All results / Stories / Terri Schlichenmeyer
“Kid Authors” by David Stabler, illustrated by Doogie Horner
“Write that down.” Your teacher says that all the time in class. Your parents might say it, as a reminder because sometimes, writing things down can be important. And as you’ll see in the new book, “Kid Authors” by David Stabler, illustrated by Doogie Horner, written words can also be magic.
“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.
“Becoming a Veterinarian” by Boris Kachka
The minute the doctor walked into the room, you felt a sense of relief. Soon, the pain will be gone and you might finally get some rest. You could even have a name for the illness causing all these problems. Soon, your ailing pet will feel better, life will return to normal and in “Becoming a Veterinarian” by Boris Kachka, you’ll see what goes into the making of an animal doctor.
“Friday Black: Stories” by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
You are the strongest person you know. You can lift and carry a lot of weight and many burdens, because strength comes from within as well as from muscles. So what are you capable of doing when times get strange?
“I Can’t Make This Up: Life Lessons” by Kevin Hart
You can pretend all you want. Hide your head in the sand and say it ain’t so. Cover your ears and yell “LaLaLaLaLa” until everyone thinks you’re five years old. You can deny, deny, deny, but listen up: some things are factual, so read “I Can’t Make This Up: Life Lessons” by Kevin Hart, and you may learn something.
"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.
“I’m Not Really a Waitress” by Suzi Weiss-Fischmann
You’d get it right someday. At about the second week of starting a business, that may’ve been your thought. Rookie mistakes had been made, long nights were spent, but you still had confidence to hang in there. Says Suzi Weiss-Fischmann in “I’m Not Really a Waitress,” success takes time and lots of learning.
“Unforgivable Love” by Sophfronia Scott
You know how to use a hammer. It’s not that hard: just grab the end and swing. Easy enough; in fact, there are probably lots of tools you know how to use, although, as in the new novel “Unforgivable Love” by Sophfronia Scott, do you know how to use people?
"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?
"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.
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...
“Black Fortunes” by Shomari Wills
A dollar doesn’t buy as much as it used to. Once upon a time, you could get a good steak and a drink for under ten bucks. You could buy a house for less than five figures, and it was big enough to raise a good-sized family in it. A dollar used to stretch farther, last longer, buy more, and in the new book “Black Fortunes” by Shomari Wills, it took fewer dollars to make someone rich.
“White Negroes: When Cornrows Were in Vogue… And Other Thoughts on Cultural Appropriation” by Lauren Michele Jackson
It’s all yours. You own it, got it, paid for it, you even have the receipt. That thing: you fought hard for it and nobody can take it away. But – as in the new book “White Negroes” by Lauren Michele Jackson, folks can surely borrow it.
"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.
Black History Books for Adults
The month of February has whipped by so fast that you almost missed it.
“Bound to the Fire: How Virginia’s Enslaved Cooks Helped Invent American Cuisine” by Kelley Fanto Deetz
You’ve been cooking up a storm for days. Soon, the whole family will be sitting at your table, which will be loaded down with everybody’s favorites. The turkey will be golden. The bread, warm and soft. Pies line your kitchen counter because you’ve cooked for days. At least, as you’ll see in “Bound to the Fire” by Kelley Fanto Deetz, you didn’t cook ‘round the clock, too.
“Women with Money” by Jean Chatzky
Find a penny, pick it up. The rest of that little ditty promises luck but whatever. You don’t see a penny as worth much, but how do you perceive money as a whole? In the new book, “Women with Money” by Jean Chatzky, the answer to that question may lead you to a better relationship with your wallet.
“Martin Luther King, Jr.: Voice for Equality!” by James Buckley, Jr. and YouNeek Studios
The heroes in comic books arrive in fancy costumes. Their heads are ringed by bubbles that say things like “POW!” and “ZOOM!” and that’s when bad guys fall like dead twigs from a tree. BAM! All the heroes in comic books are super-powerful and mighty but here’s the thing: as you’ll see in the new book “Martin Luther King, Jr.: Voice for Equality!” by James Buckley, Jr. and YouNeek Studios, real heroes sometimes quietly wear suits and ties.
“Agent of Influence: How to Use Spy Skills to Persuade Anyone, Sell Anything, and Build a Successful Business”
You just had your trench coat to the cleaners. There are new batteries in your undercover wrist-camera, and your listening device seems to be working well. You’ve even found a perfect hidey-place to watch from the shadows. Yep, this seeking-and-capturing-new-customers stuff is hard but that’s what it takes to get ahead, right? Although, wouldn’t it be easier to read “Agent of Influence” by former CIA agent Jason Hanson?
