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By: Chris Barton,
on 10/4/2015
Blog: Bartography (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Socialit, Don Tate, Chris Barton, BookPeople, Kelly Starling Lyons, Reconstruction, The Amazing Age of John Roy Lynch, Poet: The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton of Ch, Hope's Gift, Add a tag
By: Stacy A. Nyikos,
on 4/4/2012
Blog: Stacy A. Nyikos (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, Jefferson's Son, Ellen's Broom, history, slavery, founding fathers, Thomas Jefferson, Sally Hemings, Kelly Starling Lyons, Add a tag
Jefferson's Sons -
A Founding Father's Secret Children
Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Grades 6 - 9
Brubaker Bradley brings to life the story of the four children - Beverly, Harriet, Madison and Eston - that researchers have, after much prodding, historical research and DNA analysis, acknowledged Thomas Jefferson had with one of his slaves, Sally Hemings.
Brubaker Bradley's story begins through the eyes of Beverly Jefferson, the eldest of the four children who survived into adulthood, and follows the story through Madison Jefferson, the middle son, and finally, Peter Fossett, the son of the blacksmith, Joe Fossett, who was sold after Jefferson's death.
It is told from close third from just one character's POV at a time. When Beverly becomes a teenager, Brubaker makes an ingenious transition from his POV to Madison's. So much so, my ten year old exclaimed, "Mama, it's Maddy's story now!" It was like a magic trick that the audience sees but still marvels at. Brubaker Bradley is a pro. I learned a few new tricks.
The story revolves around family. In this particular case, a mother, Sally, who was a slave, yet became, for all intents and purposes, the second wife of Thomas Jefferson after his first wife died. And a father, Thomas Jefferson, who wrote all men were created equal yet kept his own children as slaves. And four children who were the slaves and children of one of the United States' most revered but, as we learn through walking in these children's shoes, hypocritical founding fathers.
Brubaker Bradley spent three years working on this book. It shows. She has taken so much material and blended it so seamlessly. The story is suffused with childhood, slavery, history, philosophy, politics, historical figures. They all come to life.
My youngest daughter and I listened to the audio of this book while in DC and Charlottesville for Spring Break. About halfway through the book, we went to Monticello, Jefferson's home. My daughter's been there before, but it hadn't stuck. This time, though, the home wasn't just one more historical building we walked through. My daughter looked for traces of Hemmings' family members, and Fossetts and Hearns. History wasn't boring. It was alive and had faces. It was so cool. We even listened to a part of the story while sitting on a bench on Mulberry Row, where the slave quarters were at Monticello. Afterwards, when we were listening to Jefferson's Sons again in the car, my daughter said over and over, "oh, yeah", as she remembered the places that were a part of the story.
This is a book you don't want to miss. The writing is superb. The subject matter begs to be discussed. And the last scene is unforgettable.
Read it.
There are so many excellent books that have come out for children that take historical facts and weave them into fiction that breathes with life. Another, for slightly younger readers, that embraces an African American wedding tradition, jumping the broom, that is inherently tied to slavery but may actually predate it is Ellen's Broom by Kelly Starling Lyons.
I've never been much of a history fan, until now. Through these two books, I feel as if I've discover Add a Comment
By: L. M. Baldwin,
on 10/20/2010
Blog: Color Online (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Kelly Starling Lyons, One Million Men and Me, The Million Man March, Add a tag
As soon as I heard about the Million Man March, I knew I had to go. My mission as a writer was to give voice to people whose stories too often go unsung. Here was the chance to feature young, African-American men and talk to them about what this March meant and why they wanted to come together and be counted.
At that time, there was so much negative news in the media – stories about gangs, about young men going to prison. I was excited about the chance to highlight something positive and show people a different picture. Everywhere I went, I heard men and teens asking each other: Are you going? They would show the world that one million black men could unite in peace, purpose and love.
Some journalist friends and I drove to Washington, D.C. from Syracuse, NY. We knew the March would be special. But nothing could have prepared us for what we saw. My skin tingled as we walked onto the Washington Mall and Black men covered the grounds like a beautiful tapestry. Rich and poor, young and old, men sang, hugged, laughed, rallied and prayed together. There was peace all around.
The teens I interviewed told me that this day would stay with them forever. In school, they said, someone might be ready to fight if you bumped into them. But at the March, they told me, everyone said, ‘Excuse me, brother.” They talked about feeling inspired to go back home and make a difference. They were filled with so much hope.
I watched fathers – and mothers – walk with their arms around their sons. Those boys looked so proud to be part of history. Then, I saw a little girl walk past the Reflecting Pool clutching her daddy’s hand. Her eyes glittered like diamonds. She looked like a princess in a sea of kings. Those images spoke to me. I felt that fostering that closeness between father and child was part of what the March was about.
