Got to have Hope

HOPE'S GIFT by Kelly Starling Lyons with illustrations by Don Tate. Putnam, 2013.

Hope's father steals away one night to join in the war. He hands Hope a conch shell, has her listen, tells her that this is the sound of hope. She must hold on to the hope that her father will return once the war is over, that the family will be reunited. New of the Emancipation reaches Hope and her family, but still her father has not returned. It is harder and harder to hold onto that elusive hope.

Raise a Joyful Noise

FREEDOM SONG: THE STORY OF HENRY "BOX" BROWN by Sally M. Walker with illustrations by Sean Qualls (Harper 2012)is based on the story of Henry Brown who literally mailed himself to freedom. Walker tells of Henry's love of song, from the songs he sang in the fields where he was a slave to the love songs he sang to his wife to the songs he shared with his family. When his family is taken from him and sold, Henry ships himself to Pennsylvania and freedom. Walker's rhythmic language and Qualls' collage paintings combine to make this a terrific read aloud experience. <77>

Freedom!

FREEDOM'S A CALLIN ME by Ntozake Shange with illustrations by Rod Brown (Amistad 2012) is a collection of poems Shange wrote in response to Brown's paintings. They tell the story of slaves who are longing for freedom, for escape from the harsh reality of their lives. The poems begin in the fields and move slowly along the Underground Railroad and, ultimately, to freedom. Beatings, being hunted by dogs, running away, losing family: Shange and Brown do not shy away from the difficult truths. <76>

history in many forms and formats

Kadir Nelson creates a memorable reading and viewing experience in HEART AND SOUL: THE STORY OF AFRICA AND AFRICAN AMERICANS (Balzer and Bray 2011). As he did in WE ARE THE SHIP, Nelson creates a narrator to tell the story of the history from Colonial times to post Civil Rights Movement. Paintings of key players and events extend and elaborate the text which is immediately accessible to readers. This is a book that begs to be browsed at first, taking time to view the illustrations that are hallmarks of Nelson's work. The text can be enjoyed silently, but the rhythm and style beg for a good read aloud as well. <24>





NEVER FORGOTTEN by Patricia McKissack with illustrations by Leo and Diane Dillon (Schwartz and Wade 2011) uses poems to tell the story of one family's travails in slavery. McKissack's voice never waivers as she gives voice to various
characters" and their experiences from capture to final freedom. Acrylic and watercolor illustrations are highly stylized and provide the perfect colors, tones, and symbols from each of the stories contained in this book. <25>