Sundance award-winning director Questlove offers a thrilling, music-driven ride through the last fifty years of American history.
Your Legacy: A Bold Reclaiming of Our Enslaved History
by Schele WilliamsAbrams Books for Young Readers (Sep 28, 2021)
Read Detailed Book Description
“A lovingly written, beautifully illustrated and stunningly timely book.”
— Jacqueline Woodson, National Book Award-winning author of Brown Girl Dreaming, MacArthur Fellow
A proud, empowering introduction to African American history that celebrates and honors enslaved ancestors
Your story begins in Africa.
Your African ancestors defied the odds and survived 400 years of slavery in America and passed down an extraordinary legacy to you.
Beginning in Africa before 1619, Your Legacy presents an unprecedentedly accessible, empowering, and proud introduction to African American history for children. While your ancestors’ freedom was taken from them, their spirit was not; this book celebrates their accomplishments, acknowledges their sacrifices, and defines how they are remembered—and how their stories should be taught.
Run: Book One
by John Lewis and Andrew AydinAbrams ComicArts (Aug 23, 2021)
Read Detailed Book Description
First you march, then you run. From the #1 bestselling, award–winning team behind March comes the first book in their new, groundbreaking graphic novel series, Run: Book One
“Run recounts the lost history of what too often follows dramatic change—the pushback of those who refuse it and the resistance of those who believe change has not gone far enough. John Lewis’s story has always been a complicated narrative of bravery, loss, and redemption, and Run gives vivid, energetic voice to a chapter of transformation in his young, already extraordinary life.” –Stacey Abrams
In sharing my story, it is my hope that a new generation will be inspired by Run to actively participate in the democratic process and help build a more perfect Union here in America.” –Congressman John Lewis
To John Lewis, the civil rights movement came to an end with the signing of the Voting Rights Act in 1965. But that was after more than five years as one of the preeminent figures of the movement, leading sit–in protests and fighting segregation on interstate busways as an original Freedom Rider. It was after becoming chairman of SNCC (the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee) and being the youngest speaker at the March on Washington. It was after helping organize the Mississippi Freedom Summer and the ensuing delegate challenge at the 1964 Democratic National Convention. And after coleading the march from Selma to Montgomery on what became known as “Bloody Sunday.” All too often, the depiction of history ends with a great victory. But John Lewis knew that victories are just the beginning. In Run: Book One, John Lewis and longtime collaborator Andrew Aydin reteam with Nate Powell—the award–winning illustrator of the March trilogy—and are joined by L. Fury—making an astonishing graphic novel debut—to tell this often overlooked chapter of civil rights history.
A Day for Rememberin’: Inspired by the True Events of the First Memorial Day
by Leah HendersonAbrams Books for Young Readers (May 11, 2021)
Read Detailed Book Description
A moving tribute to the little-known history behind the first Memorial Day, illustrated by Coretta Scott King Award winner Floyd Cooper
Inspired by true events and told through the eyes of a young boy, this is the deeply moving story about what is regarded as the first Memorial Day on May 1, 1865. Eli dresses up in his best clothes, Mama gathers the mayflowers, Papa straightens his hat, and together they join the crowds filling the streets of Charleston, South Carolina, with bouquets, crosses, and wreaths. Abolitionists, missionaries, teachers, military officers, and a sea of faces Black, Brown, and White, they march as one and sing for all those who gave their lives fighting for freedom during the Civil War.
With poignant prose and celebratory, powerful illustrations, A Day for Rememberin’ shines light on the little-known history of this important holiday and reminds us never to forget the people who put their lives on the line for their country. The book is illustrated by award-winning illustrator Floyd Cooper and includes archival photos in the back matter, as well as an author’s note, bibliography, timeline, and index.
Across the Tracks: Remembering Greenwood, Black Wall Street, and the Tulsa Race Massacre
by Alverne Ball and Stacey RobinsonAbrams ComicArts (May 04, 2021)
Read Detailed Book Description
One hundred years after the Tulsa Race Massacre, Across the Tracks is a celebration and memorial of Greenwood, Oklahoma
Above the Rim: How Elgin Baylor Changed Basketball
by Jen BryantAbrams Books for Young Readers (Oct 06, 2020)
Read Detailed Book Description
Winner of 2021 Orbis Pictus Award!
