All results / Stories / Terri Schlichenmeyer
"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.
"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.
“Black is the Body: Stories From My Grandmother’s Time, My Mother’s Time, and Mine” by Emily Bernard
Your mother dealt with things you can’t imagine. It was a different time when she was your age, with societal issues you’d never tolerate and rules you wouldn’t abide. Same with your grandma: scrapbooks, history books and museums are the only places you’ll see what she lived. So what will your children know?
“Brown White Black: An American Family at the Intersection of Race, Gender, Sexuality, and Religion” by Nishta Mehra
Column A or Column B? Truth is, you don’t fit in either. You’re unique, from your toes to your hair, inside and out. People can try to categorize you, but it just won’t work. As you’ll see in the new book “Brown White Black” by Nishta J. Mehra, there’s a lot to learn.
“Time for Kids: Heroes of Black History” by Editors at Time for Kids Magazine
Who is the person you most want to be like when you grow up? The one you go to when you need advice, a kind word, or new direction? Is it a parent who puts your head on straight? Or a teacher that always knows what to say? Do you look up to someone close to you now or, as in “Time for Kids: Heroes of Black History,” is it someone much bigger than that?
“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.
“Who are Venus and Serena Williams” by James Buckley Jr.
“You kids quiet down!” If you’re feeling wild, you’ve no doubt heard that, or PIPE DOWN, or KNOCK IT OFF, or something similar, for sure. You’re a kid, kids make noise, and in the new book “Who are Venus and Serena Williams?” by James Buckley Jr., you’ll read about two girls who were encouraged to make a lot of “racquet!”
“The Tubman Command” by Elizabeth Cobbs
You are the Big Kahuna. The Boss, the One in Charge, maker of decisions and teller of things to do. You’re the Big Cheese with all the responsibility and you ain’t bad at it. So how would you do if, as in the novel, “The Tubman Command” by Elizabeth Cobbs, the very lives of soldiers, women, and children were in your hands?
“Down the River Unto the Sea” by Walter Mosley
Something’s wrong. It may look just fine, but you know better. Call it intuition, call it plain-as-day, but there’s something off, something not-quite-right about a situation and it’s gotten under your skin. You can’t ignore it and you can’t let it be. As in the new novel, “Down the River Unto the Sea” by Walter Mosley, it’s time to set things right. The last thing Joe King Oliver needed was that letter.
“Delivered by Midwives: African American Midwifery in the Twentieth-Century South” by Jenny M. Luke c.2018, University Press of Mississippi $30.00 / higher in Canada 193 pages
The mailman’s come and gone for today. He never brings you much anymore anyhow, just a few bills and a card sometimes; now and then, you might get a box of something you purchased and that’s always fun. You know, though, that the mailman doesn’t always bring you what you ordered. As in “Delivered by Midwives” by Jenny M. Luke, someone else brings a different kind of package.
“The Code of the Righteous Warrior” by Rev. Dr. Alyn E. Waller
These days, you just don’t know what to expect. Things used to be laid out nice and easy: a real man took care of business, he settled disagreements with his fists, and he was head of his household. But it’s a new world now with new expectations, and in “The Code of the Righteous Warrior” by Rev. Dr. Alyn E. Waller, you’ll know how to get through it.
"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.
“Soul Survivor: A Biography of Al Green” by Jimmy McDonough
Difficult. We all know someone like that, who could charitably be called a challenge. Someone who swims against the current, who rubs people the wrong way, who makes you growly. In the new book “Soul Survivor: A Biography of Al Green” by Jimmy McDonough, ruffled feathers can come from surprising places.
"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.
“Surpassing Certainty” by Janet Mock
When you were twenty, you wanted only to impress. If people looked at you, wasn’t that good? You wanted to be seen, watched, adored by those you saw as desirable. But what, exactly, did you want people to notice? Was it your hair, your body or, as in “Surpassing Certainty” by Janet Mock, was the whole you on display?
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....
"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.
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...
“Sulwe” by Lupita Nyong’o, illustrated by Vashti Harrison
Other kids can be so mean. In your classroom, they call you names and whisper bad things. On the playground, they tease you, and it hurts your feelings. You wish you had more friends, and that things were different. But inthe new book “Sulwe” by Lupita Nyong’o, illustrated by Vashti Harrison, life can change, and it starts on the inside of you.
“Surrounded by Idiots” by Thomas Erikson
Every day of the week, you want to pound your head against your desk.
