Black History Month books for Kids
You know your history. You know about slavery and Jim Crow and Harriet Tubman and Malcolm X. You know about all those things, and more. So now make sure your child knows, too, by bringing home these great Black History Month books for kids...
"Life on Other Planets: A Memoir of Finding My Place in the Universe" by Aomawa Shields, PhD
Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight... And the second and third and you'll just keep wishing until you run out of desires. You'll never run out of stars, though, so you can spend all night wishing and do it again tomorrow. Wish hard enough, work even harder and, as in the new book "Life on Other Planets" by Aomawa Shields, PhD, you may see your hopes come true.
"Rich White Men: What It Takes to Uproot the Old Boys' Club and Transform America" by Garrett Neiman, foreword by Robin DiAngelo, introduction by Allen Kwabena Frimpong
One step ahead, three steps behind. That's how your life feels sometimes. You make movement forward and something comes along to push you back to where you were two weeks ago. Progress is made, and just as quickly taken away. You get to where you need to be, and you're clawed back. Welcome to the real world and, as in the new book "Rich White Men" by Garrett Neiman, come meet the culprit.
Juneteenth Books by various authors and illustrators
c.2023, various publishers $5.99 - $18.99 various page counts
The celebration is coming soon, you can feel it in the air. Your entire family will gather together for one special day. There'll be picnics and tasty foods, dancing, and storytelling. No, it's not Christmas or your birthday, not Easter or Ramadan. It's Juneteenth and these three new books will help you understand why that day is important....
"The 5 Practices of Highly Resilient People: Why Some Flourish When Others Fold" by Dr. Taryn Marie Stejskal
Once upon a time, life was a ball. You got up on the sunny side of the bed, greeted the day, and you kept moving with the flow like a pro. Bad things hit you and caromed off like you were rubber because they didn't affect you.
"House of Cotton" by Monica Brashears
The role is yours, if you want it. You can play the part on a stage or in a film, but there are a few requirements: you have to be able to sing and dance and speak with an accent. Can you convince an audience that you're someone you're not? As in the new book, "House of Cotton" by Monica Brashears, can you play dead?
"House of Cotton" by Monica Brashears
The role is yours, if you want it. You can play the part on a stage or in a film, but there are a few requirements: you have to be able to sing and dance and speak with an accent. Can you convince an audience that you're someone you're not? As in the new book, "House of Cotton" by Monica Brashears, can you play dead?
Books about Black Women's Body Image by various authors
The last two apps you downloaded were for diets. Ugh. Friends say that you're perfect but you'd like to lose your flabby arms, your thick thighs, and a few inches from your belly. You imagine what you'd be like if you were a size 6. You wonder if you could wear skinny boots again. But before you download another app, read these books about Black women's health and body image...
"I Am Debra Lee: A Memoir" by Debra Lee
Everybody's looking at you. They're wondering what you're going to do next, because you often surprise them. They don't know what you're about to say because you're never predictable. So stand up, throw your shoulders back, let them watch and learn a thing or two. As in the new memoir, "I Am Debra Lee" by Debra Lee, represent.
Black History Books for Adults
The month of February has whipped by so fast that you almost missed it.
Raise Your Hand Texas Recommends Reining in State's STAAR Test, Reforming Public Education Accountability System
It’s Time to Support KIDS When It Comes to School Accountability
It's all in the balance. You need to maintain that first and everything else comes next. Without balance, the wheels won't turn and pedaling is a wasted effort. Without it, you'd dream of a place with no chance of biking there. No balance, no movement – and, as in the new book, "On Freedom Road" by David Goodrich, forward, northward, is the only way to go.
Black History Month Books for Kids
Your parents and your teachers try to tell you about the past. You like the stories they share, the things your grandparents did and the important celebrities that lived long ago. It's history and it's fun to know, so why not reach for these Black History Month books for kids ages 5 to 8...?
"Buyer Aware: Harnessing Our Consumer Power for a Safe, Fair, and Transparent Marketplace" by Marta L. Tellado
Don't look now, but you're being shadowed. It sure seems like it sometimes. Play around on social media and a few minutes later, ads start showing up for the discussions you just posted. Search a topic, click on a link, peek at an ad, and hey, are you being followed?
"Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away" by Annie Duke c.2022, Penguin Portfolio $27.00 336 pages
It's over. The last page is read, the credits are rolling, your plate is clean, you've said your good-byes for tonight, for this weekend, for this month, forever. It's time to turn your back and walk away – or is it? In "Quit" by Annie Duke, learn when to say alright and when to say adieu.