Raybearer
by Jordan IfuekoAmulet Books (Aug 18, 2020)
Read Detailed Book Description
The instant New York Times bestselling YA fantasy from incredible new talent Jordan Ifueko—perfect for fans of Tomi Adeyemi and Sabaa Tahir!
Changing the Equation: 50+ US Black Women in STEM
by Tonya BoldenAbrams Books for Young Readers (Mar 03, 2020)
Read Detailed Book Description
A celebratory and inspiring look at some of the most important black women in STEM.
Changing the Equation: 50+ US Black Women in STEM celebrates more than 50 women who have shattered the glass ceiling, defied racial discrimination, and pioneered in their fields. Award-winning author Tonya Bolden explores the black women who have changed the world of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering,and Mathematics) in America.
Changing the Equation provides an inside look at groundbreaking computer scientists, doctors, inventors, physicists, pharmacists, mathematicians, aviators, and many more. In these profiles, young readers will find role models, inspirations, and maybe even reasons to be the STEM leaders of tomorrow. These stories help young readers to dream big and stay curious. The book includes a glossary of education and career descriptions, endnotes, a bibliography, and an index.
Books about women in science and successful women of color are in demand. Changing the Equation is especially timely as we celebrate Women’s History Month in March.
A Ride to Remember: A Civil Rights Story
by Sharon LangleyAbrams Books for Young Readers (Mar 01, 2020)
Read Detailed Book Description
The true story of how a ride on a carousel made a powerful Civil Rights statement
A Ride to Remember tells how a community came together—both black and white—to make a change. When Sharon Langley was born in the early 1960s, many amusement parks were segregated, and African-American families were not allowed entry. This book reveals how in the summer of 1963, due to demonstrations and public protests, the Gwynn Oak Amusement Park in Maryland became desegregated and opened to all for the first time. Co-author Sharon Langley was the first African-American child to ride the carousel. This was on the same day of Martin Luther King Jr.’s March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Langley’s ride to remember demonstrated the possibilities of King’s dream. This book includes photos of Sharon on the carousel, authors’ notes, a timeline, and a bibliography.
Parable of the Sower A Graphic Novel Adaptation
by Octavia ButlerAbrams ComicArts (Jan 14, 2020)
Read Detailed Book Description
The follow-up to Kindred, the #1 bestseller, comes Octavia E. Butler’s groundbreaking dystopian novel
In this graphic novel adaptation of Octavia E. Butler’s Parable of the Sower, by Damian Duffy and John Jennings, the award-winning team behind the #1 bestseller Kindred: A Graphic Novel Adaptation, the author portrays a searing vision of America’s future. In the year 2024, the country is marred by unattended environmental and economic crises that lead to social chaos. Lauren Olamina, a preacher’s daughter living in Los Angeles, is protected from danger by the walls of her gated community. However, in a night of fire and death, what begins as a fight for survival soon leads to something much more: a startling vision of human destiny … and the birth of a new faith.
Overground Railroad: The Green Book and the Roots of Black Travel in America
by Candacy TaylorAbrams Press (Jan 07, 2020)
Read Detailed Book Description
The first book to explore the historical role and residual impact of the Green Book, a travel guide for black motorists
Published from 1936 to 1966, the Green Book was hailed as the "black travel guide to America." At that time, it was very dangerous and di cult for African-Americans to travel because black travelers couldn’t eat, sleep, or buy gas at most white-owned businesses. The Green Book listed hotels, restaurants, gas stations, and other businesses that were safe for black travelers. It was a resourceful and innovative solution to a horrific problem. It took courage to be listed in the Green Book, and Overground Railroad celebrates the stories of those who put their names in the book and stood up against segregation. It shows the history of the Green Book, how we arrived at our present historical moment, and how far we still have to go when it comes to race relations in America.
