A Text Set for
Children of Color
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Steptoe, John. 1987. Mufaro's beautiful daughters : an African tale. New York : Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Books
Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters is about self-enhancement and morality . The genre of the story is Mythology/folktale, the setting is Historical, and the heritage is African. In a small African village lives a man named Mufaro and his two beautiful daughters, Manyara and Nyasha. Manyara, an ill-tempered girl, is jealous of Nyasha and vows to be queen and have Nyasha as her servant. Nyasha, on the other hand, is a gentle girl who works hard and is kind to animals and people alike. When the king orders that all the beautiful daughters appear so that he might select a queen, Manyara’s selfish ways are revealed. Nyasha is chosen as queen and Manyara becomes a servant in the queen’s household.
Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters is about self-enhancement and morality . The genre of the story is Mythology/folktale, the setting is Historical, and the heritage is African. In a small African village lives a man named Mufaro and his two beautiful daughters, Manyara and Nyasha. Manyara, an ill-tempered girl, is jealous of Nyasha and vows to be queen and have Nyasha as her servant. Nyasha, on the other hand, is a gentle girl who works hard and is kind to animals and people alike. When the king orders that all the beautiful daughters appear so that he might select a queen, Manyara’s selfish ways are revealed. Nyasha is chosen as queen and Manyara becomes a servant in the queen’s household.
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Badiel, Georgie and Verde, Susan. 2016. The Water Princess. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
This book is based on supermodel Georgie Badiel’s childhood experience. As a young girl she dreams
of bringing clean drinking water to her African village. In the book she describes her kingdom- a beautiful land with a wide sky and warm earth. Although, Princess Gie Gie can accomplish and do so much in her beautiful land she is unable to bring clean drinking water to her home, in her small African village. She tries with all her might, but Gie Gie cannot bring the water closer, she cannot make it run clearer. She awakes every morning before the sun to make the long journey to the well. She is a princess and instead of wearing a crown, she wears a heavy pop on her head to collect water to carry back to her village. She can only dream of the next morning and how she will have to to take the same long trip to bring clean water to her home. She dreams of a day when her village will have cool, crystal-clear water of its own.
This book is based on supermodel Georgie Badiel’s childhood experience. As a young girl she dreams
of bringing clean drinking water to her African village. In the book she describes her kingdom- a beautiful land with a wide sky and warm earth. Although, Princess Gie Gie can accomplish and do so much in her beautiful land she is unable to bring clean drinking water to her home, in her small African village. She tries with all her might, but Gie Gie cannot bring the water closer, she cannot make it run clearer. She awakes every morning before the sun to make the long journey to the well. She is a princess and instead of wearing a crown, she wears a heavy pop on her head to collect water to carry back to her village. She can only dream of the next morning and how she will have to to take the same long trip to bring clean water to her home. She dreams of a day when her village will have cool, crystal-clear water of its own.
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Williams-Garcis, Rita. 2015. Gone Crazy in Alabama. New York: Amistad/Harper Collins
The coping skills of three sisters are put to the test as they leave Brooklyn for a rural summer in 1969 Alabama. Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern, are off to spend the summer in Alabama with Big Ma. This visit comes at a time of great awareness for almost-13-year-old Delphine as well as looming change in her family. Delphine is still in charge, but Vonetta seeks to step out of her older sister’s shadow. The trip also means the girls will confront their Uncle Darnell, who let them down during his stay in Brooklyn. Hurts and grudges go even deeper as the story of the girls’ great-grandmother and her estranged sister is gradually disclosed, revealing family dynamics shaped by racial history. All the conflicts fade when a tornado threatens an unbearable loss. Character development again astonishes, the distinctive personalities of the girls ringing true and the supporting cast adding great depth and texture. Indeed, the girls’ cousin JimmyTrotter is so fully realized it seems unfair to think of him as secondary. This well-crafted depiction of a close-knit community in rural Alabama works beautifully, with language that captures its humor, sorrow and resilience. (Historical fiction. 8-12)
The coping skills of three sisters are put to the test as they leave Brooklyn for a rural summer in 1969 Alabama. Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern, are off to spend the summer in Alabama with Big Ma. This visit comes at a time of great awareness for almost-13-year-old Delphine as well as looming change in her family. Delphine is still in charge, but Vonetta seeks to step out of her older sister’s shadow. The trip also means the girls will confront their Uncle Darnell, who let them down during his stay in Brooklyn. Hurts and grudges go even deeper as the story of the girls’ great-grandmother and her estranged sister is gradually disclosed, revealing family dynamics shaped by racial history. All the conflicts fade when a tornado threatens an unbearable loss. Character development again astonishes, the distinctive personalities of the girls ringing true and the supporting cast adding great depth and texture. Indeed, the girls’ cousin JimmyTrotter is so fully realized it seems unfair to think of him as secondary. This well-crafted depiction of a close-knit community in rural Alabama works beautifully, with language that captures its humor, sorrow and resilience. (Historical fiction. 8-12)
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Crews, Donald.1992. Shortcut. New York: Greenwillow Books
The story is engaging and realistic. It's about a group of friends who decide to take a shortcut home along some railroad tracks. As they make their way down the tracks, what is that they hear in the distance? Whoo-Woo! The sound is faint at first, but it grows louder and louder and louder. When one boy realizes a train is upon them, he shouts for them to get off the tracks. But, what about the horrible briers that cover the slopes and the water with snakes that follows along the tracks? Are the kids okay? We have to wait a long time to see, since Donald Crews keeps us in suspense as we watch the train move along the tracks (Klickity-klak, klickity-klak) for page after page!. Charged with excitement, the escapade turns to full blown alarm when the train whistle sounds, sending the youngsters scrambling to safety at the last minute. Crews's economical text deftly explores a roller coaster ride of emotion in just a few paragraphs, highlighted with effective onomotopeia-Whoo whoo; klackity, klackity, klack. The underlying childlike sensibilities here-taking a risk to the limit, for example-authenticate the author's voice throughout.
