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Showing posts sorted by date for query Coretta. Sort by relevance Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by date for query Coretta. Sort by relevance Show all posts

Women's History Month Picture Book Round-Up

 


March is Women's History Month. Over the years I have shared many books about amazing women. Some are biographies and some are books based on their lives. There are even some that feature more than one woman. I share these books all year long and not just in March. Today I thought I would do a round-up of books about women that I have reviewed in the past. I also have checked to see that the books are still available for the older ones. Some books are about famous women and others may be a woman you haven't heard of. Each has a story that is worth learning about and I hope you will consider checking out the book and sharing it with someone this month! Full disclosure: I was sent copies of these books at some point in time to review. The links provided will take you to my review of the book. These books are recommended for ages between 4 and 10. Next week I will share a round-up of books for older kids.

Coretta: The Autobiography of Mrs. Coretta Scott King -- written for kids

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

February is Black History Month. It is a month where everyone focuses on Black history as part of the United States history since our society tends to focus on white male history most of the time. It saddens me that we need these cultural history months as every day we should be focusing on history of different cultures that have helped build our country, but alas that is not the case. Having the cultural months ensures that schools focus on the history that is not always focused on during the entire year. Today I am sharing a new book that is perfect for celebrating Black History Month with lower elementary aged students. It is Coretta: The Autobiography of Mrs. Coretta Scott King by Coretta Scott King and the Reverend Dr. Barbara Reynolds and illustrated by Ekua Holmes. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8.

Coretta's Journey: The Life and Times of Coretta Scott King -- Book Review

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Do you get Martin Luther King, Jr. Day off? I am guessing your kids do. Do you know it is the first national holiday for a person that is not a president or Christopher Columbus? We celebrate it in thanks to the work Coretta Scott King did to make it a holiday to honor her husband. Come learn about the life and times of Coretta in today's book. It is Coretta's Journey: The Life and Times of Coretta Scott King by Alice Faye Duncan and illustrated by R. Gregory Christie. This beautiful picture book biography is recommended for ages 7 to 10.

We Deserve Monuments -- New YA Novel

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Today I am sharing an amazing new young adult book. Although it is fiction, it is perfect for showing strong women, gay rights as well as civil rights (and the racism that once plagued the South). The book is We Deserve Monuments by Jas Hammonds.

Two New Picture Books Perfect for Black History Month or Any Time

 

Disclosure: I was sent digital copies of these books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

February is halfway over and that means so is Black History Month. Have you done anything for Black History Month? Last week I shared a round-up of picture books that won awards and honors in January that were perfect for Black History Month. Today I am going to share two more picture books that are brand new (in 2022). One is about Ida B. Wells and the other is about a conversation about race. Both are very important to teach our kids about. Let's start with Ida B. Wells. The book is Ida B. Wells: Voice of Truth by Michelle Duster, Ida's great-granddaughter and illustrated by Laura Freeman. This book is recommended for ages 4 to 8.

From the Publisher:

Ida B. Wells, Voice of Truth is an inspiring picture book biography of the groundbreaking journalist and civil rights activist as told by her great-granddaughter Michelle Duster and illustrated by Coretta Scott King Award Honoree artist Laura Freeman.

Ida B. Wells was an educator, journalist, feminist, businesswoman, newspaper owner, public speaker, suffragist, civil rights activist, and women’s club leader.

She was a founder of the NAACP, the National Association of Colored Women’s Clubs, the Alpha Suffrage Club, and the Negro Fellowship League.

She wrote, spoke, and traveled, challenging the racist and sexist norms of her time.

Faced with criticism and threats to her life, she never gave up.

This is her extraordinary true story, as told by her great-granddaughter Michelle Duster and beautifully brought to life by Coretta Scott King Award Honoree artist Laura Freeman.