Feed Your Mind: A Story of August Wilson
by Jen BryantAbrams Books for Young Readers (Nov 12, 2019)
Read Detailed Book Description
A celebration of August Wilson’s journey from a child in Pittsburgh to one of America’s greatest playwrights
The 5 O’Clock Band
by Troy AndrewsAbrams Books for Young Readers (Jun 19, 2018)
Read Detailed Book Description
In this companion to the Caldecott Honor and Coretta Scott King Award–winning Trombone Shorty, join a scrappy young musician named Shorty on a tour of his beloved New Orleans. After letting his band down by missing rehearsal, Shorty has some serious questions about what it means to be a leader. He hits the streets of New Orleans to find some answers and soak up inspiration. Along the way he’ll meet street musicians, a favorite restaurant owner, and the famous Mardi Gras Indians. Each has some NOLA-bred wisdom to share with Shorty about being an artist, a leader, and a friend. In The 5 O’Clock Band, Troy Andrews has crafted another unforgettable love letter to New Orleans illustrated by the incomparable Bryan Collier.
Facing Frederick: The Life of Frederick Douglass, a Monumental American Man
by Tonya BoldenAbrams Books for Young Readers (Jan 09, 2018)
Read Detailed Book Description
Frederick Douglass (1818–1895) is best known for the telling of his own emancipation. But there is much more to Douglass’s story than his time spent enslaved and his famous autobiography. Facing Frederick captures the whole complicated, and at times perplexing, person that he was. Statesman, suffragist, writer, and newspaperman, this book focuses on Douglass the man rather than the historical icon.
Pathfinders: The Journeys of 16 Extraordinary Black Souls
by Tonya BoldenAbrams Books (Jan 10, 2017)
Read Detailed Book Description
Over the centuries, untold numbers of black men and women in America have achieved great things against the odds."Pathfinders"is a collective biography of sixteen diverse American men and women of African descent who made their mark on American history in the 18th to 20th centuries. People who dared to dream, take risks, and create goals not only for themselves, but for others and the betterment of their society, too. Award-winning author Tonya Bolden offers an insightful look at these figures, from Venture Smith, who bought his freedom; to Sadie Alexander, who contributed to the Civil Rights movement in the United States; to Katherine Johnson, who helped the United States land on the moon.
Among the incredible people in this nonfiction masterpiece are James Forten (1766 1842), a powder boy then prisoner of war during the Revolution, who grew up to be the captain of his own ship and one of Philadelphia s leading abolitionists and wealthiest citizen; Richard Potter (1783-1835), an accomplished magician, ventriloquist, and hypnotist who paved the way for other well-known entertainers like Harry Houdini; Paul Revere Williams (1894 1980), born poor and an orphan by age four, who became known as the Architect to the Stars (among them Danny Thomas); Jackie Ormes (1911 1985), who first made her mark as a cartoonist in the 1930s; and Katherine Johnson (1918), a mathematician and physicist whose calculations were key to the successful missions of astronauts Alan Shepard, John Glenn, and Neil Armstrong. Each evocative profile includes an enlightening look at the historical build up and several images ranging from paintings and photographs to primary documents. The book ends with endnotes, a timeline, a bibliography, and an index. Ideal for Black History Month and common core usage, this book will also find wide appeal year-round for curious minds looking to discover fascinating pieces of American History, as well as interesting career possibilities.
The book examines the lives of:
- Venture Smith, prince
- James Forten, entrepreneur
- Richard Potter, magician
- James McCune Smith, physician
- Mary Bowser, spy
- Allen Allensworth, town founder
- Clara Brown, pioneer
- Sissieretta Jones, concert singer
- Maggie Lena Walker, bank founder
- Charlie Wiggins, race car driver
- Eugene Bullard, combat pilot
- Oscar Micheaux, filmmaker
- Jackie Ormes, cartoonist
- Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander, economist and attorney
- Paul R. Williams, architect
- Katherine Coleman Goble Johnson, mathematician
Kindred: A Graphic Novel Adaptation
by Octavia ButlerAbrams ComicArts (Jan 10, 2017)
Read Detailed Book Description
Octavia E. Butler’s bestselling literary science-fiction masterpiece, Kindred, now in graphic novel format.
More than 35 years after its release, Kindred continues to draw in new readers with its deep exploration of the violence and loss of humanity caused by slavery in the United States, and its complex and lasting impact on the present day. Adapted by celebrated academics and comics artists Damian Duffy and John Jennings, this graphic novel powerfully renders Butler’s mysterious and moving story, which spans racial and gender divides in the antebellum South through the 20th century.
