Arts
African Art
Duncan Clarke
1995 Crescent Books
Available from Crizmac
ISBN# 0-517-12080-1
This adult book shows the full range of African
art from sophisticated bronze sculpture to headdresses and from carved thrones
to colorful textiles. Eighty colored plates and informative text cover the
many art forms of each region of Africa.
African Crafts
Judith Corwin
1990 Franklin Watts
ISBN# 0-531-10846-5
Students can make masks, toys, and other African
crafts using simple household materials.
African Designs from Traditional Sources
Geoffrey Williams
1971 Dover Publications Inc.
Available from Dover Publications Inc.
ISBN# 0-486-22752-9
A collection of 200 African designs from textiles,
ornaments, tools, carvings, wall decorations and other art forms. Background
information is provided for each design.
African Punch-out Masks
A.G. Smith and Josie Hazen
1994 Dover
Available from Dover
ISBN# 0-486-27933-2
Six color, full-size masks from Africa including
a hyena mask from Mali and a Bakuba dance mask from the Congo.
Li'l Sis and Uncle Willie
Gwen Everett
1991 National Museum of American Art
ISBN# 0-8478-1462-9
This is the story of the life of African-American
artist William H. Johnson as his young niece might have told it. The illustrations
are reproductions of the Johnson's paintings.
Biography
Booker T. Washington: Leader and Educator
Patricia McKissack and Fredrick McKissack
1992 Enslow Publishers, Inc.
ISBN# 0-89490-314-4
A biography of the former slave who founded Tuskegee
University and was the most powerful African American leader at the turn
of the century.
Charlie Parker played be bop
Chris Raschka
1992 Orchard Books
ISBN# 0-531-08599-6
In this picture book about the jazz saxophone player,
Charlie Parker, the words swing and swim all over the page making music
in your mind.
Dinner at Aunt Connie's house
Faith Ringgold
1993 Hyperion Books for Children
ISBN# 1-56282-462-0
Melody and Lonnie find that the beautiful portraits
of twelve famous African-American women in the attic can speak!
Followers of the North Star: rhymes about
African heroes, heroines
Susan Altman and Susan Lechner
1993 Childrens Press
ISBN# 0-516-05151-2
A collection of poems about some of the historical
experiences of African Americans and prominent African Americans
George Washington Carver, scientist and teacher
Carol Greene
1992 Childrens Press
ISBN# 0-516-04250-5
This simply written text describes the life and
accomplishments of George Washington Carver, the former slave who became
a scientist and devoted his career to helping the South improve its agriculture.
Happy birthday, Martin Luther King
Jean Marzollo
1993 Scholastic Inc.
ISBN# 0-590-44065-9
This simply written biography of Martin Luther
King is richly illustrated by Brian Pinkney. Also available in big book
format from Scholastic.
Harriet Tubman, the road to freedom
Rae Bains
1982 Troll Associates
ISBN# 0-89375-760-8
This biography of Harriet Tubman tells of her life
as a slave, her flight to freedom, and her new life as a conductor on the
Underground Railroad.
Jesse Owens: Olympic star
Patricia McKissack and Fredrick McKissack
1992 Enslow Publishers, Inc.
ISBN# 0-89490-312-8
This biography of Jesse Owens describes the life
of the sharecroppers' son who became an Olympic legend and challenged Hitler's
dream of Aryan superiority.
Katherine Dunham: Black dancer
Carole Greene
1992 Childrens Press
ISBN# 0-516-04252-1
This biography of Katherine Dunham presents the
personal experiences and professional achievements of the dancer, choreographer,
and founder of the Dunham Dance Company.
Langston Hughes: Great American poet
Patricia McKissack and Fredrick McKissack
1992 Enslow Publishers, Inc.
ISBN# 0-89490-315-2
Simple text and illustrations describe the life
of the Harlem poet whose work gave voice to the joy and pain of the black
experience in America.
Let freedom ring: A ballad of Martin Luther
King
Myra Livingston
1992 Holiday House
ISBN# 0-8234-0957-0
A poetic treatment of Martin Luther King
and his dream.
Li'l Sis and Uncle Willie
Gwen Everett
1991 National Museum of American Art
ISBN# 0-8478-1462-9
This is the story of the life of African-American
artist William H. Johnson as his young niece might have told it. The illustrations
are reproductions of the Johnson's paintings.
Martin Luther King Day
Janet McDonnell
1993 Childrens Press
ISBN# 0-516-00687-8
Katie celebrates Martin Luther King Day with a
party, where she shares with relatives and friends what her grandfather
has told her about the great man whom the holiday honors. Includes related
crafts and activities.
Martin Luther King Day
Linda Lowery
1987 Carolrhoda Books, Inc.
ISBN# 0-87614-299-4
Briefly recounts the life of the black minister
who devoted his life to civil rights and discusses the national holiday
in his name.
Martin Luther King, Jr.: A man who changed
things
Carol Greene
1989 Children Press
ISBN# 0-516-04205-x
A simple biography of Martin Luther King, Jr. illustrated
with an extensive selection of color photographs of his life and key events
in the Civil Rights Movement.
Martin Luther King, Jr.: Man of peace
Patricia McKissack and Fredrick McKissack
1991 Enslow Publishers, Inc.
ISBN# 0-89490-302-0
Simple text and illustrations describe the life
and accomplishments of this revered civil rights leader.
Mary Church Terrell: Leader of equality
Patricia McKissack
1991 Enslow Publishers, Inc
ISBN# 0-89490-305-5
Simple text and illustrations describe the life
and accomplishments of this civil rights activist.
Mary McLeod Bethune
Patricia McKissack and Frederick McKissack
1992 Childrens Press
ISBN# 0-516-06658-7
This biography of Mary McLeod Bethune traces the
life and achievements of the black educator who fought bigotry and sought
equality for blacks in the areas of education and political rights.
Mary McLeod Bethune
Carol Greene
1993 Childrens Press
ISBN# 0-516-04255-6
This simply written text traces the life and achievements
of Mary McLeod Bethune, the black educator who was instrumental in creating
opportunities for blacks in education and government.
Michael Jordan, a team player
Rita Petrucelli
1989 Rourke Enterprises
ISBN# 0-86592-428-7
This biography follows the life of Michael Jordan,
the high-scoring Chicago Bulls basketball player who could not get on his
high school team because he was too short. Includes advice on setting and
reaching goals.
My first Martin Luther King book
Dee Lillegard
1987 Childrens Books
ISBN# 0-516-02908-8
Relates the story of Martin Luther King Jr. in
simple rhyme.
Picture book of Frederick Douglass, A
David Adler
1993 Holiday House
ISBN# 0-8234-1002-1
The biography of Frederick Douglass who, after
escaping slavery, became an orator, writer, and leader in the abolitionist
movement in the nineteenth century.
Picture book of Harriet Tubman, A
David Adler
1992 Holiday House
ISBN# 0-8234-0926-0
This biography of Harriet Tubman describes her
escape from slavery and her life as a conductor on the Underground Railroad.