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Raschka, Chris. 1993. Yo! Yes?. New York City: Scholastic, Inc.
Two lonely boys who don't know each other meet on a city street. Brought together with a simple Yo! answered by the other one's Yes? and the bounce of a basketball, this modern classic will strike a chord with every child who's ever longed for a friend.This is a great resource to introduce students to punctuation and how it helps us understand what we read.
Two lonely boys who don't know each other meet on a city street. Brought together with a simple Yo! answered by the other one's Yes? and the bounce of a basketball, this modern classic will strike a chord with every child who's ever longed for a friend.This is a great resource to introduce students to punctuation and how it helps us understand what we read.
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Ashford, Jerome. 2003. Yesterday I had the Blues. Berkeley: Tricycle Press
In this upbeat tale, moods may color the way people look at the world, but family togetherness trumps all. Debut author Frame and the consistently masterful Christie (Only Passing Through) riff on the range of human emotions with the agility of longtime collaborators, and the result is a book that truly sings. "Yesterday I had the blues," begins the African-American boy narrator. "Those deep down in my shoes blues,/ the go away, Mr. Sun, quit smilin' at me blues." But today is definitely looking up. "I got the greens./ The runnin' my hand along the hedges greens./ .../ The kind of greens make you want to be Somebody." Jaunty, irregular typography acts as tempo and dynamic markings, underscoring the musicality of Frame's text. The boy then muses on the states of mind of everyone in his family, a subject well suited to Christie's visual finesse. The artist's off-kilter perspectives and playfully skewed proportions reinforce the intensity and fluidity of mood swings, while the array of saturated, textured hues infuse each spread with emotional depth. Christie attributes Daddy's case of "the grays" to a parking ticket, older sister Tania performs her "indigo" funk to the hilt. Other moods will be all too recognizable to readers (when Mama spots her younger children bouncing on the bed, she gets the reds—"Look out!"). It's clear that in this family, even when moods are mercurial, love endures—and that, says the boy, makes life "all golden." Ages 4-8
In this upbeat tale, moods may color the way people look at the world, but family togetherness trumps all. Debut author Frame and the consistently masterful Christie (Only Passing Through) riff on the range of human emotions with the agility of longtime collaborators, and the result is a book that truly sings. "Yesterday I had the blues," begins the African-American boy narrator. "Those deep down in my shoes blues,/ the go away, Mr. Sun, quit smilin' at me blues." But today is definitely looking up. "I got the greens./ The runnin' my hand along the hedges greens./ .../ The kind of greens make you want to be Somebody." Jaunty, irregular typography acts as tempo and dynamic markings, underscoring the musicality of Frame's text. The boy then muses on the states of mind of everyone in his family, a subject well suited to Christie's visual finesse. The artist's off-kilter perspectives and playfully skewed proportions reinforce the intensity and fluidity of mood swings, while the array of saturated, textured hues infuse each spread with emotional depth. Christie attributes Daddy's case of "the grays" to a parking ticket, older sister Tania performs her "indigo" funk to the hilt. Other moods will be all too recognizable to readers (when Mama spots her younger children bouncing on the bed, she gets the reds—"Look out!"). It's clear that in this family, even when moods are mercurial, love endures—and that, says the boy, makes life "all golden." Ages 4-8
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San Souci, Robert D. 1998. Cendrillon. New York: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
A Caribbean Cinderella story, told from the godmother's point of view and brought to life by Pinkney's distinctive scratchboard illustrations. Based on West Indian versions of the story, the narrative is full of French Creole words and phrases. It tells of a poor washerwoman who is left a magic wand by her mother and discovers its power to help her beloved goddaughter. A fruit a pain (breadfruit) is transformed into the coach; six agoutis (a kind of rodent) become the horses; and Cinderella's slippers are bright pink with roses embroidered on them. Pinkney's art perfectly conveys the lush beauty and atmosphere of the island setting, featuring vibrant peaches, lavenders, aquas, and greens against the background of the sea.