Butler’s most celebrated, critically acclaimed work tells the story of Dana, a young black woman who is suddenly and inexplicably transported from her home in 1970s California to the pre€“Civil War South. As she time-travels between worlds, one in which she is a free woman and one where she is part of her own complicated familial history on a southern plantation, she becomes frighteningly entangled in the lives of Rufus, a conflicted white slaveholder and one of Dana’s own ancestors, and the many people who are enslaved by him.
Held up as an essential work in feminist, science-fiction, and fantasy genres, and a cornerstone of the Afrofuturism movement, there are over 500,000 copies of Kindred in print. The intersectionality of race, history, and the treatment of women addressed within the original work remain critical topics in contemporary dialogue, both in the classroom and in the public sphere.
Frightening, compelling, and richly imagined, Kindred offers an unflinching look at our complicated social history, transformed by the graphic novel format into a visually stunning work for a new generation of readers.
This Land Is Our Land: A History of American Immigration
by Linda Barrett OsborneAbrams Books for Young Readers (Apr 12, 2016)
Read Detailed Book Description
A 2017 YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction finalist!
American attitudes toward immigrants are paradoxical. On the one hand, we see our country as a haven for the poor and oppressed; anyone, no matter his or her background, can find freedom here and achieve the “American Dream.” On the other hand, depending on prevailing economic conditions, fluctuating feelings about race and ethnicity, and fear of foreign political and labor agitation, we set boundaries and restrictions on who may come to this country and whether they may stay as citizens. This book explores the way government policy and popular responses to immigrant groups evolved throughout U.S. history, particularly between 1800 and 1965. The book concludes with a summary of events up to contemporary times, as immigration again becomes a hot-button issue. Includes an author’s note, bibliography, and index.
Trombone Shorty
by Troy AndrewsAbrams Books (Apr 14, 2015)
Read Detailed Book Description
Hailing from the Tremé neighborhood in New Orleans, Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews got his nickname by wielding a trombone twice as long as he was high. A prodigy, he was leading his own band by age six, and today this Grammy-nominated artist headlines the legendary New Orleans Jazz Fest.
Along with esteemed illustrator Bryan Collier, Andrews has created a lively picture book autobiography about how he followed his dream of becoming a musician, despite the odds, until he reached international stardom. Trombone Shorty is a celebration of the rich cultural history of New Orleans and the power of music.
Maritcha: A Nineteenth-Century American Girl
by Tonya BoldenAbrams Books (Mar 17, 2015)
Read Detailed Book Description
This Coretta Scott King Honor Book provides a much-needed window into a little-documented time in black history. The poignant story, based on the memoir of Maritcha Rémond Lyons, shows what it was like to be a black child born free and living in New York City in the mid-1800s.
Capital Days: Michael Shiner’s Journal and the Growth of Our Nation’s Capital
by Tonya BoldenAbrams Books for Young Readers (Jan 06, 2015)
Read Detailed Book Description
Capital Days introduces young readers to Washington, D.C., during the early to mid-19th century. Spanning more than 60 years, the story of Michael Shiner (c. 1804-1880) highlights a period of immense change in our country and its capital. Covering the burning of the city during the War of 1812, the rebuilding of the Capitol and White House, the raising of the Washington Monument, and on through the Civil War, the end of slavery, and numerous other "capital days," this book offers readers fresh insights and background on how our nation’s capital came to be. The book includes excerpts from Shiner’s diary, other primary sources, archival images, and a timeline.Much as she did in Maritcha and Searching for Sarah Rector, award-winning author Tonya Bolden expertly examines the intricacies of American history through the lens of one relatable person’s life.
Beautiful Moon: A Child’s Prayer
by Tonya BoldenAbrams Books (Nov 04, 2014)
Read Detailed Book Description
A young boy wakes. He has forgotten to say his prayers. Outside his window, a beautiful harvest moon illuminates the city around him and its many inhabitants. As the moon slowly makes its way across the heavens, the boy offers a simple prayer for the homeless, the hungry, and others.Critically acclaimed author Tonya Bolden teams up with award?winning illustrator Eric Velasquez to create a richly painted and emotionally complex book that celebrates prayer and kindness while recognizing the diversity of the world around us.
