And on one quiet day, playtime leads to an important realization: Trinity wants long hair like her dolls. She needs it to express who she truly is.So her family decides to take a trip to the beauty supply store, but none of the wigs is the perfect fit. Determined, Mom leaves with bundles of hair in hand, ready to craft a wig as colorful and vibrant as her daughter is.With powerful text by Trinity and DeShanna Neal and radiant art by Art Twink, My Rainbow is a celebration of showing up as our full selves with the people who have seen us fully all along.

    . . live oaks trembled with the sound of drums and, say some, it was a time when people could walk beneath the water. . . .It used to be that ships as big as barns would land at the dock near Teakettle Creek---slave ships bringing African people to work on plantations. Some of the Africans who lived on the island made goatskin drums to remind themselves of home, where they wished to return. Young Mentu had never known Africa. He was an island-born boy. But Grandmother Tiwi, she had Africa in her blood---she longer for home. Thanks to Tiwi's teachings, Mentu has learned to play the drums, has learned to respect the strength of their music. When a slave ship carrying Africans docks at Teakettle Creek, sending out the beat of drums---a roar coming from the Africans inside the ship who are pounding for their homeland---the beat calls to Tiwi, urging her to seek freedom. But the only place freedom lies is in the murky waters of Teakettle Creek. Now Tiwi must chose between the drum's lure and the island young Mentu calls home.Caldecott Honor medalist Brian Pinkney pairs with master storyteller Kim Siegelson to present an extraordinary Gullah tale of mysticism, intrigue, and courage. In the Time of the Drums will leave readers spellbound.-from the inside jacket flap

    . .And there’s no BLACK in rainbows.From the wheels of a bicycle to the robe on Thurgood Marshall's back, Black surrounds our lives. It is a color to simply describe some of our favorite things, but it also evokes a deeper sentiment about the incredible people who helped change the world and a community that continues to grow and thrive.Stunningly illustrated by Caldecott Honoree and Coretta Scott King Award winner Ekua Holmes, Black Is a Rainbow Color is a sweeping celebration told through debut author Angela Joy’s rhythmically captivating and unforgettable words.

    Fry bread is food.It is warm and delicious, piled high on a plate.Fry bread is time.It brings families together for meals and new memories.Fry bread is nation.It is shared by many, from coast to coast and beyond.Fry bread is us.It is a celebration of old and new, traditional and modern, similarity and difference.

    The classroom was dark and dreary, and James knew everything outside was more exciting than anything he'd find inside.But his teacher taught him otherwise. "We make our own light here," Reverend Meachum told James. And through hard work and learning, they did, until their school was shut down by a new law forbidding African American education in Missouri. Determined to continue teaching his students, Reverend John Berry Meachum decided to build a new school-a floating school in the Mississippi River, just outside the boundary of the unjust law.Based on true events, Ron Husband's uplifting illustrations bring to life Deborah Hopkinson's tale of a resourceful, determined teacher; his bright, inquisitive students; and their refusal to accept discrimination based on the color of their skin.

    A unique and moving collaboration that celebrates the sustaining spirit of African creativity.

    It only takes a few people to believe that change is possible. And when those people sing out, they can change the world. "We Shall Overcome" is one of their songs. From the song's roots in America's era of slavery through to the civil rights movement of the 1960s and today, "We Shall Overcome" has come to represent the fight for equality and freedom around the world. This important book, lyrically written by Debbie Levy and paired with elegant, collage-style art by Vanessa Brantley-Newton, pays tribute to the heroic spirit of the famous song that encompasses American history.- Jane Addams Award Honor Book- Bank Street College Best Book- NCSS Notable Social Studies Book- American Folklore Society Aesop Accolade- Chicago Public Library Best Informational Book“The power of song to bolster courage, combat bigotry, and effect change courses through this . . . . enlightening and inspiring book.” –Publishers Weekly “An inviting introduction to a spirited and spiritual anthem.” –Kirkus Reviews “An innovative capturing of history through the lens of a song and a passionate affirmation of human rights.” –Booklist

    Boys go in as lumps of clay and, with princely robes draped around their shoulders, a dab of cool shaving cream on their foreheads, and a slow, steady cut, they become royalty. That crisp yet subtle line makes boys sharper, more visible, more aware of every great thing that could happen to them when they look good: lesser grades turn into As; girls take notice; even a mother's hug gets a little tighter. Everyone notices.A fresh cut makes boys fly.This rhythmic, read-aloud title is a celebration of the way boys feel when they leave the barber's chair.

    So instead of introducing herself on the first day of school, she tells the class that she will choose a name by the following week.Her new classmates are fascinated by this no-name girl and decide to help out by filling a glass jar with names for her to pick from. But while Unhei practices being a Suzy, Laura, or Amanda, one of her classmates comes to her neighborhood and discovers her real name and its special meaning.On the day of her name choosing, the name jar has mysteriously disappeared. Encouraged by her new friends, Unhei chooses her own Korean name and helps everyone pronounce it—Yoon-Hey.

    Every day all over the world, children are laughing and crying, playing and learning, eating and sleeping. They may not look the same. They may not speak the same language. Their lives may be quite different from each other. But inside, they are all alike. Stirring words and bold paintings weave their way around our earth, across cultures and generations and remind children to accept differences, to recognize similarities, and--most importantly--to rejoice in both.

    Unlike many other anglers, Bao and his father fished for food, not recreation. A successful catch meant a fed family. Between hope-filled casts, Bao's father told him about a different pond in their homeland of Vietnam.

    Beginning in the fall with the new year and ending in summer, follow a full Cherokee year of celebrations and experiences. Appended with a glossary and the complete Cherokee syllabary, originally created by Sequoyah.

    Siblings Mintoo and Chintoo are busy gathering flowers to make into colorful powders to toss during the festival. And when at last the big day comes, they gather with their friends, family, and neighbors for a vibrant celebration of fresh starts, friendship, forgiveness, and, of course, fun!

    Now in Dragonfly: a lively, empowering story about Brenda's knotted-up, twisted, nappy hair and how it got to be that way! Told in the African-American "call and response" tradition, this story leaps off the page, along with vibrant illustrations by Joe Cepeda.Winner of a Parenting Reading Magic Award

    Katz, very well, until he asks her to adopt an abandoned kitten. Mrs. Katz agrees on one condition: that Larnel help her take care of the kitten she names Tush. When Larnel starts spending more and more time with Mrs. Katz to help with Tush, Mrs. Katz tells him stories about coming to America from Poland and about the good times she spent with her late husband. As Larnel grows to love Mrs. Katz, he also learns about the suffering and triumph black history shares with the Jewish heritage.Patricia Pollaco has illustrated, as well as authored, countless picture books. She lives in Union City, Michigan.