A Caribbean Cinderella story, told from the godmother's point of view and brought to life by Pinkney's distinctive scratchboard illustrations. Based on West Indian versions of the story, the narrative is full of French Creole words and phrases. It tells of a poor washerwoman who is left a magic wand by her mother and discovers its power to help her beloved goddaughter. A fruit a pain (breadfruit) is transformed into the coach; six agoutis (a kind of rodent) become the horses; and Cinderella's slippers are bright pink with roses embroidered on them. Pinkney's art perfectly conveys the lush beauty and atmosphere of the island setting, featuring vibrant peaches, lavenders, aquas, and greens against the background of the sea.
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Jacqueline Woodson. 2010. Pecan Pie Baby.New York City: G.P. Putnam's Sons
Pecan Pie Baby is about a girl name Gia waiting on the birth of a new baby. The baby is due to come around the time of the first snow. Gia is less than happy with all the attention “that ding-dang baby” is getting from family members and friends, even before it’s born. And already the baby is a copycat who loves Gia’s favorite food—pecan pie. That must explain why her mama is craving it so. Woodson’s honesty as she writes about a big sibling’s lack of enthusiasm is refreshing, as is the acknowledgement from Gia’s mother that she, too, will miss when it was just the two of them, after the baby is born. Sophie Blackall’s warm ink-and-watercolor illustrations show a multiracial extended family with an African American mom and daughter at its center. (Ages 3–6)
Pecan Pie Baby is about a girl name Gia waiting on the birth of a new baby. The baby is due to come around the time of the first snow. Gia is less than happy with all the attention “that ding-dang baby” is getting from family members and friends, even before it’s born. And already the baby is a copycat who loves Gia’s favorite food—pecan pie. That must explain why her mama is craving it so. Woodson’s honesty as she writes about a big sibling’s lack of enthusiasm is refreshing, as is the acknowledgement from Gia’s mother that she, too, will miss when it was just the two of them, after the baby is born. Sophie Blackall’s warm ink-and-watercolor illustrations show a multiracial extended family with an African American mom and daughter at its center. (Ages 3–6)
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Millner,Denene. 2017. Early Sunday Morning. Evanston : Agate Publishing
An African-American girl prepares for her first solo with her church’s youth choir in an uplifting story about family, community, and big first steps. The unnamed narrator loves to sing with her father at home, but public performance is a scary prospect. In the days before the solo, the girl listens to suggestions meant to ease her anxiety, and with freshly redone hair and a new dress, she’s ready to go. Nervousness strikes as she’s about to start singing, but the surprise arrival of her father (who had been planning to skip church, having worked an extra shift) gives her a burst of confidence. Millner (the Hotlanta series) sensitively reflects her heroine’s performance anxiety and warmly details the traditions of this churchgoing family—including having a big Sunday dinner prepared before service, since sometimes “Pastor Scott gets lost in the rhythm [and] can preach on... and on... and on.” Brantley-Newton’s (Mary Had a Little Glam) glowing mixed-media images capture the love shared among the members of the girls’ family and the jubilant atmosphere of their church. Ages 4–9.
An African-American girl prepares for her first solo with her church’s youth choir in an uplifting story about family, community, and big first steps. The unnamed narrator loves to sing with her father at home, but public performance is a scary prospect. In the days before the solo, the girl listens to suggestions meant to ease her anxiety, and with freshly redone hair and a new dress, she’s ready to go. Nervousness strikes as she’s about to start singing, but the surprise arrival of her father (who had been planning to skip church, having worked an extra shift) gives her a burst of confidence. Millner (the Hotlanta series) sensitively reflects her heroine’s performance anxiety and warmly details the traditions of this churchgoing family—including having a big Sunday dinner prepared before service, since sometimes “Pastor Scott gets lost in the rhythm [and] can preach on... and on... and on.” Brantley-Newton’s (Mary Had a Little Glam) glowing mixed-media images capture the love shared among the members of the girls’ family and the jubilant atmosphere of their church. Ages 4–9.
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Woodson, Jacquelie. 2014. Brown Girl Dreaming. City of Westminster, London: Penquin Random House
Jacqueline Woodson, one of today's finest writers, tells the moving story of her childhood in mesmerizing verse. Raised in South Carolina and New York, Woodson always felt halfway home in each place. In vivid poems, she shares what it was like to grow up as an African American in the 1960s and 1970s, living with the remnants of Jim Crow and her growing awareness of the Civil Rights movement. Touching and powerful, each poem is both accessible and emotionally charged, each line a glimpse into a child's soul as she searches for her place in the world. Woodson's eloquent poetry also reflects the joy of finding her voice through writing stories, despite the fact that she struggled with reading as a child. Her love of stories inspired her and stayed with her, creating the first sparks of the gifted writer she was to become
Jacqueline Woodson, one of today's finest writers, tells the moving story of her childhood in mesmerizing verse. Raised in South Carolina and New York, Woodson always felt halfway home in each place. In vivid poems, she shares what it was like to grow up as an African American in the 1960s and 1970s, living with the remnants of Jim Crow and her growing awareness of the Civil Rights movement. Touching and powerful, each poem is both accessible and emotionally charged, each line a glimpse into a child's soul as she searches for her place in the world. Woodson's eloquent poetry also reflects the joy of finding her voice through writing stories, despite the fact that she struggled with reading as a child. Her love of stories inspired her and stayed with her, creating the first sparks of the gifted writer she was to become