Separate Is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez and Her Family’s Fight for Desegregation
by Duncan TonatiuhAbrams Books (May 06, 2014)
Read Detailed Book Description
A 2015 Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor Book and a 2015 Robert F. Sibert Honor Book
Almost 10 years before Brown vs. Board of Education, Sylvia Mendez and her parents helped end school segregation in California. An American citizen of Mexican and Puerto Rican heritage who spoke and wrote perfect English, Mendez was denied enrollment to a “Whites only” school. Her parents took action by organizing the Hispanic community and filing a lawsuit in federal district court. Their success eventually brought an end to the era of segregated education in California.
Praise for Separate is Never Equal
STARRED REVIEWS
”Tonatiuh masterfully combines text and folk-inspired art to add an important piece to the mosaic of U.S. civil rights history.”
—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
“Younger children will be outraged by the injustice of the Mendez family story but pleased by its successful resolution. Older children will understand the importance of the 1947 ruling that desegregated California schools, paving the way for Brown v. Board of Education seven years later.”
—School Library Journal, starred review
“Tonatiuh (Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote) offers an illuminating account of a family’s hard-fought legal battle to desegregate California schools in the years before Brown v. Board of Education.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Pura BelprĂ© Award–winning Tonatiuh makes excellent use of picture-book storytelling to bring attention to the 1947 California ruling against public-school segregation.”
—Booklist
“The straightforward narrative is well matched with the illustrations in Tonatiuh’s signature style, their two-dimensional perspective reminiscent of the Mixtec codex but collaged with paper, wood, cloth, brick, and (Photoshopped) hair to provide textural variation. This story deserves to be more widely known, and now, thanks to this book, it will be.”
—The Horn Book Magazine
The Girl from the Tar Paper School: Barbara Rose Johns and the Advent of the Civil Rights Movement
by Teri KanefieldAbrams Books (Jan 07, 2014)
Read Detailed Book Description
 Before the Little Rock Nine, before Rosa Parks, before Martin Luther King Jr. and his March on Washington, there was Barbara Rose Johns, a teenager who used nonviolent civil disobedience to draw attention to her cause. In 1951, witnessing the unfair conditions in her racially segregated high school, Barbara Johns led a walkout—the first public protest of its kind demanding racial equality in the U.S.—jumpstarting the American civil rights movement. Ridiculed by the white superintendent and school board, local newspapers, and others, and even after a cross was burned on the school grounds, Barbara and her classmates held firm and did not give up. Her school’s case went all the way to the Supreme Court and helped end segregation as part of Brown v. Board of Education.
Searching For Sarah Rector: The Richest Black Girl In America
by Tonya BoldenAbrams Books (Jan 07, 2014)
Read Detailed Book Description
Sarah Rector was once famously hailed as ?the richest black girl in America.” Set against the backdrop of American history, her tale encompasses the creation of Indian Territory, the making of Oklahoma, and the establishment of black towns and oil-rich boomtowns.
Rector acquired her fortune at the age of eleven. This is both her story and that of children just like her: one filled with ups and downs amid bizarre goings-on and crimes perpetrated by greedy and corrupt adults. From a trove of primary documents, including court and census records and interviews with family members, author Tonya Bolden painstakingly pieces together the events of Sarah’s life and the lives of those around her.
The book includes a glossary, a bibliography, and an index.
Praise for Searching for Sarah Rector
STARRED REVIEWS
"This handsome volume with its many photographs is carefully sourced and has a helpful glossary, illustration credits and index. Bolden admirably tells a complex story while modeling outstanding research strategy, as her insightful author’s note attests."
—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
"This book will be extremely useful to teachers and librarians seeking material to align with Common Core State Standards dealing with the craft of writing of informational text."
—School Library Journal, starred review
"Bolden’s remarks on tracking down Sarah’s story will appeal to those who enjoy untangling historical mysteries."
—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
Twelve Days Of New York
by Tonya BoldenAbrams Books (Mar 12, 2013)
Read Detailed Book Description
When a group of students wins a trip to New York City, accompanied by their teacher, they aren’t sure where to start. Soon enough, they’re roaming the city, from the Statue of Liberty to Times Square, from Chinatown to Central Park, in order to discover what makes New York one of the greatest cities on Earth.