Picture book of Jesse Owens, A
David Adler
1992 Holiday House
ISBN# 0-8234-0966-X
A simple biography of Jesse Owens, the noted black
track star who competed in the 1936 Berlin Olympics.
Picture book of Martin Luther King, Jr.,
A
David Adler
1989 Holiday House
ISBN# 0-8234-0770-5
A brief, illustrated, biography of the Baptist
minister and civil rights leader whose philosophy and practice of nonviolent
civil disobedience helped American blacks win equal rights.
Ragtime Tumpie
Alan Schroeder
1989 Little, Brown and Company
ISBN# 0-316-77497-9
Tumpie, a young black girl who will become famous
as the dancer Josephine Baker, longs to find the opportunity to dance amid
the poverty and street life of St. Louis in the early 1900s.
Satchel Paige: The best arm in baseball
Patricia McKissack and Fredrick McKissack
1992 Enslow Publishers, Inc.
ISBN# 0-89490-317-9
This biography describes the life of Satchel Paige
who although unable to play major league baseball due to segregation for
many years, became the first black pitcher in the American League.
Young Martin's promise
Walter Myers and Alex Haley
1993 Raintree Steck-Vaughn Publishers
ISBN# 0-8114-7210-8
Relates events in Martin Luther King, Jr.'s childhood
which sowed the seeds for his activism for equal rights for people, regardless
of their color.
Civil Rights
Movement
Happy birthday, Martin Luther King
Jean Marzollo
1993 Scholastic Inc.
ISBN# 0-590-44065-9
This simply written biography of Martin Luther
King is richly illustrated by Brian Pinkney. Also available in big book
format from Scholastic.
Let freedom ring: A ballad of Martin Luther
King
Myra Livingston
1992 Holiday House
ISBN# 0-8234-0957-0
A poetic treatment of Martin Luther King and his
dream.
Martin Luther King Day
Janet McDonnell
1993 Childrens Press
ISBN# 0-516-00687-8
Katie celebrates Martin Luther King Day with a
party, where she shares with relatives and friends what her grandfather
has told her about the great man whom the holiday honors. Includes related
crafts and activities.
Martin Luther King Day
Linda Lowery
1987 Carolrhoda Books, Inc.
ISBN# 0-87614-299-4
Briefly recounts the life of the black minister
who devoted his life to civil rights and discusses the national holiday
in his name.
Martin Luther King, Jr.: A man who changed
things
Carol Greene
1989 Children Press
ISBN# 0-516-04205-x
A simple biography of Martin Luther King, Jr. illustrated
with an extensive selection of color photographs of his life and key events
in the Civil Rights Movement.
Martin Luther King, Jr.: Man of peace
Patricia McKissack and Fredrick McKissack
1991 Enslow Publishers, Inc.
ISBN# 0-89490-302-0
Simple text and illustrations describe the life
and accomplishments of this revered civil rights leader.
Mary Church Terrell: Leader of equality
Patricia McKissack
1991 Enslow Publishers, Inc
ISBN# 0-89490-305-5
Simple text and illustrations describe the life
and accomplishments of this civil rights activist.
Mary McLeod Bethune
Patricia McKissack and Frederick McKissack
1992 Childrens Press
ISBN# 0-516-06658-7
This biography of Mary McLeod Bethune traces the
life and achievements of the black educator who fought bigotry and sought
equality for blacks in the areas of education and political rights.
Mary McLeod Bethune
Carol Greene
1993 Childrens Press
ISBN# 0-516-04255-6
This simply written text traces the life and achievements
of Mary McLeod Bethune, the black educator who was instrumental in creating
opportunities for blacks in education and government.
My first Martin Luther King book
Dee Lillegard
1987 Childrens Books
ISBN# 0-516-02908-8
Relates the story of Martin Luther King Jr. in
simple rhyme.
Picture book of Martin Luther King, Jr.,
A
David Adler
1989 Holiday House
ISBN# 0-8234-0770-5
A brief, illustrated, biography of the Baptist
minister and civil rights leader whose philosophy and practice of nonviolent
civil disobedience helped American blacks win equal rights.
Wishing chair, The
Rick Dupre
1993 Carolrhoda Books, Inc.
ISBN# 0-87614-774-0
Eldon comes to know the true power of the wishing
chair at Granny Thelma's as he listens to her stories about the civil rights
workers whose pictures hang above the chair.
Young Martin's promise
Walter Myers and Alex Haley
1993 Raintree Steck-Vaughn Publishers
ISBN# 0-8114-7210-8
Relates events in Martin Luther King, Jr.'s childhood
which sowed the seeds for his activism for equal rights for people, regardless
of their color.
Counting
Feast for 10
Cathryn Falwell
1993 Clarion Books
ISBN# 0-395-62037-6
In this counting book the numbers from one to ten
are used to tell how members of a family shop and work together to prepare
a meal.
Moja means one: Swahili counting book
Muriel Feelings
1971 Dial Books for Young Readers
ISBN# 0-8037-5777-8
A Swahili counting book that familiarizes children
with some basic aspects of East African life.
Ten, nine, eight
Molly Bang
1983 Scholastic
Available from Scholastic
ISBN# 0-590-73313-3
A rhyming counting book with warm images of a young
African American girl's home and the story her father tells to soothe her
for bedtime. Presented in big book format.
Dance
Jonathan and his mommy
Irene Smalls
1992 Little, Brown and Company
ISBN# 0-316-79870-3
As a mother and son explore their neighborhood,
they try various ways of walking - from giant steps and reggae steps to
crisscross steps and backward steps.
Red dancing shoes
Denise Patrick
1993 Tambourine Books
ISBN# 0-688-10392-8
Delighted with her shiny new red shoes, a little
girl dances through town to show them off to everyone she knows.
Dress and
Adornment
Cornrows
Camille Yarbrough
1979 Coward-McCann, Inc.
ISBN# 0-698-30750-X
This story explains how the hairstyle of cornrows,
a symbol of Africa since ancient times, can today in this country symbolize
the courage of outstanding Afro-Americans.
East Africa
Bringing the rain to Kapiti Plain
Verna Aardema
1981 Dial Books for Young Readers
ISBN# 0-8037-0807-6
A terrible drought comes to Kapiti Plain and threatens
the lives of the animals that live there. Fortunately, a clever herdsman
named Ki-pat finds a way of bringing down the rain in this traditional tale
from Kenya, Africa. Book and cassette format available from Scholastic.
I am eyes: Ni macho
Leila Ward
1978 Scholastic Inc.
ISBN# 0-590-40990-5
A girl celebrates morning in Kenya by naming all
the plants and animals she sees. Also available in big book format.
Jambo means hello: A Swahili alphabet book
Muriel Feelings
1974 Dial Books for Young Readers
ISBN# 0-8037-4350-5
This alphabet book introduces significant Swahili
cultural symbols.
