Reviewed by Deborah Menkart Review Source: Teaching for Change Book Author: The collage illustrations in The Mangrove Tree are stunning — each page invites the reader to take in the creativity and details created through the multicolored, textured cloth. The story itself is an important one, describing a community that was once ecologically devastated and poverty-stricken […]
The Great Migration: Journey to the North
Reviewed by Rethinking Schools Book Author: This is a picture book that introduces the historic story of the Great Migration to young readers. Eloise Greenfield, one of the most important children’s book writers of the last 40 years, wrote about her family migration from Parmele, N.C., to Washington, D.C., in Childtimes: A Three-Generation Memoir for upper […]
The Adventures of Sparrowboy
Reviewed by Elisa Gall Review Source: Reading While White Book Author: The picture book features Henry, a paperboy who is feeling depressed by the headlines in the news. While reading the paper before he makes his deliveries, he finds solace in the comics. He especially loves the story of Mark Steed, a police officer (Black […]
Smoky Night: Misguided Effort to Help Kids Understand Rodney King Events
Reviewed by Beverly Slapin Review Source: Teaching for Change Book Author: On April 29, 1992, an almost all-white jury in the almost all-white suburb of Simi Valley acquitted four white Los Angeles Police Department officers of using assault and excessive force in the videotaped beating of a Black man named Rodney King. On the evening following […]
Rock & Roll Highway: The Robbie Robertson Story
Reviewed by Debbie Reese Review Source: American Indians in Children’s Literature Book Author: Decades ago—and now, too—I revel in the music of The Band. I was amongst those who went to see the film The Last Waltz. Of course, I bought CDs, too. At the time, I knew Robbie Robertson was Native, but didn’t know much […]
Noko and the Kool Kats
Reviewed by Barbara A. Lehman Review Source: Africa Access Book Author: Moodie’s original, modern fable echoes classic folktale motifs, such as smaller animals helping bigger ones, solving a problem with brains and by working together, the very ones that should be helping are too lazy, and village life is just as good as city life. This […]