Structured like the popular song ?The Twelve Days of Christmas,” Tonya Bolden’s text captures the fun and fast-paced spirit of New York, while Gilbert Ford’s illustrations embody its dynamic beauty and odd quirks. The book includes a map of all five boroughs of the city highlighting kid-friendly places to see when you visit.
Praise for 12 Days of New York
"Ford’s illustrations, rendered in a variety of media including India ink, gouache, dyes and Photoshop, depict the city in bright, glowing tones that are cartoonlike but manage to capture the essence of the people and places."
?Kirkus Reviews
"Ford’s mixed-media art features chunky India ink outlines and a broad palette that portrays afternoon, twilight, indoor, and outdoor scenes with equal skill? While the venues are recognizable, the adventurous perspectives Ford uses gives them a welcome freshness."
?Publishers Weekly
"Richly colored cartoon illustrations, with a dialogue bubble here and there for added humor, depict the wide-eyed characters and their surroundings with a fair amount of detail without overwhelming? A jolly jaunt introducing a few classic Big Apple landmarks."
?Booklist
"Vibrant illustration."
?School Library Journal
Emancipation Proclamation: Lincoln And The Dawn Of Liberty
by Tonya BoldenAbrams Books (Jan 01, 2013)
Read Detailed Book Description
Published on the anniversary of when President Abraham Lincoln’s order went into effect, this book offers readers a unique look at the events that led to the Emancipation Proclamation. Filled with little-known facts and fascinating details, it includes excerpts from historical sources, archival images, and new research that debunks myths about the Emancipation Proclamation and its causes. Complete with a timeline, glossary, and bibliography, Emancipation Proclamation is an engrossing new historical resource from award-winning children’s book author Tonya Bolden.
Praise for Emancipation Proclamation:
FOUR STARRED REVIEWS
"A convincing, handsomely produced argument…"
—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
"Bolden makes excellent use of primary sources; the pages are filled with archival photos, engravings, letters, posters, maps, newspaper articles, and other period documents. Detailed captions and a glossary interpret them for today’s readers."
—School Library Journal, starred review
"The language soars, powerfully communicating not just the facts about the Emancipation Proclamation but its meaning for those who cared most passionately."
—Booklist, starred review
"Bolden tackles these questions in a richly illustrated overview of the lead-up to the Proclamation, organizing and reiterating information already familiar to many middle-schoolers, while introducing material that will probably be eye-opening to students who have taken their textbook’s version of history at face value."
—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, starred review
Award
School Library Journal Best Book of 2013
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books Blue Ribbons List 2013
Notable Children’s Books from ALSC 2014
2014 Carter G.Woodson Middle Level Book Award
The Oprah Winfrey Show: Reflections on an American Legacy
by Deborah DavisAbrams Books (Nov 15, 2011)
Read Detailed Book Description
The Oprah Winfrey Show came to an end on May 25, 2011, after 25 years on television. Arguably the most influential television personality of all time, Ms. Winfrey and her show have had an impact on American culture that cannot be overstated. This beautifully illustrated book will explore and celebrate the legacy of the show using essays and tributes from a stellar group of contributors including Maya Angelou, Bono, Ellen DeGeneres, Nelson Mandela, Toni Morrison, Julia Roberts, Maria Shriver, Gloria Steinem, John Travolta, and more. The book will feature photographs from the Harpo archive, spanning the 25 years the show has been on the air, including the farewell season.
Essays within the book will be dedicated to different themes (e.g., personal growth, social action, and literature) and will explore how the show has touched people’s lives and impacted the conversation around those issues. The essays will be followed by narrative text, which will guide the reader through the history of the show’s involvement with each topic and will include stories about the events, people, and organizations that have acted as touchstones or provided insights along the way. Accompanying the essays and narrative text will be images from the show, behind-the-scenes photographs, as well as signature portraits of the contributing celebrities taken by noted photographers.
The book will allow Oprah Winfrey Show fans to understand the broad cultural impact of the show, while revisiting favorite guests, episodes, and stories.
