Reviewed by May Kotsen Review Source: Teaching for Change Book Author: Set in 2015, Black Was the Ink follows the life of Malcolm Williams, a 16-year-old from Washington D.C., who just wants to spend his summer drawing, playing video games, and playing pickup with his friends. After violence Malcolm experiences in D.C. mirrors the police violence […]
Dream Builder: The Story of Architect Philip Freelon
Reviewed by: Rebecca Lehr Book Author: Dream Builder: The Story of Architect Philip Freelon tells of the celebrated architect’s path from his childhood in 1950’s Philadelphia to designing the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC). Beginning with Freelon’s personal struggles with reading and strengths in math and visual arts, it then takes […]
From North to South / Del Norte al Sur
Reviewed by Grace Cornell Review Source: Rethinking Schools Book Author: Hot off the press, From North to South/Del norte al sur addresses issues of family separation and deportation head-on. The story is told from the perspective of José, a young child who travels from San Diego to Tijuana to see his mother, recently deported in a […]
Indian No More
Reviewed by Ashleigh, age 13 Review Source: Indigo’s Bookshelf: Voices of Native Youth Book Author: Indian No More, by Charlene Willing McManis with Traci Sorell, is one of the best books I’ve ever read. Thank you to Tu Books and Stacy L. Whitman for sending @ofglades the uncorrected proof to review. At first, I was sorry […]
Ana María Reyes Does Not Live in a Castle
Reviewed by Jessica Walsh Review Source: Latinos in Kids Lit Book Author: DESCRIPTION FROM THE PUBLISHER: Her last name may mean “kings,” but Ana María Reyes REALLY does not live in a castle. Rather, she’s stuck in a tiny apartment with two parents (way too loveydovey), three sisters (way too dramatic), everyone’s friends (way too often), and […]
Midnight Teacher: Lilly Ann Granderson and Her Secret School
Reviewed by Deborah Menkart Review Source: Teaching for Change Book Author: This picture book for mid- to upper-elementary tells the story of Lilly Ann Granderson, an enslaved woman who taught hundreds of people in Kentucky and Mississippi to read. Her schools were held in secrecy and under threat of severe punishment. Readers learn not only […]