From Me:

Have you heard of Ida B. Wells? What do you know about her? Back in 2004 or 2005, I went with a friend to see Constant Star. A good friend of mine volunteered at the theater and we went together. It was my first introduction to Ida B. Wells. At the time when I tried to find out more about Ida, I saw more criticism than positivity. I found more negative and not child friendly stories about her. It made me question her true identity. Of course, I was seeing what white people were writing about a Black woman who fought the system. She spoke up when she saw injustice. She did not go away but fought for equal rights for Black people, for women and more. What was available to me at that time was not the whole story and was biased. Finally, today there is a book that is perfect for sharing Ida's life with young children and it is written by her great-granddaughter. 

The book is wonderful. It shares about Ida's life including how she took care of her siblings when her parents died. She was only sixteen. It shares the injustice she witnessed and that occurred to her. I am sure it is only a fraction of the injustice she truly witnessed but has the emotions that go with witnessing and experiencing it. She witnessed lynching as well as being kicked off a train for not moving to the Colored car. Michelle shares the truth about Ida's tough life and all of her many accomplishments. It is written with love and pride and is a perfect book to introduce the younger kids to this amazing woman. The illustrations are absolutely beautiful as well. 

Our second book is Why? A Conversation About Race by Taye Diggs and illustrated by Shane W. Evans. This book is recommended for ages 3 to 6.


From the Publisher:

A piercing picture book about racial injustice from a child’s perspective from Taye Diggs and Shane Evans.

"Daddy?"
"Yes, my sweet boy."
"Why are those people shouting?"
"Our people are shouting because we need to be heard. We need to be heard."

Why?
is a question asked by children daily, and in this striking and timely story, it begins a straightforward and challenging conversation between children of color and the adults in their lives.

Why are the buildings burning? Why are people marching? Why are they crying? Taye Diggs has written a beautiful, powerful, and poignant story that peers through the eyes of a child as they struggle to understand why these events are happening.

Why? distills the conversations many children and adults are having about race, injustice, and anger in communities throughout our country, and gives them context that young readers can connect with. Heartfelt and deeply piercing illustrations from Shane W. Evans will leave a lasting impact on readers of any age. One that will hopefully lead to more conversations, change, and peace within our own communities and the world.

From Me:

Wow, this book is powerful. Kids ask why a lot through a day, but in our current situation there are many asking why. Why are there riots? Why are they looting and damaging buildings? I have heard these questions in the past year. Have you? This book answers those questions but not exactly how you may expect. After all it was adults asking those questions the past year, and this book is written for young children! The book shows Black/brown children asking family members questions about people and things they see. Why are the people shouting, crying, pointing, etc. The family member answers with answers about the injustice the people have felt because of their skin color. They answer with honesty. They answer with answers we all need to understand so we can truly change our society and its wrongs. Each answer could lead to discussions about current events as well as history. Each answer could lead to discussions with children but also with adults. 

As a white ally I cannot put myself into others' shoes and truly understand what they experience. I can show compassion and empathy for their pains. I can use my white privilege to try to change things. I can show love and kindness for all. This book provides a peek into the emotions and experiences of others. It provides answers to questions I have had, and it shares a bit of understanding. I can see this book read to a group of children ready to discuss race. I can see it used with older kids to begin the discussion as well. I hope you will check it out!


Award Winning New Picture Books Perfect for Black History Month

 


On January 24, 2022, the American Library Association announced the 2022 Youth Media Awards! You can see all the winners here. I was happy to see Firekeeper's Daughter won the William C. Morris Award and the Printz Award. Ace of Spades was a finalist for the Printz Award. I really enjoyed both of these young adult books and Ace of Spades is another book great for Black History Month. I went through the list of awards and began requesting books from the library. I found five picture books from the list that are perfect for Black History Month and thought I would share them with you. One will be reshared as I did review it in 2021. We will start with Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre by Carole Boston Weatherford and Floyd Cooper. It is recommended for ages 8 to 12 or grades 3 to 6.

Reading Thursday: What I am currently reading...