"Do the Work! An Antiracist Activity Book" by W. Kamau Bell & Kate Schatz
You're almost out. Out of energy, ideas, motivation, totally depleted from all you've been doing lately. Seeing racism, acting against inequality, speaking out against it, fighting for your friends and family, it all takes a toll and when you're just plain tired, you need something to help you focus. You need "Do the Work!" by W. Kamau Bell & Kate Schatz to energize you.
"Equal Partners: Improving Gender Equality at Home" by Kate Mangino
c.2022, St. Martin's Press $29.99 344 pages
Plates on one end, bowls on the other, glasses on top. It's your turn to load the dishwasher tonight, but if you plead ignorance on how it's done properly, maybe you could worm your way out of it. Somebody else'll do it, so go sit down. Take a rest and read "Equal Partners" by Kate Mangino, then ask yourself if you could've assumed another chore tonight.
"The Last Resort: Chronicle of Paradise, Profit, and Peril at the Beach" by Sarah Stodola
Your bags are packed. Yep, you're headed for five days of sun, sea, and sand. Early-morning dips in the ocean, flip-flops, and little grains of beach in the sheets every night. But you won't care, you'll be on V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N. Might want to check first, though: read "The Last Resort" by Sarah Stodola to be sure your venue's going to be there.
Juneteenth Books for Kids
You weren't born knowing everything. People had to tell you what you needed to know, and that's how you learn. You can guess sometimes, or figure other things out on your own but mostly, you've been told and then you know. So why not read these books about a fact that was unknown for years...
"Grief is Love: Living with Loss" by Marisa Renee Lee c.2022, HarperLegacy
It happened so fast. One minute, your loved one was talking, laughing, alive – and the next minute they were gone, as if a thick line were drawn somewhere between life and not-life. Even if you had time to prepare, time to get used to their impending death, it happened too fast. You have to continue without them... but how? In the new book "Grief is Love" by Marisa Renee Lee, you'll see what may be next for you.
"To Walk About in Freedom: The Long Emancipation of Priscilla Joyner" by Carole Emberton
You are not confined to your chair. If you want to get up and move around, in fact, you can. Stand up, stretch, wiggle your toes, shake out the knots. Step out and drop in on the space next door or down the street and it's okay. You're not stuck in your chair or this room or even this building, and in "To Walk About in Freedom" by Carole Emberton, you'll get a new appreciation for that ability.
"The First, The Few, The Only: How Women of Color Can Redefine Power in Corporate America" by Deepa Purushothaman
There's no one like you. For most of your life, you've been told how unique you are, how wonderful, how important, all true. You're one of a kind, singular, you're like no one else on Earth. And in the new book, "The First, The Few, The Only" by Deepa Purushothaman, that probably goes at work, too.
Book Review: "Out of Office: The Big Problem and Bigger Promise of Working from Home" by Charlie Warzel and Anne Helen Petersen
At least the commute is better. That's what you tell yourself every morning: 15 steps from bed to office is better than 15 miles. You've been working from home now for nearly two years and you're waffling: will it be like this forever and if so, is that good? Read "Out of Office" by Charlie Warzel and Anne Helen Petersen, and it could be...
"She Raised Her Voice! 50 Black Women Who Sang Their Way into Music History" by Jordannah Elizabeth, illustrated by Briana Dengoue
Tap, tap, tap, tap. That's often the start of some good music. The sound of sticks hitting cymbals. The pat of a hand on a stomach or thigh, just keeping the beat. It's what your toes do when you're about to break out into a dance because the tunes are just so good. Tap, clap, tap, and read "She Raised Her Voice! by Jordannah Elizabeth, illustrated by Briana Dengoue.
Review of "Raceless: In Search of Family, Identity, and the Truth About Where I Belong" by Georgina Lawton and "Surviving the White Gaze: A Memoir" by Rebecca Carroll
Who are you? That's a question some people never ask themselves: seemingly intuitively, they know the answer at birth and they don't think about it again. Then there are those who struggle with knowing until their last breath. Still others have stories to tell about their search to learn who they are. Read on...
"Nine Days: The Race to Save Martin Luther King Jr.'s Life and Win the 1960 Election" by Stephen Kendrick and Paul Kendrick
Always look for the helpers. No doubt, you've heard those words before: whenever you're in trouble – lost, scared, unsure, in danger – look around. Somewhere nearby, there's someone who'll help. As in the new book "Nine Days" by Stephen Kendrick and Paul Kendrick, though, it might not be quick. The Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. had been in jail before.