Masai and I
Virginia Kroll
1992 Macmillan Publishing Company
ISBN# 0-02-751165-0
An African American girl who lives in a U.S. city
learns about East Africa and the Masai in school and imagines what her life
might be like if she were Masai.
Moja means one: Swahili counting book
Muriel Feelings
1971 Dial Books for Young Readers
ISBN# 0-8037-5777-8
A Swahili counting book that familiarizes children
with some basic aspects of East African life.
Orphan boy
Tololwa Mollel
1990 Clarion Books
ISBN# 0-89919-985-2
This tale from the Masai explains why the planet
Venus is known to the Masai as Kileken, the orphan boy. An old man adopts
an orphan boy who appears from the sky and becomes insatiably curious about
the boy's mysterious powers.
Sungura and leopard: A Swahili trickster
tale
Barbara Knutson
1993 Little, Brown and Company
ISBN# 0-316-50010-0
A small but clever hare and a fierce leopard agree
to share a house, but as the hare's family grows, he realizes that he must
find a way to get rid of his bad-tempered neighbor.
Traveling to Tondo: A tale of the Nkundo
of Zaire
Verna Aardema
1991 Alfred A. Knopf
ISBN# 0-679-90081-0
On his way to his wedding, with his animal friends
as attendants, a civet cat listens to his friends and meets extraordinary
and unexpected delays.
Where are you going, Manyoni?
Catherine Stock
1993 Morrow Junior Books
ISBN# 0-688-10353-7
A child living near the Limpopo River in Zimbabwe
encounters several wild animals on her way to school.
Family Life
in Africa
At the crossroads
Rachel Isadora
1991 Greenwillow Books
ISBN# 0-688-05271-1
South African children gather to welcome home their
fathers who have been away for several months working in the mines.
It takes a village
Jane Cowen-Fletcher
1994 Scholastic
Available from Scholastic
ISBN# 0-590-72928-4
A young boy, Kokou wanders away from his sister
and is cared for by many members of his village. This story is drawn from
the African proverb, "It takes a village to raise a child." Presented
in big book format.
Jafta's father
Hugh Lewin
1983 Carolrhoda Books, Inc.
ISBN# 0-87614-209-9
While his father works in the city during the winter,
Jafta thinks of the good times they've shared and looks forward to his father's
return to their South African home in the spring.
Jafta's mother
Hugh Lewin
1983 Carolrhoda Books, Inc.
ISBN# 0-87614-208-0
Jafta, a South African boy, describes his mother
and the love he feels for her.
Family Life in America
All the colors of the race
Arnold Adoff
1982 Lothrop
ISBN# 0-688-00880-1
A collection of poems written from the point of
view of an interracial child with a black mother and a white father.
Aunt Flossie's hats (and crab cakes later)
Elizabeth Howard
1991 Clarion Books
ISBN# 0-395-54682-6
Sarah and Susan share tea, cookies, crab cakes,
and stories about hats when they visit their favorite relative, Aunt Flossie.
Clean your room Harvey Moon
Pat Cummings
1991 Bradbury Press
ISBN# 0-02-725511-5
In this book of rhyme, Harvey tackles a big job
- cleaning his room.
Everett Anderson's 1-2-3
Lucille Clifton
1977 Henry Holt and Company
ISBN# 0-8050-2310-0
As Everett's mother considers remarriage, Everett
considers the numbers one, two, and three - sometimes they're lonely, sometimes
crowded, but sometimes just right.
Feast for 10
Cathryn Falwell
1993 Clarion Books
ISBN# 0-395-62037-6
In this counting book the numbers from one to ten
are used to tell how members of a family shop and work together to prepare
a meal.
Grandpa's face
Eloise Greendfield
1988 Philomel Books
ISBN# 0-399-21525-5
Seeing her beloved grandfather making a mean face
while he rehearses for one of his plays, Tamika becomes afraid that someday
she will lose his love and he will make a mean face at her.
I remember "121"
Francine Haskins
1991 Children's Book Press
ISBN# 0-89239-100-6
Francine fondly remembers all her adventures at
"121", her childhood home.
Patchwork quilt, The
Valerie Flournoy
1985 Dial Books for Young Readers
ISBN# 0-8037-0097-0
Using scraps cut from the family's old clothing,
Tanya helps her grandmother make a beautiful quilt that tells the story
of her family's life.
Tell me a story, Mama
Angela Johnson
1992 Orchard Books
ISBN# 0-531-07032-8
A young girl and her mother remember together all
their favorite stories about the mother's childhood.
Ten, nine, eight
Molly Bang
1983 Scholastic
Available from Scholastic
ISBN# 0-590-73313-3
A rhyming counting book with warm images of a young
African American girl's home and the story her father tells to soothe her
for bedtime. Presented in big book format.
Things I like about grandma
Francine Haskins
1992 Children's Book Press
ISBN# 0-89239-107-3
An African American girl tells of her daily activities
with her grandmother.
When I am old with you
Angela Johnson
1990 Orchard Books
ISBN# 0-531-08484-1
A child imagines being old with granddaddy and
joining him in such activities as playing cards all day, visiting the ocean,
and eating bacon on the porch.
Fiction -
African
At the crossroads
Rachel Isadora
1991 Greenwillow Books
ISBN# 0-688-05271-1
South African children gather to welcome home their
fathers who have been away for several months working in the mines.
Darkness and the butterfly
Ann Grifalconi
1987 Little, Brown and Company
ISBN# 0-316-32863-4
Small Osa is fearless during the day, climbing
trees or exploring the African valley where she lives, but at night she
becomes afraid of the strange and terrifying night.
Desert December
Dorian Haarhoff
1991 Clarion Books
ISBN# 0-395-61300-0
A South African boy makes a long journey through
the desert to join his parents in a mining village. He reaches them on Christmas
Day just in time to see his new baby sister.
Fortune-Tellers
Floyd Alexander
1992 Dutton Children's Books
ISBN# 0-525-44849-7
A carpenter goes to a fortune-teller and finds
the predictions about his future come true in an unusual way.
Galimoto
Karen Lynn Williams
1990 Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Books
ISBN# 0-688-08790-6
Walking through his village, a young African boy
finds the materials to make a special toy, a galimoto.
Jafta's father
Hugh Lewin
1983 Carolrhoda Books, Inc.
ISBN# 0-87614-209-9
While his father works in the city during the winter,
Jafta thinks of the good times they've shared and looks forward to his father's
return to their South African home in the spring.
Jafta's mother
Hugh Lewin
1983 Carolrhoda Books, Inc.
ISBN# 0-87614-208-0
Jafta, a South African boy, describes his mother and the love he feels for
her.
Old, old man and the very little boy
Kristine Franklin
1992 Athenaeum
ISBN# 0-689-31735-2
As he listens to Old Father's stories each day,
a little boy asks if Old Father has ever been young, but only after he has
grown old himself does he understand Old Father's answer.
