Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday 2.10.16 Celebrating Black History Month

Every Wednesday I join Alyson Beecher from kidlitfrenzy and other
kidlit bloggers to share wonderful nonfiction picture books.
The intention of today's blog is to give educational professionals
new nonfiction reading material and ideas to use 
with students to promote a love of reading nonfiction materials.


February is Black History Month.  Whether you celebrate with stories during the month of February or year round, here are some recent books that are worth sharing or revisiting!


The Book Itch: Freedom, Truth, & Harlem's Greatest Bookstore
The Book Itch: Freedom, Truth and Harlem's Greatest Bookstore by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson
Shows the power of words and community.  Great end pages.

Two Friends: Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass
Two Friends by Dean Robbins
Showing a small moment in time, the author imagines what happened when Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass met for tea.  Gives background to the social issues of the day.

Poet: The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton
Poet: The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton by Don Tate

Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer: The Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement
Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer: The Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement by Carole Boston Weatherford
If you haven't heard of this one by now, run and get it!  Winner of the 2016 Coretta Scott King Steptoe Illustrator Award, Sibert Honor and Caldecott Honor Award.

The Amazing Age of John Roy Lynch
The Amazing Age of John Roy Lynch by Chris Barton

28 Days: Moments in Black History that Changed the World
28 Days: Moments in Black History That Changed the World by Charles R. Smith Jr.

Under the Freedom Tree
Under the Freedom Tree by Susan VanHecke

The Case for Loving: The Fight for Interracial Marriage
The Case for Loving: The Fight for Interracial Marriage by Selina Alko

I am Martin Luther King, Jr.           I am Rosa Parks           I am Jackie Robinson     
The "Ordinary People Change the World" by Brad Meltzer have some great additions:
I Am Martin Luther King, Jr.
I Am Rosa Parks
I Am Jackie Robinson

Freedom in Congo Square
Freedom in Congo Square by Carole Boston Weatherford
Told in poetic verse, this book tells the story of slaves in New Orleans who would congregate every Sunday in Congo Square, where they were free to celebrate through music and dance, and set up an open market.  The foreword and author's notes give additional information.

The First Step: How One Girl Put Segregation on Trial
The First Step: How One Girl Put Segregation on Trial by Susan E. Goodman
Interesting how we read and studied Brown vs Board of Education but that was not the first time segregated schools were put on trial.  Well written story, great back matter and illustrated by the amazing E. B. Lewis


No matter when you read them, these are great books to celebrate and share!



6 comments:

  1. Looks like a great list of books! I've read a few of them (Voices of Freedom was a BIG winner at the Youth Media Awards!, and I've got the top two on your list in my library pile. :-)

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  2. Terrific list, Michele. I know nearly all, will look for 28 Days. I really liked so many of these, and just recently The First Step, a new story that I never knew.

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  3. We have a few of these books in my library system, but not all of them - most of them are about American individuals/events, so I can see why we might not carry them all, but I wish we had more available to us!

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  4. This is an amazing Black History Month booklist. Adding it in its entirety to my reference list.

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  5. This is a wonderful list. I still need to read Two Friends and John Roy Lynch but have thoroughly enjoyed many of these titles and have learned from several of them.

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  6. You have gathered some wonderful titles here Michele. I have not read Voice of Freedom yet. I need to get to the public library asap.

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