Best Books of 2020
You've got a little extra time this month, and you don't want to waste it. You want to read something good, the possibilities are endless, and the best place to begin is with these Best Books of 2020 titles...
"Dark Was the Night: Blind Willie Johnson's Journey to the Stars" by Gary Golio, illustrated by E.B. Lewis
It's almost time for lights out. Just before that, though, you have a ritual: you wash your face, brush your teeth, put on your jammies, crawl into bed, and get a bedtime story. Then it's lights out until morning but before your good-night kiss tonight, ask for one last thing. Ask for "Dark Was the Night" by Gary Golio, illustrated by E. B. Lewis.
"We're Better Than This: My Fight for the Future of Our Democracy"
Things could always be worse. You didn't sleep well last night, your day started earlier than usual, and traffic, ugh; then you forgot your lunch and lost a bag of chips in a vending machine, and you never did catch up. You had a rotten day but look on the bright side: you're above ground and breathing and, as in "We're Better Than This" by Elijah Cummings with James Dale, someone had your back.
"I Got the School Spirit" by Connie Schofield-Morrison, illustrated by Frank Morrison
A brand-new, shiny box of crayons. That's just one of the things you're looking forward to when you finally start school. Mom says you can't have them yet, though, you have to be patient. So why not read "I Got the School Spirit" by Connie Schofield-Morrison, illustrated by Frank Morrison in the meantime?
"Thank You for Voting: The Maddening, Enlightening, Inspiring Truth about Voting in America" by Erin Geiger Smith
The checkmarks marched down the columns like hand-holding toddlers on a daycare outing.
"One Year of Ugly" by Caroline Mackenzie
The officer at the bank said "yes." And there you were: the proud owner of something big, something you'd wanted your entire life. That's thrilling, on one hand, and scary on the other: you've achieved your dream, but you'll be contributing toward that loan for many years. And as in the new novel "One Year of Ugly" by Caroline Mackenzie, payback is no fun.
"We Are Power: How Nonviolent Activism Changes the World" by Todd Hasak-Lowy
You put a lot of work into your sign. When you were done, what was once the side of a cardboard box suddenly became a note to the world – but as you were making it, you have to admit that you wondered if one cardboard sign was going to make much of a difference. You were protesting, but who would notice?
"Keep Calm and Log On: Your Handbook for Surviving the Digital Revolution" by Gillian "Gus" Andrews
IT stands for "information technology." That's the department assigned to fix your computer, the one you've called four times today so far. No, you're not an idiot. You're not some old dog with new tricks. What you are is growly and irritated but read "Keep Calm and Log On" by Gillian "Gus" Andrews, and your confidence will click in no time.
"Black Widow" by Leslie Gray Streeter
You find yourself spinning, spinning, spinning. When you lose someone, that's how it feels: like you're spinning in place, you can't think or understand, and there's a time limit, as if you're in one of those game show Cash Machines and you can't catch a thing. You can barely fathom that, as in the new book "Black Widow" by Leslie Gray Streeter, it will get better.
"Brave. Black. First." by Cheryl Willis Hudson, illustrated by Erin K. Robinson
Step right up. When you want to be first in line, that's what you have to do: get in place at the head, let everybody else queue behind you, and lead them forward. You might have to show them how it's done. You might have to show some responsibility. Or, as in the new book "Brave. Black. First." by Cheryl Willis Hudson, illustrated by Erin K. Robinson, you might have to take some big risks.
"It's Not All Downhill from Here" by Terry McMillan
Getting old ain't for sissies. Aging is not for the weak, whiners, or wimps, not for 'fraidycats or those with no confidence, and aging is absolutely not for the inflexible. But then again, as in the new novel by Terry McMillan, "It's Not All Downhill from Here," either.
"Decisions: Practical Advice from 23 Men and Women Who Shaped the World" by Robert L. Dilenschneider
Black or white? Up or down? Donut or cake? Take a new job, or stay at the old one? Life is a series of picks and chooses, some of them frivolous and some of them unspeakably important. So how do you know the right one to make, even if it's just between sundae or cone? In the new book "Decisions" by Robert L. Dilenschneider, you'll see how dilemmas have historically been solved and how choices can impact you, too.