Osa's pride
Ann Grifalconi
1990 Little, Brown and Company
ISBN# 0-316-32865-0
Osa's grandmother tells her a tale about the sin
of pride and helps Osa gain a better perspective on what things are important.
Fiction -
African American
Amazing Grace
Mary Hoffman
1991 Dial Books for Young Readers
ISBN# 0-8037-1040-2
Although classmates say that she cannot play Peter
Pan in the school play because she is black and a girl, Grace discovers
that she can do anything she sets her mind to do.
Aunt Flossie's hats (and crab cakes later)
Elizabeth Howard
1991 Clarion Books
ISBN# 0-395-54682-6
Sarah and Susan share tea, cookies, crab cakes,
and stories about hats when they visit their favorite relative, Aunt Flossie.
Aunt Harriet's underground railroad in the
sky
Faith Ringgold
1992 Crown Publishers
ISBN# 0-517-58767-x
With Harriet Tubman as her guide, Cassie retraces
the steps escaping slaves took on the Underground Railroad in order to reunite
with her younger brother.
Aunt Martha and the golden coin
Anita Rodriguez
1993 Clarkson Potter Publishers
ISBN# 0-517-59337-8
After telling the neighborhood children about a
magical coin she had found as a child living in the South, Aunt Martha uses
the coin's power to scare away a burglar.
Back home
Gloria Jean Pinkney
1992 Dial Books for Young Readers
ISBN# 0-8037-1169-7
Eight-year-old Ernestine returns to visit relatives
on the North Carolina farm where she was born.
Barber's cutting edge
Gwendolyn Battle-Laverrt
1994 Children's Book Press
ISBN# 0-89239-127-8
Rashaad gets his hair cut by the best barber in
town who also teaches him the joy of learning new words.
Ben's trumpet
Rachel Isadora
1991 Mulberry Books
ISBN# 0-688-10988-8
Ben wants to be a trumpeter, but plays only an
imaginary instrument until one of the musicians in a neighborhood night
club discovers his ambition.
Bigmama's
Donald Crews
1991 Greenwillow Books
ISBN# 0-688-09951-3
Visiting Bigmama's house in the country, young
Donald finds his relatives full of news and the old place and its surroundings
just the same as the year before.
Billy the great
Rosa Guy
1991 Delacorte Press
ISBN# 0-385-30666-0
Billy's parents try to plan his life for him, including
his choice of friends, but he has ideas of his own. Soon Billy, an African
American boy, and Rod, an Anglo boy, are close friends and their fathers
might be too.
Black snowman
Phil Mendez
1989 Scholastic Inc.
ISBN# 0-590-40552-7
Through the powers of a magical kente cloth a black
snowman comes to life and helps young Jacob discover the beauty of his black
heritage as well as his own self-worth.
Carolina shout!
Alan Schroeder
1995 Dial Books for Young Readers
ISBN# 0-8037-1676-1
The songs of the street vendors and melodies in
the voices of the people of Charleston, South Carolina are captured in this
fictional account of a young girl discovering her city.
Cherries and cherry pits
Vera Williams
1986 Greenwillow Books
ISBN# 0-688-05146-4
Bidemmi draws pictures and tells stories that always
end with somebody eating cherries and getting rid of the pits. The last
story she tells is about how cherries grow from the pits.
Chita's Christmas tree
Elizabeth Howard
1989 Bradbury Press
ISBN# 0-02-744621-8
Papa and Chita leave downtown Baltimore in a buggy
to find a Christmas tree in the deep woods.
Clean your room Harvey Moon
Pat Cummings
1991 Bradbury Press
ISBN# 0-02-725511-5
In this book of rhyme, Harvey tackles a big job
- cleaning his room.
Cornrows
Camille Yarbrough
1979 Coward-McCann, Inc.
ISBN# 0-698-30750-X
This story explains how the hairstyle of cornrows,
a symbol of Africa since ancient times, can today in this country symbolize
the courage of outstanding Afro-Americans.
Dinner at Aunt Connie's house
Faith Ringgold
1993 Hyperion Books for Children
ISBN# 1-56282-462-0
Melody and Lonnie find that the beautiful portraits
of twelve famous African-American women in the attic can speak!
Drinking gourd, The
F. N. Monjo
1970 HarperCollins Publishers
ISBN# 0-06-024330-9
A young boy and his father help a family of slaves
escape to freedom via the underground railroad.
Follow the drinking gourd
Jeanette Winter
1988 Alfred A. Knopf
ISBN# 0-394-99694-1
By following the directions in a song, "The
Drinking Gourd," runaway slaves find their way north along the Underground
Railroad to freedom in Canada.
Goggles!
Ezra Keats
1987 Aladdin Books
ISBN# 0-689-71157-3
Two boys must outsmart the neighborhood bullies
before they can enjoy their new treasure.
Half a moon and one whole star
Crescent Dragonwagon
1986 Macmillan Publishing Company
ISBN# 0-02-733120-2
The summer night is full of wonderful sounds and
scents as Susan falls asleep.
I like me!
Deborah Coker
1995 Western Publishing Company, Inc.
ISBN# 0-307-11438-4
A young African American girl takes great joy in
listing all the wonderful things about herself.
Jamal and the angel
Anita Rodriguez
1992 Clarkson Potter/Publishers
ISBN# 0-517-59115-4
Jamal, a little boy from the inner city, gets the
guitar he longs for with the help of his guardian angel, Benjamin.
Kinda blue
Ann Grifalconi
1993 Little, Brown and Company
ISBN# 0-316-32869-3
Sissy feels lonely and blue until her uncle Dan
cheers her up by explaining that everything, even corn, needs special attention
every now and then.
Mary had a little lamb
Sarah Hale
1990 Scholastic
Available from Scholastic
ISBN# 0-590-72755-9
This old, familiar rhyme is brought to life with
vivid photographs of Mary, an African American girl, and her little lamb.
Presented in big book format.
Max found two sticks
Brian Pinkney
1994 Simon & Schuster Books
ISBN# 0-671-78776-4
Although he doesn't feel like talking, a young
boy responds to questions by drumming on various objects including a bucket,
hat boxes, and garbage cans.
Million fish ... more or less
Patricia McKissack
1992 Alfred A. Knopf
ISBN# 0-679-90692-4
A boy learns that the truth is often stretched
on the Bayou Clapateaux, and gets the chance to tell his own version of
a bayou tale when he goes fishing.
Mirandy and Brother Wind
Patricia McKissack
1988 Alfred A. Knopf
ISBN# 0-394-98765-9
To win first prize in the Junior Cakewalk, Mirandy
tries to capture the wind for her partner. Also available in book/cassette
format.
More stories Julian tells
Ann Cameron
1986 Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
ISBN# 0-395-45991-5
Julian's at it again with a book full of interesting
stories - stories about sending bottles down the river with special messages,
frogs wearing shoes, and the fun of having a best friend.
