KRLemmons African American Literature, Children's literature, Lesson Plans, Resources

Zora and Me

This week, the Zora Neale Hurston Organization is hosting its annual Zora Neale Hurston Festival in Eatonville, Florida.  This is the 25th year of the festival and it is a week-long celebration with workshops, activities, and other events.  I mention this festival as a segue into my review of the children’s book, Zora and Me.

Zora and Me, written by Victoria Simon and T.R. Simon, imagines the childhood of Zora in Eatonville, Florida.  The story is narrated by Carrie and Zora’s storytelling gives Carrie plenty to say.  When a decapitated body is found on a railroad track, Zora creates a believable yet scary story that she is willing to tell anyone who wants to hear it.  In fact, Zora also believes she knows the murderer, and, recruiting Carrie and her friend Teddy, goes to many lengths to prove her theory.

Zora and Me is beautifully written, with Carrie’s voice that draws one into the mystery.  Carrie and Teddy are fully developed characters and just the right friends for the imaginative Zora.  Other characters are developed, too, and the issues of race, particularly passing, racism, poverty, and equality are woven carefully in the story as the mystery unfolds and reveals the killer.

Zora and Me has won a few awards, including the The Coretta Scott King-John Steptoe New Talent Award.

A discussion guide and lesson plans are available for this book.  The discussion guide can be accessed by clicking here: http://www.candlewick.com/book_files/0763643009.bdg.1.pdf

The lesson plan, and other resources can be found on The Teaching Books.Net: http://www.teachingbooks.net/tb.cgi?tid=21622&a=1

Zora and Me, 192 pages.  Hardcover: 978-0763643003; Paperback:  978-0763658144 Grades 5 and up.

 

KRLemmons African American Literature, African American Young Adult Literature, Children's literature

Coretta Scott King Book Awards

Later this month, the 2014 Coretta Scott King Book Award Committee will announce the authors and illustrators recipients.  “The Coretta Scott King Book Awards are given annually to outstanding African American authors and illustrators of books for children and young adults that demonstrate an appreciation of African American culture and universal human values.  The award commemorates the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and honors his wife, Mrs. Coretta Scott King, for her courage and determination to continue the work for peace and world brotherhood.”

I look forward to hearing the announcements.  This announcement, as well as others, are part of the American Library Association Youth Media Awards.  Many of us have called these awards the Academy Awards for authors and illustrators.  These award winning books and media not only honors the authors and illustrators, but also tells the world that these are books that should  be read.  

Some time ago, I challenged myself to read the honor and award books from the Coretta Scott King Book Awards list http://www.ala.org/emiert/coretta-scott-king-book-awards-all-recipients-1970-present   So I shall continue the challenge this year, and begin to read these books.  If you do not have a reading challenge, and there are many, you can certainly join me in this challenge!

Happy reading!

KRLemmons African American Literature, African American Young Adult Literature

2013 African American Fiction for Teens

elliottzetta's avatarFledgling

It’s that time of year again! Edi Campbell kindly gave me her list of 2013 books by PoC (people of color) and I pulled out the fiction books by Black authors (middle grade and young adult). As always, if you see that we’ve missed a title, please let us know. I have not added titles from Saddleback Educational Publishing, a press devoted to hi-lo fiction for teens. You can find Saddelback’s Black authors on our 2011 and 2012 lists. Two of the titles are reprints. Walter Dean Myers, outgoing National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, had a good year with 3 titles; Amar’e Stoudemire and Kelli London had 2 titles each, as did Ni-Ni Simone and Amir Abrams. How many of the remaining authors made their debut in 2013? Less than ten, by my count. According to a recent article in New York Magazine, there were over…

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KRLemmons African American Literature, African American Young Adult Literature, Resources

Happy Birthday, Zora Neale Hurston!!!!

Zora Neale Hurston was born on January 7.  She was a novelist, folklorist, and short story writer, who claimed Eatonville, Florida as her birthplace. Although she is well known for her novel is “Their Eyes Were Watching God”, she has written other works as well, such as “Mule Bone”, “Jonah’s Gourd Vine”, “Moses, Man of the Mountain”, to name a few.

A couple of resources on this influential writer include:  http://zoranealehurston.com, http://www.biography.com/people/zora-neale-hurston-9347659

Every year in Eatonville, Florida, there is a Zora Neale Hurston festival.  Now celebrating its 25 year, this year’s festival is a weeklong celebration featuring celebrities, workshops, special events and more.  For more information, go to http://zorafestival.org

 

KRLemmons African American History, African American Literature, African American Young Adult Literature, Children's literature, Resources

R.I.P. Nelson Mandela (1918-2013)

December 5, 2013, Nelson Mandela joined the ancestors.  He was a tireless leader for human rights and social justice.  He left a legacy, in words and in deeds, for us to emulate.

Some of his books are listed below:

Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela                                                                                                                     How Far From Slaves We Come (co-written with Fidel Castro)                                                         In the Words of Nelson Mandela                                                                                  Conversations with Myself (co-written with Barack Obama)                                         Mandela’s Way (Lessons on Life, Love and Courage) co-written with Richard Stengel) Mandela: An Illustrated Autobiography

Children’s books on Nelson Mandela:                                                                                     Nelson Mandela by Kadir Nelson                                                                                             Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom by Chris van Wyk, Paddy Bouma

The Library of Congress has digital resources on Nelson Mandela.  Go to loc.gov and search “Nelson Mandela”

President Obama eloqently spoke on the passing of Nelson Mandela.  The link is below: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2013/12/05/president-obama-delivers-statement-passing-nelson-mandela

KRLemmons African American Literature, African American Young Adult Literature, Resources

Ann Petry and The Street

On this day, Ann Petry was born, and would later write a classic novel, The Street.  This novel explores issues of race, class, gender, motherhood, and more in 1940s Harlem.

A few resources are listed below.

NPR: http://www.npr.org/2008/06/16/91556698/an-unflinching-street-view-of-the-american-dream

PBS: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americannovel/video/ANthestreet.html

Voices From the Gaps: http://voices.cla.umn.edu/artistpages/petryAnn.php

KRLemmons African American Literature, Resources

Happy Birthday, James Baldwin!

August 2, 1924, James Arthur Baldwin was born.  He becomes one of the most prolific and influential African American writers.  His most notable works are “Go Tell It On The Mountain” and “The Fire Next Time.”  He also published short stories and several essays.  For more information on James Baldwin, check out these resources:

http://www.biography.com/people/james-baldwin-9196635

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/james-baldwin/about-the-author/59/

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129281259

http://www.nytimes.com/books/first/b/baldwin-essays.html

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/aug02.html