 

Disclosure: Some of these books I was sent in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

As a book reviewer I find I need to schedule time to read the books. I am not a fast reader. I insist on novels being physical books. I can only do digital books for craft books and picture books. Otherwise the reviews won't get written because I won't get through them. As I thought about what to share today I decided to share with you what I am currently reading. Some of these books are for future reviews and some are for myself. The first book I will share is one I was told by my gynecologist to read because I turned 50 this summer and am starting menopause. The truth is I wish I read this about five years ago!! If you are in your 40s you want to get a copy of this book because the changes start happening well before you realize it. The book is The Wisdom of Menopause by Dr. Christiane Northrup. 


From the Publisher:

Dr. Christiane Northrup’s #1 New York Times bestseller The Wisdom of Menopause has inspired more than a million women with a dramatically new vision of midlife—and will continue to do so for generations to come. As Dr. Northrup has championed, the “change” is not simply a collection of physical symptoms to be “fixed,” but a mind-body revolution that brings the greatest opportunity for growth since adolescence. The choices a woman makes now—from the quality of her relationships to the quality of her diet—have the power to secure vibrant health and well-being for the rest of her life.

Now completely revised, this groundbreaking classic draws on the current research and medical advances in women’s health, and includes

• a new section on sex after 50—and how, if need be, you can rejuvenate your sex life
• updated mammogram guidelines—and how thermography improves breast health
• the latest on the glycemic index, optimal blood sugar levels, and ways to prevent diabetes
• dietary guidelines revealing that hidden sugar—not dietary fat—is the main culprit in heart disease, cancer, and obesity
• all you need to know about perimenopause and why it’s critical to your well-being
• a vital program for ensuring pelvic health during and after menopause
• strategies to combat osteoporosis and strengthen bones for life

With this trusted resource, Dr. Christiane Northrup shows that women can make menopause a time of personal empowerment—emerging wiser, healthier, and stronger in both mind and body than ever before.

From Me:
I need to make more time to read this one. I was hooked on it when I read the first page. It resonated with me and what has been going on in my own life/body. I definitely suggest it for anyone in their 40s or more.

The next book that I'm reading is for personal reasons. It is The Wedding Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini. It is the next book from where I left off in the Elm Creek Quilt series. 

From the Publisher:
The New York Times bestselling Elm Creek Quilts series continues, with a novel that celebrates one of America's most romantic and enduring traditions.

Sarah McClure arrived at Elm Creek Manor as a newlywed, never suspecting that her quilting lessons with master quilter Sylvia Bergstrom Compson would inspire the successful and enduring business Elm Creek Quilts, whose members have nurtured a circle of friendship spanning generations.

The Wedding Quilt opens as the wedding day of Sarah's daughter Caroline approaches. As Sarah has learned, a union celebrates not only the betrothed couple's passage into wedlock, but also the contributions of those who have made the bride and groom the unique people they are. Thus Sarah's thoughts are filled with brides of Elm Creek Manor past and present-the traditions they honored, the legacies they bequeathed, and the wedding quilts that contain their stories in every stitch.

A wedding quilt is a powerful metaphor: of sisterhood, of community, of hope for the future. The blocks in Caroline's wedding quilt will display the signatures of beloved guests. As the Elm Creek Quilters circulate amid the festive preparations with pens and fabric in hand, memories of the Manor-and of the women who have lived there, in happiness and in sorrow-spill forth, rendering a vivid pastiche of family, friendship, and love in all its varieties.

From Me:
I'm loving how this book is full of memories from the earlier books in the series. It honestly feels like I'm catching up with old friends.

The next book I was hoping to review today but I just haven't had enough time to finish it. It is Gone to the Woods: Surviving a Lost Childhood by Gary Paulsen.

From the Publisher: 
A middle grade memoir from a living literary legend, giving readers a new perspective on the origins of Gary Paulsen's famed survival stories.