Patchwork quilt, The
Valerie Flournoy
1985 Dial Books for Young Readers
ISBN# 0-8037-0097-0
Using scraps cut from the family's old clothing,
Tanya helps her grandmother make a beautiful quilt that tells the story
of her family's life.
Red dancing shoes
Denise Patrick
1993 Tambourine Books
ISBN# 0-688-10392-8
Delighted with her shiny new red shoes, a little
girl dances through town to show them off to everyone she knows.
Regina's big mistake
Marissa Moss
1990 Houghton Mifflin Company
ISBN# 0-395-55330-X
When told to draw a jungle in art class, Regina
experiences feelings of failure and insecurity, but she manages to create
a beautiful picture that's all her own.
Rosie and the yellow ribbon
Paula DePaolo
1992 Little, Brown and Company
ISBN# 0-316-18100-5
Although it was her favorite hair ribbon, Rosie
learns that her friendship with Lucille means more to her than the missing
yellow ribbon.
Snowy day, The
Ezra Keats
1962 Scholastic
Available from Scholastic
ISBN# 0-590-73323-0
Keats captures the irresistible lure of new fallen
snow for children who wake up to find their world transformed by it. Presented
in big book format.
Stevie
John Steptoe
1969 HarperCollins Publishers
ISBN# 0-06-025764-4
Robert isn't too sure about having Stevie come
live with him for awhile, but gradually he begins to find out that Stevie
isn't so bad after all.
Stories Julian tells
Ann Cameron
1981 Pantheon Books
ISBN# 0-394-84301-0
A "chapter book" for third graders and
a great read aloud for younger children, the stories of Julian's adventures
will amuse all. Eating the leaves from a young fig tree and ordering cats
from a catalogue are only a few of Julian's stories.
Tar beach
Faith Ringgold
1991 Crown Publishers, Inc.
ISBN# 0-517-58030-6
A young girl dreams of flying above her Harlem
home, claiming all she sees for herself and her family. The story is based
on the author's quilt painting of the same name. Available in big book format
from Scholastic.
Tell me a story, Mama
Angela Johnson
1992 Orchard Books
ISBN# 0-531-07032-8
A young girl and her mother remember together all
their favorite stories about the mother's childhood.
What I want to be
P. Mignon Hinds
1995 Western Publishing Company, Inc.
ISBN# 0-307-11439-2
Maya's discoveries in an old trunk in the attic
lead her to imagine all the possible things she might be when she grows
up.
Whistle for Willie
Ezra Jack Keats
1984 Puffin Books
ISBN# 0-14-050202-5
This is a story about how Willie learns to whistle.
Wild wild sunflower child Anna
Nancy White Carlstrom
1987 Aladdin Books - Macmillan Publishing Company
ISBN# 0-689-71445-9
Spending a day outdoors, Anna revels in the joys
of the sun, sky, grass, flowers, berries, frogs, ants, and beetles.
Wishing chair, The
Rick Dupre
1993 Carolrhoda Books, Inc.
ISBN# 0-87614-774-0
Eldon comes to know the true power of the wishing chair at Granny Thelma's
as he listens to her stories about the civil rights workers whose pictures
hang above the chair.
Folktales
- African
Abiyoyo
Pete Seeger
1986 Macmillan Books for Young Readers
ISBN# 0-02-781490-4
Folk singer Pete Seeger used as ancient South African folk tale as the source
for this book. The tale tells of a monster named Abiyoyo who eats people.
When Abiyoyo threatens a village, a young boy and his father conquer the
monster in a clever and creative way. Available in book/cassette and big
book format from Scholastic.
Anansi finds a fool
Verna Aardema
1992 Dial Books for Young Readers
ISBN# 0-8037-1164-6
Lazy Anansi the spider seeks to trick someone into doing the heavy work
of laying his fish trap, but instead he is fooled into doing the job himself.
Anansi goes fishing
Eric Kimmel
1992 Holiday House
ISBN# 0-8234-0918-X
Anansi the spider plans to trick Turtle into catching a fish for his dinner,
but Turtle proves to be smarter and ends up with a free meal. The tale also
explains the origin of spider webs.
Anansi the spider: A tale from the Ashanti
Gerald McDermott
1972 Henry Holt and Company
ISBN# 0-8050-0310-X
Anansi wants to award a great globe of light to one of his sons but he can't
decide which one deserves it. Then the Great God of All Things takes it
and places it in the sky for all to see.
Anansi's narrow waist
(Let Me Read Collection)
David Diaz
1994 GoodYearBooks
ISBN# 0-673-36200-0
This African folktale explains how spiders came
to have narrow waists and eight legs.
Bringing the rain to Kapiti Plain
Verna Aardema
1981 Dial Books for Young Readers
ISBN# 0-8037-0807-6
A terrible drought comes to Kapiti Plain and threatens the lives of the
animals that live there. Fortunately, a clever herdsman named Ki-pat finds
a way of bringing down the rain in this traditional tale from Kenya, Africa.
Book and cassette format available from Scholastic.
Cow-tail switch and other West African
stories, The Harold Courlander and
George Herzog
1974 Henry Holt and Company
ISBN# 0-8050-0298-X
This collection of West African folktales tells
of animals and hunters, kings and warriors, good people and bad people,
and about how things and animals got to be how they are.
Fire children: A West African creation tale
Eric Maddern
1993 Dial Books for Young Readers
ISBN# 0-8037-1477-7
A retelling of the West African tale about the creation of the world and
all its different peoples including an explanation of the reason people
have different skin colors.
Gift of the Nile: An ancient Egyptian legend
(Legends of the World)
Jan Mike
1993 Troll Associates
ISBN# 0-8167-2813-5
During a magical boat ride on the Nile, Mutemwia proves that her love for
the Pharaoh is a gift of the heart and needs no cage to hold it.
Honey hunters, The
Francesca Martin
1992 Candlewick Press
ISBN# 1-56402-086-X
An African folktale in which various animals peacefully follow a honey guide
bird, but find that sharing the honey among themselves causes problems.
How night came from the sea : a story from
Brazil
Mary-Joan Gerson
1994 Little Brown and Company
ISBN# 0-316-30855-2
An African sea goddess brings the gift of night to the land of daylight,
thus permitting rest for the workers under Brazil's hot sun.
How many spots does a leopard have? And other
tales
Julius Lester
1989 Scholastic Inc.
ISBN# 0-590-41973-0
An illustrated collection of twelve folktales, ten African and two Jewish.
How the leopard got his spots
Rudyard Kipling
1989 Rabbit Ears Productions, Inc.
Available from Rabbit Ears Productions, Inc.
ISBN# 0-88708-112-6
In this book/cassette combination Danny Glover
narrates the Kipling tale about how the leopard acquired spots in order
to survive. The musical accompaniment is provided by Ladysmith Black Mambazo.
Koi and the kola nuts
Brian Gleeson
1992 Rabbit Ears Productions, Inc.
Available from Rabbit Ears Productions, Inc.