"Southwest Sunrise" by Nikki Grimes, illustrated by Wendell Minor
You don't wanna. Your favorite toys are in a box and you don't wanna leave them there. All your games, your stuffies, your outside toys, packed away. You said goodbye to your friends and teachers because your family is moving and you don't wanna. But as in the new book "Southwest Sunrise" by Nikki Grimes, illustrated by Wendell Minor, just wait. When you get there, you might see things in a different color.
"The Compton Cowboys: The New Generation of Cowboys in America's Urban Heartland" by Walter Thompson-Hernández
The guy with the white hat has a nice horse.
"Odetta: A Life in Music and Protest" by Ian Zack
The first note had your foot tapping. It didn't stop until the set was over or the LP needed flipping. The song moved you; those words meant everything. And the singer of those tunes? She was the entire reason those notes were worth listening to. In the new book "Odetta" by Ian Zack, you'll find out why so few know her name.
"Who Got Game? Baseball: Amazing But True Stories!" by Derrick Barnes, illustrated by JohnJohn Bajet
Everybody’s supposed to stay home now. It’s probably not the “home” you’re thinking about though. The home you want to see involves running around a diamond, cheers in your ears, ahhh, you wanna hear that again. For now, though, you may have to make do with a home run like “Who Got Game? Baseball: Amazing But True Stories!” by Derrick Barnes, illustrated by JohnJohn Bajet.
"Ready to Rise" by Jo Saxton
You know you have it. There's all kinds of potential inside you but how can you actually use it? Says author Jo Saxton in her new book "Ready to Rise," it takes determination, a community, strength, belief in yourself, and a little leaning on God.
"The Fix: Overcome the Invisible Barriers That are Holding Women Back at Work" by Michelle King
The disappointment arrived just after lunch. That promotion you hoped to get? Nope. No raise, either, because your boss wants you to make a few improvements in your job, tweak your skills, have more time to grow – even though you've been improving, tweaking, and growing for months at work. Frustrating? You bet, but as you'll see in "The Fix" by Michelle King, you can't blame yourself.
"The Last Negroes at Harvard" by Kent Garrett with Jeanne Ellsworth
Remember, remember....? Skipping school, good teachers, hard lessons, practical jokes, smelly lockers, remember? If you don't, your oldest friends probably do. As in the new book "The Last Negroes at Harvard" by Kent Garrett with Jeanne Ellsworth, they were there alongside you when everything happened, remember?
"A World Without Work: Technology, Automation, and How We Should Respond" by Daniel Susskind
Click. And with that quiet little sound, an email's sent, a door's unlocked, an alarm is engaged, a recipe's downloaded, a machine is launched. Whether you listen for it or you’re so used to it that you don’t hear it anymore, the fact is that we need that click to happen. In the new book “A World Without Work” by Daniel Susskind, you’ll see if it doesn’t need us.
"Blair Underwood Presents Olympic Pride, American Prejudice" by Deborah Riley Draper and Travis Thrasher
You've always held such promise. People could see it in you, starting when you were small: you were going to go places, do good, make a mark on the world. They were proud to know you, happy to watch you land until – except – as in "Blair Underwood Presents Olympic Pride, American Prejudice" by Deborah Riley Draper and Travis Thrasher, the promise was broken but not by you.
“Franchise: The Golden Arches in Black America” by Marcia Chatelain
Your hand is in the bag again. Those French fries you bought aren’t going to make it home, that’s for sure. You should’ve bought a double order; your burger won’t taste the same without them alongside. Sometimes, a craving hits and that kind of food saves the day; in the new book “Franchise” by Marcia Chatelain, that kind of food once changed neighborhoods.
“Clean Getaway” by Nic Stone
Your next vacation could be the dream of a lifetime. It could take you to the beach, park, or the mountains, shopping or sightseeing, visiting pals or hanging with family. A vacation could get you one city away, it can whisk you halfway around the world or, as in the new book “Clean Getaway” by Nic Stone, a vacation can take you where you don’t want to be.
“By and By: Charles Albert Tindley, the Father of Gospel Music” by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Bryan Collier
Every Sunday morning, you get to do your favorite thing. You get to sing.
“Hitting a Straight Lick with a Crooked Stick” by Zora Neale Hurston, edited with an introduction by Genevieve West, foreword by Tayari Jones
Everybody has that place. You know, that place where everyone knows you, they know what you want, and they get it for you before your coat’s half off. It’s where you can catch up on gossip and good news, where you take shelter and get sympathy. In “Hitting a Straight Lick with a Crooked Stick” by Zora Neale Hurston, you also get a front seat.
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