Henry’s Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad by Ellen Levine and illustrations by Kadir Nelson is the last book that I’ll be spotlighting for Black History Month. First, just take a look at that cover! Oh my. What a beautiful book, what beautiful illustrations. It’s the type of book that you know [...]
Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Kadir Nelson is a 2007 Caldecott Honor book and won the Coretta Scott King Award for illustration. This picture book tells the story of Harriet Tubman, who born into slavery, escapes to freedom in the North. Once there she becomes [...]
Letters from a Slave Girl, The Story of Harriet Jacobs by Mary E. Lyons is based upon Harriet Jacob’s own 1861 autobiography entitled Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl. Harriet Jacobs was born into slavery, it was the only life that she knew. When her mistress, Margaret Horniblow, who taught Harriet to read [...]
The Slave Dancer by Paula Fox, is a 1974 Newbery Medal winner. Set in 1840, 13 year old Jessie Bollier lives a simple but relatively safe childhood. He plays his fife down on the docks in New Orleans for a few pennies which helps supports his mother and sister. Sometimes, out of idle curiosity, he [...]
In the past few months we have witnessed a major historical event in the United States with the election and inauguration of the 44th president Barack Obama. In celebration of Black History Month how could I not review at least one book about President Obama? I’ve been reading a lot of books about slavery and [...]