ISBN# 0-88708-281-5
Whoppi Goldberg and Herbie Hancock provide the
narration and musical accompaniment for this African folktale of a chief's
son who, when cheated of his rightful inheritance, uses a bunch of kola
nuts to gain a happy new life. Book and cassette format available.
Mufaro's beautiful daughters: An African
tale
John Steptoe
1987 Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Books
ISBN# 0-688-04046-2
Mufaro's two beautiful daughters, one bad-tempered,
one kind and sweet, go before the king who is choosing a wife.
Oh, Kojo! How could you!
Verna Aardema
1984 Dial Books for Young Readers
ISBN# 0-8037-0006-7
This Ashanti tale relates how a young man named Kojo finally gets the better
of the evil trickster, Ananse.
Orphan boy
Tololwa Mollel
1990 Clarion Books
ISBN# 0-89919-985-2
This tale from the Masai explains why the planet
Venus is known to the Masai as Kileken, the orphan boy. An old man adopts
an orphan boy who appears from the sky and becomes insatiably curious about
the boy's mysterious powers.
Princess who lost her hair: An Akamba legend
(Legends of the World)
Tololwa Mollel
1993 Troll Associates
ISBN# 0-8167-2815-1
The efforts of a kind-hearted beggar boy bring an end to the drought that
has plagued the kingdom of a haughty princess.
Rabbit makes a monkey of lion
Verna Aardema
1989 Dial Books for Young Readers
ISBN# 0-8037-0298-1
With the help of her friends Bush-Rat and Turtle, Rabbit makes a fool of
the mighty but slow-witted king of the forest.
Spider and the Sky God: An Akan legend
(Legends of the World)
Deborah Chocolate
1993 Troll Associates
ISBN# 0-8167-2811-9
Anansi the Spider uses trickery to capture the
four prizes demanded by the Sky God in payment for his stories.
Story - a story: An African tale
Gail Haley
1970 Athenaeum
ISBN# 0-689-20511-2
This is a story about how stories came to be. Ananse,
the Spider man, wanted to buy some of the Sky God's stories and spun a web
up to the sky to go and bargain with him. How Ananse paid the price is told
in a clever text with woodcut illustrations.
Story of lightning and thunder
Ashley Bryan
1993 Athenaeum
ISBN# 0-689-31836-7
In this retelling of a West African tale, Ma Sheep
Thunder and her impetuous son, Ram Lightning, are forced to leave their
home on Earth when Ram causes trouble.
Sungura and leopard: A Swahili trickster
tale
Barbara Knutson
1993 Little, Brown and Company
ISBN# 0-316-50010-0
A small but clever hare and a fierce leopard agree
to share a house, but as the hare's family grows, he realizes that he must
find a way to get rid of his bad-tempered neighbor.
Traveling to Tondo: A tale of the Nkundo
of Zaire
Verna Aardema
1991 Alfred A. Knopf
ISBN# 0-679-90081-0
On his way to his wedding, with his animal friends
as attendants, a civet cat listens to his friends and meets extraordinary
and unexpected delays.
Village of round and square houses
Ann Grifalconi
1986 Little, Brown and Company
ISBN# 0-316-32862-6
A grandmother explains to her listeners why in
their village, on the side of a volcano, the men live in square houses and
the women in round ones.
Vingananee and the tree toad
Verna Aardema
1983 Warne & Co. Inc.
ISBN# 0-7232-6217-9
In this Liberian folktale, the spider and his friends
live happily until they encounter the dreadful Vingananee. The day is saved
by a tiny friend.
Why mosquitoes buzz in people's ears
Verna Aardema
1975 Dial Books for Young Readers
ISBN# 0-8037-6087-6
A tall tale of an act that sets off a chain reaction
that ends in jungle disaster - Mother Owl refuses to hoot and wake the sun.
Why the sky is far away: A Nigerian folktale
Mary-Joan Gerson
1992 Little, Brown and Company
ISBN# 0-316-30852-8
According to this Nigerian folktale, the sky was
once so close to the earth that people cut parts of it to eat, but their
waste and greed caused the sky to move far away.
Zomo the rabbit: A trickster tale from West
Africa
Gerald McDermott
1992 Harcourt Brace & Company
ISBN# 0-15-299967-1
Zomo the rabbit, an African trickster, sets out to gain wisdom.
Folktales
- African American
John Henry
Julius Lester
1994 Dial Books
ISBN# 0-8037-1606-0
This richly illustrated book retells the life of
John Henry, the legendary African-American hero who raced against a steam
drill to cut through a mountain.
Flossie and the fox
Patricia McKissack
1986 Dial Books for Young Readers
ISBN# 0-8037-0251-5
A wily fox notorious for stealing eggs meets his
match when he encounters a bold little girl in the woods who insists upon
proof that he is a fox before she will be frightened.
Sukey and the mermaid
Robert San Souci
1992 Four Winds Press
ISBN# 0-02-778141-0
Unhappy with her life at home, Sukey receives kindness
and wealth from Mama Jo the mermaid.
Talking eggs, The
Robert San Souci
1989 Dial Books for Young Readers
ISBN# 0-8037-0620-0
A southern folktale in which kind Blanche, following
the instructions of an old witch, gains riches while her greedy sister makes
fun of the old woman and is duly rewarded.
Gold Cadillac
Mildred D. Taylor
1987 Dial Books for Young Readers
ISBN# 0-8037-0343-0
Two black girls living in the North are proud of
their family's beautiful new Cadillac until they take it on a visit to the
South and encounter racial prejudice for the first time.
Happy birthday, Addy! A springtime story
Connie Porter
1994 Pleasant Company Publishers Inc.
ISBN# 1-56247-081-7
Trying to shape a new life of freedom in Philadelphia
after having been a slave, Addy finds inspiration from a new friend. An
appendix to the story provides historical information on the lives of African
American children during slavery and after the Civil War.
Hundred penny box, the
Sharon Mathis
1975 Viking
ISBN# 0-670-38787-8
Michael's love for his great-great-aunt who lives
with them leads him to intercede with his mother who wants to toss out all
her old things.
Jazz man
Mary Hays Weik
1966 Aladdin Books
ISBN# 0-689-71767-9
9-year-old Zeke, who lives in Harlem, listens to
the music coming from the jazz musician's piano across the court and escapes
for a while from the harsh realities that worry him.
John Brown, One man against slavery
Gwen Everett
1993 Rissoli
ISBN# 0-8478-1702-4
In this work of historical fiction, Annie Brown
tells of her father, John Brown, and the raid on the U.S. Government arsenal
at Harper's Ferry, Virginia, in 1859 that electrified the nation and brought
it closer to civil war. Illustrations from Jacob Lawrence's "John Brown"
series bring the story alive.
Joshua's Masai mask
Dakari Hru
1993 Lee & Low Books Inc.
ISBN# 1-880000-02-4
Fearing that his classmates will ridicule him playing
the kalimba in the school talent show, Joshua uses a magical Masai mask
to transform himself into a more interesting person.