Praise for Oprah Winfrey Show: Reflections on an American Legacy:
“A lavish and loving tribute to the television personality, icon, and philanthropist makes a powerful case for Oprah’s centrality and influence on American culture… . The book shines when it … gives us, in its gorgeous photographs, behind-the-scenes glimpses of the empty studio, the primping process (with no fewer than three makeup artists), and the vast army of producers and writers behind Oprah’s magic.”
“A big, glossy paean to the queen of talk … A chance to relive the first twenty-five years of ‘aha’ moments.” —USA Today “[A] sumptuous tribute to the talk-show icon.” —Washington Post (A Best Book of 2011) “This is a perfect gift for any Oprah fan or anyone just looking for inspiration.” —Dallas Morning News
—Publishers Weekly
Around Our Way on Neighbors’ Day
by Tameka Fryer BrownAbrams Books for Young Readers (Aug 01, 2010)
Read Detailed Book Description
Neighbors gather on a hot summer day for a joyful block party: Kids play double Dutch; men debate at the barber shop and play chess; mothers and aunts cook up oxtail stew, collard greens, and other delicious treats; and friends dance and sway as jazz floats through the streets.
A rhythmic tale that celebrates the diversity of a close-knit community, Around Our Way on Neighbors’ Day will excite readers and prompt them to discover the magic of their own special surroundings.
My Friend Maya Loves To Dance
by Cheryl Willis HudsonAbrams Books (Apr 01, 2010)
Read Detailed Book Description
A young narrator tells readers about her friend Maya, who absolutely loves to dance. In this rhyming picture book, Maya attends a lively dance class. She can’t get enough of dance: the costumes, the grand entrances, the pirouettes, the music, the final bow, and the magic of recitals. She even loves the hard work of practice. But why doesn’t her friend dance, too? The pages themselves seem to dance, thanks to the charming verse of Cheryl Willis Hudson and the vibrant colors and motion of Eric Velasquez’s paintings.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw
by Jeff KinneyAbrams Books (Jul 01, 2009)
Read Detailed Book Description
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw
George Washington Carver
by Tonya BoldenAbrams Books (Jan 01, 2008)
Read Detailed Book Description
A Coretta Scott King Honor Award author offers a fresh look at this pioneering American innovator
Shampoo from peanuts? Wallpaper from clay? Ink from sweet potatoes? Discover Carver’s imagination and inspiration in this one-of-a-kind biography.
With imagination and intellect, George Washington Carver (1864–1934) developed hundreds of unexpected products from everyday plants. This book reveals what an exceptionally uncommon man Carver was: trailblazing scholar, innovative scientist, pioneering conservationist, and impassioned educator.
This book follows his life from slave and orphan to his college days as the first African American to attend Iowa State College (where he later taught), and on to his life and work in the field of agriculture. Illustrated with historical artifacts and photographs, the book traces Carver’s life, discoveries, and legacy.
Maritcha: A Nineteenth-Century American Girl
by Tonya BoldenAbrams Books (Sep 01, 2004)
Read Detailed Book Description
This Coretta Scott King Honor Book provides a much-needed window into a little-documented time in black history. The poignant story, based on the memoir of Maritcha Rémond Lyons, shows what it was like to be a black child born free and living in New York City in the mid-1800s.
Tell All The Children Our Story: Memories And Mementos Of Being Young And Black In America
by Tonya BoldenAbrams Books (Feb 01, 2002)
Read Detailed Book Description
The first book to trace growing up black in America In a warm, personal voice, Tonya Bolden explores what it has meant to be young and black in America. From the first recorded birth of a black child in Jamestown, through the Revolution, the Civil War, Reconstruction, and the fight for civil rights, right on up to our own time, Bolden brings to light how black children have worked and played, suffered and rejoiced. She covers a range of lifestyles, social classes, attitudes, and perceptions to portray children in ever-evolving states of life. Both unknown and celebrated children are included, from those remembered only from advertisements for the slave trade to those who would grow up to shape and make history, including Frederick Douglass, Benjamin Banneker, Sadie and Bessie Delany, Charles Johnson, and basketball legends Paula and Pamela McGee. This important book, the first trade book of its kind, draws on a wealth of primary sources, including interviews, diaries, news articles, and historical documents, and is generously illustrated with paintings, photographs, posters, and other ephemera.