During January we celebrate the
birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. This can be an opportunity to remember his
historic “I Have a Dream” speech. It can also be a time for reviewing our
country’s past and noting changes that move us toward a bright future. The
books below offer children and families a chance to spend time reading aloud
and talking together. Give your child the gift of time with you to wonder about
how the months ahead of us can be transformed by our current national
conversation.
Tea Cakes for Tosh by Kelly Starling Lyons
Illustrated by
E. B. Lewis
Putnam, $16.99
Interest Level: Junior Kindergarten – Grade 2
(This book may be
purchased from local and online booksellers.)
Tosh loved his grandma Honey’s
delicious golden tea cakes. She matches them with a memorable story from family
history. A plantation cook hides tea cakes in her pocket, to give her
grandchildren “a taste of sweet freedom.”
When
Honey’s memory begins to fail, Tosh decides to bake tea cakes to share with
her. Lyons lyrical text and easy dialog show the strong family ties between
generations.
Award
winning illustrator Lewis’ trademark watercolors match life-like paintings to
realistic language. Muted colors help the reader shift into the past, from
Honey’s colorful kitchen. This gentle tale emphasizes the importance of sharing
memories to strengthen family traditions. A recipe for tea cakes is included at
the back.
We March by Shane W. Evans
Roaring Brook Press,
$16.99
nterest Level: Junior Kindergarten – Grade 3
(This book is may be purchased from local and
online booksellers.)
A family wakens and prepares for
this march by attending church, painting signs and traveling by bus. They are
participants in the 1963 March on Washington. They walk, sing, and although hot
and tired, are hopeful.
The dusky colors of morning
brighten into the greens and blues of a golden August day. Brushstrokes add
detail, movement and depth. Although largely African American, the pictures
clearly reveal a rainbow of participants.
Additionally, illustrations show the
Washington Monument, where the march began. Also familiar is the Lincoln
Memorial where Martin Luther King Jr. spoke about his dream.
Using
few keenly chosen words and compelling images, Evans’ conveys a simple but
powerful story of why the march happened and how. A note from the author is at
the end.
Ellen’s Broom by Kelly Starling Lyons
Illustrated by
Daniel Minter
Putnam, $16.99
Interest Level: Junior Kindergarten – Grade 2
(This book may be purchased from local and online booksellers.)
This cheerful story set during
Reconstruction, celebrates the end of slavery. An announcement is made from the
church pulpit that former slaves can now register their marriages legally. As
part of the beginning of freedom, Ellen and her family join others in merry-making.
Minter’s beautiful hand painted
linoleum block prints show the tradition of “jumping the broom” – a ritual slaves
used at their weddings. Together, Ellen’s family walks to the courthouse to get
a legal marriage certificate. Mama holds the broom, through which Ellen has woven
flowers. Later, it is hung, with the certificate, above the home fireplace.
Brown faces, colorful clothing and
textures of stone and wood in the artwork glow with vitality. They link
emotional expression to the vibrant text and vivid dialog. Quieter colors show
scenes from slave times, as Papa explains why the broom was used.
An Author’s Note reveals how Lyons’
family history inspired this lively picture book.
ADDITIONAL HISTORICAL TALES
Belle, the Last Mule
at Gee’s Bend
by Calvin Alexander
Ramsey and Bettye Stroud, illustrated by John Holyfield
Candlewick Press,
$15.99
Interest Level: Grade 2 – Grade 3
(This book may be purchased from local and
online booksellers.)
Hope’s Gift
by Kelly Starling Lyons, illustrated by Don
Tate
Putnam, $16.99
Interest Level: Junior Kindergarten – Grade 2
(This book may be
purchased from local and online booksellers.)
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