His name is synonymous with high-stakes wilderness survival stories. Now, beloved author Gary Paulsen portrays a series of life-altering moments from his turbulent childhood as his own original survival story. If not for his summer escape from a shockingly neglectful Chicago upbringing to a North Woods homestead at age five, there never would have been a Hatchet. Without the encouragement of the librarian who handed him his first book at age thirteen, he may never have become a reader. And without his desperate teenage enlistment in the Army, he would not have discovered his true calling as a storyteller.

A moving and enthralling story of grit and growing up, Gone to the Woods is perfect for newcomers to the voice and lifelong fans alike, from the acclaimed author at his rawest and realest.

From Me: 
I am enjoying reading this book. It is so interesting to hear the details of his life. It is well written and pulls the reader in. I'm about a third of the way through it and the truth is when I start reading it I have trouble putting it down. I just haven't had enough time to read it. I hope you will check it out and stay tuned for my full review.

My final book is the book I'm hoping to share on Monday for our final Black History Month post. It is The Awakening of Malcolm X by Ilyasah Shabazz and Tiffany D. Jackson. 

From the Publisher: 
The Awakening of Malcolm X is a powerful narrative account of the activist's adolescent years in jail, written by his daughter Ilyasah Shabazz along with 2019 Coretta Scott King-John Steptoe award-winning author, Tiffany D. Jackson.

No one can be at peace until he has his freedom.

In Charlestown Prison, Malcolm Little struggles with the weight of his past. Plagued by nightmares, Malcolm drifts through days, unsure of his future. Slowly, he befriends other prisoners and writes to his family. He reads all the books in the prison library, joins the debate team and the Nation of Islam. Malcolm grapples with race, politics, religion, and justice in the 1940s. And as his time in jail comes to an end, he begins to awaken -- emerging from prison more than just Malcolm Little: Now, he is Malcolm X.

Here is an intimate look at Malcolm X's young adult years. While this book chronologically follows X: A Novel, it can be read as a stand-alone historical novel that invites larger discussions on black power, prison reform, and civil rights.

From Me:
Again I'm enjoying it. When I pick it up I have trouble putting it down. Steve noticed it and asked to read it after me. I was shocked. He hardly reads novels and doesn't pay that much attention to Black history. I am hoping to get this one finished for my last Black History Month post for this year! Tune in Monday to get my full review of it!

Black Lives Matter-- Mary McLeod Bethune & Coretta Scott King

 


I only have a few more people on my list for our Black Lives Matter Series. I have been saving these two women for the end but wanted to share them because today is World Teacher Day. These two were both activists. We will start with Mary McLeod Bethune because she was a teacher!

Betty before X -- Women's History Month Review

Disclosure: Macmillan Publishing sent me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I am sure you have heard of Malcolm X, but have you heard of Betty? Betty Shabazz is most known as Malcolm X's wife, however she has a great story of her own. I am going to share with you a fictionalized biography of her life before Malcolm X written by her daughter, Ilyasah, but before I do, let's talk a bit about Betty.

Katherine Johnson -- Multicultural Math Lesson and Black History Month Blog Hop & Giveaway

*Pictures of Katherine Johnson are from NASA.

This year for Black History Month I could not decide what to focus on for my post. Hazel and I read books about Coretta Scott King (Martin Luther King, Jr.'s wife) and inventor Garrett Morgan. I was trying to decide which to focus on and then I discovered Katherine Johnson and knew I found my post subject. First a bit about how I discovered her. Back from my former life as a high school math teacher I have a friend who was a black history teacher (now he is an assistant principal). Every February he posts on his Facebook page about various black people and events. He only posts so his friends can see them so I have not been able to share them. However this year I have been Googling the person or event and pinning them to my Black History Month Board.  Be sure to check it out to learn about even more Black History. Well one of his posts this year was about Katherine Johnson and I knew I had found my post topic and the bonus is she also is a black mathematician!