Freedom on the Menu by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Jerome LaGarrigue
This week marks the 50th anniversary of the Greensboro sit-ins, and Freedom on the Menu is probably the best children’s book you could use to mark the occasion. Weatherford tells the story from the perspective of a young girl whose siblings join in the fight for equal rights in Greensboro. She makes the story exciting and accessible for young readers while LaGarrigue’s muted color paintings lend a solemn quality to the story.
Henry’s Freedom Box by Ellen Levine, illustrated by Kadir Nelson
Most kids have heard stories of slaves escaping on the Underground Railroad, but not every story involves the dangerous night hikes and safe-houses we’ve come to expect. Levine tells the surprising story of a man who actually mailed himself to freedom. Henry Brown’s story is understandably sad and upsetting in the beginning, and even though Levine is not graphic in her descriptions of the hardships he faces, the loss of Henry’s family and parts of his escape might be difficult for younger readers to handle. But kids ages 6 and up will be enthralled by the unusual (true!) story and Nelson’s Caldecott-Honor-winning illustrations.
Ashanti to Zulu by Margaret Musgrove, illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon
Jerry Pinkney became the first African-American to win the Caldecott Medal on his own just last month, but Leo Dillon was the first African-American to win the award, and he and his wife are the only people to ever win the medal two years in a row. They accomplished this feat with 2 wonderful books about African fables and traditions: first, Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears and then Ashanti to Zulu, an alphabet book that takes readers across the continent. Each letter introduces another tribe or culture to expose kids and parents to the diversity of Africa, and while it might be organized alphabetically, kids will learn plenty from this book long after they’ve mastered their letters. A beautiful reminder that “African American” can mean a lot of different things.
Choosing just a few books for this post was tricky, and we have more than 20 of our favorite Black History books for all ages on display right now in the store.
Marcelo in the Real World was awarded the Schneider Family Book Award, honoring books that “that embody an artistic expression of the disability experience.” Simply classifying this book as a “disability” book sells it short, though. It wasn’t just the best book about a kid on the autism spectrum, it was one of the best young adult books of the year, period. Francisco X. Stork created a wonderfully complex and caring character in Marcelo, who’s challenges with new jobs, new friends, morality, and the new-found fallibility of his family are universal, even if his challenges with Aspergers are not.
Another staff favorite that wound up in the hands of pretty much any person who wandered in and said “I need a gift for a 5 [or 6, or 7, or 8]-year-old,” Moonshot by Brooklyn resident Brian Floca is the beautifully-illustrated account of the Apollo 11 mission. The ALA named it a Sibert Honor Book, recognizing “distinguished informational books for children,” but the poetic text makes it as good a bedtime story as it is a reference. The balance of engrossing story with detailed diagrams and a more advanced history of the early space program at the back of the book make Moonshot a book that can grow with kids and won’t get tossed aside as they get older.
Bad News for Outlaws by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson flew under our radar until it was awarded the Coretta Scott King Award honoring African American authors, but that cover demands attention. Inside it’s the exciting and sometimes startling story of Bass Reeves, a former slave who became a Deputy U.S. Marshall. The reading level is decidedly higher than most picture books, which makes it a great addition to the non-fiction section of middle-grade classroom libraries, but would also make a great quick read aloud for families with older kids who have graduated to reading mostly on their own. Everyone loves to be read to sometimes.
A personal favorite of several employees (and by favorite, we mean if you were between the ages of 8 and 12 we pretty much would not let you leave the store without this book), When You Reach Me deserves every bit of praise it has received and more. The writing is crisp, the characters are lovable and relatable, and the plot is quick and exciting. Rebecca Stead joined us for our Young Reader Book Club meeting in November to share her experiences writing the book and growing up on the Upper West Side like her main character, Miranda. One interesting bit we learned: Rebecca was inspired to write the novel after hearing a 
It takes a special talent to tell a story entirely in pictures, which is probably why the ALA is fond of giving the Caldecott to books without words. One thing they’ve never done before, though, is give it to an individual* African-American illustrator. The Lion and the Mouse follows in other wordless books’** footsteps, but illustrator Jerry Pinkney blazes a new trail for African Americans with his much-deserved win this morning. Wordless books are a great way for pre-reading kids to learn about story structure, and are also a fun way to challenge kids who can read to approach books in a new way. The gorgeous watercolor illustrations of The Lion and the Mouse are a welcome addition to the genre.
Lastly, we were delighted to see that frequent BookCourt guest Libba Bray was awarded the Printz award for Young Adult Literature. One thing the big ALA awards are sometimes lacking is genuine humor, but the audience at our recent Going Bovine reading repeatedly cracked up at the antics of 16-year-old mad-cow-disease sufferer Cameron. Libba Bray writes smart, witty, less-than-perfect teenage characters who might not always be likable, but they’re all the more believable for it.