Justin and the best biscuits in the world
Mildred Pitts Walter
1986 Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Books
ISBN# 0-688-06645-3
An African-American boy visits his grandfather's
ranch and enjoys riding his favorite horse and going to the rodeo.
Meet Addy: An American girl
Connie Porter
1993 Pleasant Company
ISBN# 1-56247-075-2
In this first of a series of six books, nine-year-old
Addy Walker escapes from a life of slavery to freedom during the Civil War.
An appendix to the story includes historical information about the lives
of African Americans during slavery.
Million fish ... more or less
Patricia McKissack
1992 Alfred A. Knopf
ISBN# 0-679-90692-4
A boy learns that the truth is often stretched
on the Bayou Clapateaux, and gets the chance to tell his own version of
a bayou tale when he goes fishing.
Mirandy and Brother Wind
Patricia McKissack
1988 Alfred A. Knopf
ISBN# 0-394-98765-9
To win first prize in the Junior Cakewalk, Mirandy
tries to capture the wind for her partner.
More stories Julian tells
Ann Cameron
1986 Alfred A. Knopf
ISBN# 0-394-96969-3
Julian's at it again with a book full of interesting
stories - stories about sending bottles down the river with special messages,
frogs wearing shoes, and the fun of having a best friend.
Philip Hall likes me. I reckon maybe.
Bette Greene
1974 Dell Publishing
ISBN# 0-440-45755-6
The author has caught the warm atmosphere of rural
Arkansas and the spunky personality of a black sixth-grade girl possessed
by a affection for her class rival Philip Hall.
Phoebe the spy
Judith Griffin
1977 Scholastic Inc.
ISBN# 0-590-42432-7
Phoebe, a free black girl in New York, is given
a very important job to do during the American Revolution. Her father asks
her to become a spy and uncover a plot to kill General George Washington.
Righteous revenge of Artemis Bonner
Walter Dean Myers
1992 HarperCollins
ISBN# 0-06020846-5
Fifteen-year-old Artemis journeys from New York
City to Tombstone, Arizona, in 1882, to avenge the murder of his uncle and
find the gold mine his uncle sketched from memory on his deathbed. This
humorous novel takes the reader on a wild romp through the Old West.
River that gave gifts: an Afro American story
Margo Humphrey
1987 Children's Books Press
ISBN# 0-89239-027-1
Four children each make their own special gift
to the beloved elder woman of the town.
Seminole diary: remembrances of a slave
Dolores Johnson
1994 Macmillan Publishing Company
ISBN# 0-02-747848-3
Libbie, a young African-American slave, escapes
from a plantation in 1834 and goes south to Florida to join the Seminole
Indian tribe.
Shimmershine queens, The
Camille Yarbrough
1989 G. P. Putnam's Sons
ISBN# 0-399-21465-8
Two fifth graders try to uplift themselves and
their classmates out of a less than beautiful urban present by encouraging
dreams and the desire to achieve them.
Song of the trees
Mildred Taylor
1975 Dial Books for Young Readers
ISBN# 0-8037-5453-1
During the depression Cassie's mother is forced
to sell the giant old trees that surround their home. One by one they are
chopped down until her father comes home and takes a stand to save Cassie's
beloved trees.
Sounder
William Armstrong
1969 HarperCollins Publishers
ISBN# 0-06-020144-4
This Newbery Award winning classic is the story
of a black sharecropper in Louisiana during the depression whose life is
changed forever when he is caught stealing to feed his family. His dog,
Sounder, is wounded in the incident and waits faithfully for his master
to come home.
Stevie
John Steptoe
1969 HarperCollins Publishers
ISBN# 0-06-025764-4
Robert isn't too sure about having Stevie come
live with him for awhile, but gradually he begins to find out that Stevie
isn't so bad after all.
Stories Julian tells
Ann Cameron
1981 Pantheon Books
ISBN# 0-394-84301-0
A "chapter book" for third graders and
a great read aloud for younger children, the stories of Julian's adventures
will amuse all. Eating the leaves from a young fig tree and ordering cats
from a catalogue are only a few of Julian's stories.
Tar beach
Faith Ringgold
1991 Crown Publishers, Inc.
ISBN# 0-517-58030-6
This story quilt combines narrative, autobiography,
painting and quilting to tell the story of eight-year-old Cassie who flies
for freedom from her rooftop tar "beach." The story is based on
the author's quilt painting of the same name. Also available in big book
format from Scholastic
Wood-Hoopoe Willie
Virginia Kroll
1992 Charlesbridge Publishing
ISBN# 0-88106-409-2
An African-American boy dreams of creating rhythms
with instruments from Africa like the ones his grandfather describes. Finally
at the Kwanzaa festival he gets his chance.
Food and Food
Preparation
Cooking the African way
Constance Nabwire and Bertha Vining
Montgomery
1988 Lerner Publications Company
ISBN# 0-8225-0919-9
Easy cookbook of East and West African recipes
including descriptions of special ingredients, utensils, menus, and the
cultural origins of the food.
Feast for 10
Cathryn Falwell
1993 Clarion Books
ISBN# 0-395-62037-6
In this counting book the numbers from one to ten
are used to tell how members of a family shop and work together to prepare
a meal.
Friendship
Billy the great
Rosa Guy
1991 Delacorte Press
ISBN# 0-385-30666-0
Billy's parents try to plan his life for him, including
his choice of friends, but he has ideas of his own. Soon Billy, an African
American boy, and Rod, an Anglo boy, are close friends and their fathers
might be too.
Everett Anderson's friend
Lucille Clifton
1992 Henry Holt and Company
ISBN# 0-8050-2246-5
Having eagerly anticipated the new neighbors, a
boy is disappointed to get a whole family of girls.
Goggles!
Ezra Keats
1987 Aladdin Books
ISBN# 0-689-71157-3
Two boys must outsmart the neighborhood bullies
before they can enjoy their new treasure.
Rosie and the yellow ribbon
Paula DePaolo
1992 Little, Brown and Company
ISBN# 0-316-18100-5
Although it was her favorite hair ribbon, Rosie learns that her friendship
with Lucille means more to her than the missing yellow ribbon.
Stevie
John Steptoe
1969 HarperCollins Publishers
ISBN# 0-06-025764-4
Robert isn't too sure about having Stevie come
live with him for awhile, but gradually he begins to find out that Stevie
isn't so bad after all.
Identity
Black snowman
Phil Mendez
1989 Scholastic Inc.
ISBN# 0-590-40552-7
Through the powers of a magical kente cloth a black
snowman comes to life and helps young Jacob discover the beauty of his black
heritage as well as his own self-worth.
Brown angels: An album of pictures and verse
Walter Myers
1993 HarperCollins Publishers
ISBN# 0-06-022918-7
This collection of poems with accompanying photographs
of African American children celebrates the beauty and joy of "brown
angels" in verse with the rhythms and language of African American
English.
Joshua's Masai mask
Dakari Hru
1993 Lee & Low Books Inc.
ISBN# 1-880000-02-4
Fearing that his classmates will ridicule him playing
the kalimba in the school talent show, Joshua uses a magical Masai mask
to transform himself into a more interesting person.
Kwanzaa
Celebrating Kwanzaa
Diane Hoyt-Goldsmith
1993 Holiday House
ISBN# 0-8234-1048-X
Text and photographs depict how a Chicago family
celebrates the African American holiday, Kwanzaa.
Habari gani? - What's the news?: A Kwanzaa
story
Sundaira Morninghouse
1992 Open Hand Publishing Inc.
ISBN# 0-940880-39-3
A family celebrates each day of Kwanzaa.
Imani's gift at Kwanzaa
Denise Burden-Patmon
1992 Simon & Schuster Books for Young Children
ISBN# 0-671-79841-3
Imani's grandmother explains the traditions of
Kwanzaa and together they prepare for the special day. Imani takes what
she has learned to heart as she makes a special gift, or zawadi, for a new
friend.
Seven candles for Kwanzaa
Andrea Pinkney
Dial Books for Young Readers
ISBN# 0-8037-1293-6
Describes the origins and practices of Kwanzaa,
the seven-day festival during which African Americans celebrate in their
ancestral values.
Military
761st Tank Battalion: African-American Soldiers
Kathryn Pfeifer
1994 Twenty-First Century Books
ISBN# 0-8050-3057-3
The story of the first black armored unit to be
committed to combat in World War II. These "Black Panthers" were
engaged in a continuous 183 days of combat. In 1978, President Carter awarded
them the long overdue Presidential Unit Citation.
Benjamin Davis, Jr.
Catherine Reef
1992 Twenty-first Century Books
ISBN# 0-8050-2137-x
Examines the life of Benjamin Davis, Jr., the first
black man to graduate from West Point in the twentieth century, who pursued
his chosen course of a military career despite the prejudice against him.
Civil war soldiers
Catherine Reef
1993 Twenty-First Century Books
ISBN# 0-8050-2371-2
Describes the crucial role played by African-American
soldiers in securing victory for the Union in the Civil War. Illustrated
with archival photographs and prints.
Colin Powell
Catherine Reef
1992 Twenty-First Century Books
ISBN# 0-8050-2136-1
Traces the life and career of Colin Powell, the
African American Army general who was appointed National Security Advisor
by Ronald Reagan and became the country's first black chairman of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff in 1989. Illustrated with photographs.
Flying free: America's first black aviators
Philip S. Hart and Reeve Lindbergh
1992 Lerner Publications Company
ISBN# 0-8225-1598-9
Surveys the history of black aviators, from the
early black aviation communities in Los Angeles and Chicago in the 1920s
through World War II to modern times.
Henry O. Flipper
(African American Soldiers)
Kathryn Pfeifer
1993 Twenty-First Century Books
ISBN# 0-8050-2351-8
Examines the life of the first African-American
graduate of West Point, Henry Flipper, including his dishonorable discharge
from the Army which was reversed nearly 100 years later.
Shaka, King of the Zulus
Diane Stanley and Peter Vennema
1988 Morrow Junior Books
ISBN# 0-688-07343-3
A biography of Shaka, the powerful nineteenth-century
military genius and Zulu chief.
Music
Carolina shout!
Alan Schroeder
1995 Dial Books for Young Readers
ISBN# 0-8037-1676-1
The songs of the street vendors and melodies in
the voices of the people of Charleston, South Carolina are captured in this
fictional account of a young girl discovering her city.
From Miss Ida's porch
Sandra Belton
1993 Four Winds Press
ISBN# 0-02-708915-0
In the evening the residents of Church Street gather
on Miss Ida's porch to share memories and hear stories about events in the
past, events significant to them as black people. the main characters in
most of the stories are Duke Ellington and Marian Anderson.
Janet Jackson
D.L. Mabery
1988 Lerner Publications Company
ISBN# 0-8225-1618-7
A biography of Janet Jackson, who is not only Michael
Jackson's sister, but a strong singing talent on her own. Illustrated with
color photographs.
Jazz man
Mary Hays Weik
1966 Aladdin Books
ISBN# 0-689-71767-9
9-year-old Zeke, who lives in Harlem, listens to
the music coming from the jazz musician's piano across the court and escapes
for a while from the harsh realities that worry him.
Jazz stars
(Profiles of Great Black Americans)
Richard Rennert (Ed.)
1994 Chelsea House
ISBN# 0-7910-2059-2
A collection of biographies on the lives of eight
black men and women whose artistry transformed popular music and made jazz
one of America's greatest cultural achievements.
Let's get the rhythm of the band
C Mattox
1994 JTG of Nashville
ISBN# 0-938971-97-2
An introduction to the history of African-American
music including the talking drums of ancestral Africa, spirituals, gospel,
ragtime, blues, jazz and rap. The book and cassette include the musical
notation and lyrics in addition to background information on each song.
Shake it to the one that you love the best
Cheryl Warren Mattox
1989 JTG of Nashville
ISBN# 0-9623381-0-9
This book and cassette combination includes children's
play songs and lullabies from the African American musical tradition. The
book provides musical notation and lyrics for the songs.
What I had was singing: The story of Marian
Anderson
Jeri Ferris
1994 Carolrhoda Books, Inc.
ISBN# 0-87614-818-6
A biography of Marian Anderson whose passion for
singing and the beauty of her voice captured all listeners.
Wood-Hoopoe Willie
Virginia Kroll
1992 Charlesbridge Publishing
ISBN# 0-88106-409-2
An African-American boy dreams of creating rhythms
with instruments from Africa like the ones his grandfather describes. Finally
at the Kwanzaa festival he gets his chance.
North Africa
Gift of the Nile: An ancient Egyptian legend
Jan Mike
1993 Troll Associates
ISBN# 0-8167-2813-5
During a magical boat ride on the Nile, Mutemwia
proves that her love for the Pharaoh is a gift of the heart and needs no
cage to hold it.
Peoples and
Countries of Africa
Afro-Bets first book about Africa: An introduction
for young readers
Veronica Ellis
1989 Just Us Books
ISBN# 0-940975-03-3
The history, geography and arts of Africa are introduced
to young readers in a story form in this informative social studies book.
Photographs, drawings and maps illustrate the text.
Ashanti to Zulu: African traditions
Margaret Musgrove
1976 Dial Books
ISBN# 0-14-054604-9
This alphabet book includes depicts the life and
customs of twenty-six different peoples of Africa.
Justin and the best biscuits in the world
Mildred Pitts Walter
1986 Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Books
ISBN# 0-688-06645-3
An African-American boy visits his grandfather's
ranch and enjoys riding his favorite horse and going to the rodeo.
Learning to Swim in Swaziland
Nila Leigh
1993 Scholastic
ISBN# 0-590-45938-4
An eight-year-old girl's journal describes her
experiences living in the southern African country of Swaziland for a year. | 