Years later when I began writing for children, the memory of that little girl and her dad came back to me. What if I imagined what the March was like for her? What if the little girl was the storyteller sharing the story of her dad and all of the men who made history that day? I named my character Nia, because I felt that she was there for a reason, just like me.
I was moved to write the story because all kids need positive images. Even today, there are too few stories that celebrate African-American dads and too many black history stories that remain untold. These are American stories that speak to the rich and diverse fabric of our people.
Writing One Million Men and Me was magical and meaningful. At first, I struggled. The words just wouldn’t flow. I second-guessed myself and wondered if I could do justice to something as amazing as the March. Then, inspired by black men I saw hugging and talking at a fatherhood conference, I gave it another try. I sat down at my computer and let Ni
By: Amy Bowllan,
on 10/15/2010
Blog: Bowllan's Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Writers Against Racism, Just Us Books, Kelly Starling Lyons, One Million Men and Me, Add a tag
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By: Chris Barton,
on 10/4/2015
Blog: Bartography (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Socialit, Don Tate, Chris Barton, BookPeople, Kelly Starling Lyons, Reconstruction, The Amazing Age of John Roy Lynch, Poet: The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton of Ch, Hope's Gift, Add a tag
By: Stacy A. Nyikos,
on 4/4/2012
Blog: Stacy A. Nyikos (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, Jefferson's Son, Ellen's Broom, history, slavery, founding fathers, Thomas Jefferson, Sally Hemings, Kelly Starling Lyons, Add a tag
A Founding Father's Secret Children
Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Grades 6 - 9
Brubaker Bradley brings to life the story of the four children - Beverly, Harriet, Madison and Eston - that researchers have, after much prodding, historical research and DNA analysis, acknowledged Thomas Jefferson had with one of his slaves, Sally Hemings.
Brubaker Bradley's story begins through the eyes of Beverly Jefferson, the eldest of the four children who survived into adulthood, and follows the story through Madison Jefferson, the middle son, and finally, Peter Fossett, the son of the blacksmith, Joe Fossett, who was sold after Jefferson's death.
It is told from close third from just one character's POV at a time. When Beverly becomes a teenager, Brubaker makes an ingenious transition from his POV to Madison's. So much so, my ten year old exclaimed, "Mama, it's Maddy's story now!" It was like a magic trick that the audience sees but still marvels at. Brubaker Bradley is a pro. I learned a few new tricks.
The story revolves around family. In this particular case, a mother, Sally, who was a slave, yet became, for all intents and purposes, the second wife of Thomas Jefferson after his first wife died. And a father, Thomas Jefferson, who wrote all men were created equal yet kept his own children as slaves. And four children who were the slaves and children of one of the United States' most revered but, as we learn through walking in these children's shoes, hypocritical founding fathers.
Brubaker Bradley spent three years working on this book. It shows. She has taken so much material and blended it so seamlessly. The story is suffused with childhood, slavery, history, philosophy, politics, historical figures. They all come to life.
My youngest daughter and I listened to the audio of this book while in DC and Charlottesville for Spring Break. About halfway through the book, we went to Monticello, Jefferson's home. My daughter's been there before, but it hadn't stuck. This time, though, the home wasn't just one more historical building we walked through. My daughter looked for traces of Hemmings' family members, and Fossetts and Hearns. History wasn't boring. It was alive and had faces. It was so cool. We even listened to a part of the story while sitting on a bench on Mulberry Row, where the slave quarters were at Monticello. Afterwards, when we were listening to Jefferson's Sons again in the car, my daughter said over and over, "oh, yeah", as she remembered the places that were a part of the story.
This is a book you don't want to miss. The writing is superb. The subject matter begs to be discussed. And the last scene is unforgettable.
Read it.
There are so many excellent books that have come out for children that take historical facts and weave them into fiction that breathes with life. Another, for slightly younger readers, that embraces an African American wedding tradition, jumping the broom, that is inherently tied to slavery but may actually predate it is Ellen's Broom by Kelly Starling Lyons.
I've never been much of a history fan, until now. Through these two books, I feel as if I've discover Add a Comment
By: Bianca Schulze,
on 2/10/2012
Blog: The Children's Book Review (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Ages 4-8, Ages 9-12, Picture Books, Book Lists, Black History Month, Civil Rights, African American, featured, Kadir Nelson, James E. Ransome, Ntozake Shange, Kelly Starling Lyons, Shane W. Evans, Daniel Minter, Diane Dillon, Leo Dillon, Rod Brown, Taye Diggs, Cultural Wisdom, Jessie Carney Smith, Lean’tin Bracks, Margaree King Mitchell, Patricia C. McKissack, Add a tag
Blog: The Children's Book Review (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Ages 4-8, Ages 9-12, Picture Books, Book Lists, Black History Month, Civil Rights, African American, featured, Kadir Nelson, James E. Ransome, Ntozake Shange, Kelly Starling Lyons, Shane W. Evans, Daniel Minter, Diane Dillon, Leo Dillon, Rod Brown, Taye Diggs, Cultural Wisdom, Jessie Carney Smith, Lean’tin Bracks, Margaree King Mitchell, Patricia C. McKissack, Add a tag
By Nicki Richesin, The Children’s Book Review
Published: February 11, 2012
In celebration of African American History month, I discovered some especially moving books to share with The Children’s Book Review. Fighting for justice and equality through solidarity and courage, these books uncover the truth of the African American experience whether it’s during the time of the Civil War, Reconstruction, the Civil Rights Movement or even today.
Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans
By Kadir Nelson
In truly stunning paintings, Nelson follows the trajectory of the African-American experience in all of its harrowing and haunting glory. Beginning with slavery and ending with the civil rights movement, he gently describes the events to enlighten and as he explains in his gentle prologue, “make some things known before they’re gone for good.” You’ll find more details on Nelson’s remarkable book in these two stories from NPR and The New York Times and additional notes from the publisher. (Ages 8-11. Publisher: HarperCollins)
When Grandmama Sings
By Margaree King Mitchell; illustrated by James E. Ransome
It’s almost incredible to recall that Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong were not allowed as audience members in many of the theaters where they performed sold-out, standing-room-only shows. In Mitchell’s story, a small-town woman with a magnificent voice decides to bring her granddaughter along on tour. Although they are harassed, refused service and even payment from one stage manager, Grandmama keeps singing to inspire and bring people together with courage and the power of her conviction. (Ages 5-9. Publisher: HarperCollins)
We March
In this eloquent book by Shane W. Evans, author of Underground, he recounts the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963. His bold illustrations depict families as they make their way to the Lincoln
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By: L. M. Baldwin,
on 10/20/2010
Blog: Color Online (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Kelly Starling Lyons, One Million Men and Me, The Million Man March, Add a tag
As soon as I heard about the Million Man March, I knew I had to go. My mission as a writer was to give voice to people whose stories too often go unsung. Here was the chance to feature young, African-American men and talk to them about what this March meant and why they wanted to come together and be counted.At that time, there was so much negative news in the media – stories about gangs, about young men going to prison. I was excited about the chance to highlight something positive and show people a different picture. Everywhere I went, I heard men and teens asking each other: Are you going? They would show the world that one million black men could unite in peace, purpose and love.
Some journalist friends and I drove to Washington, D.C. from Syracuse, NY. We knew the March would be special. But nothing could have prepared us for what we saw. My skin tingled as we walked onto the Washington Mall and Black men covered the grounds like a beautiful tapestry. Rich and poor, young and old, men sang, hugged, laughed, rallied and prayed together. There was peace all around.
The teens I interviewed told me that this day would stay with them forever. In school, they said, someone might be ready to fight if you bumped into them. But at the March, they told me, everyone said, ‘Excuse me, brother.” They talked about feeling inspired to go back home and make a difference. They were filled with so much hope.
I watched fathers – and mothers – walk with their arms around their sons. Those boys looked so proud to be part of history. Then, I saw a little girl walk past the Reflecting Pool clutching her daddy’s hand. Her eyes glittered like diamonds. She looked like a princess in a sea of kings. Those images spoke to me. I felt that fostering that closeness between father and child was part of what the March was about.
Years later when I began writing for children, the memory of that little girl and her dad came back to me. What if I imagined what the March was like for her? What if the little girl was the storyteller sharing the story of her dad and all of the men who made history that day? I named my character Nia, because I felt that she was there for a reason, just like me.
I was moved to write the story because all kids need positive images. Even today, there are too few stories that celebrate African-American dads and too many black history stories that remain untold. These are American stories that speak to the rich and diverse fabric of our people.
Writing One Million Men and Me was magical and meaningful. At first, I struggled. The words just wouldn’t flow. I second-guessed myself and wondered if I could do justice to something as amazing as the March. Then, inspired by black men I saw hugging and talking at a fatherhood conference, I gave it another try. I sat down at my computer and let Ni
2 Comments on How the Million Man March Inspired a Picture Book, by Kelly Starling Lyons, last added: 10/21/2010
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By: Amy Bowllan,
on 10/15/2010
Blog: Bowllan's Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Writers Against Racism, Just Us Books, Kelly Starling Lyons, One Million Men and Me, Add a tag
Twenty-two years ago, Wade and Cheryl Hudson made a life-changing decision. Frustrated by the low number of African-American children’s books available to share with their son and daughter, they decided to do something about it – create books themselves.
Their commitment to filling the gap and giving not just their kids, but all young people, books that reflected the images and voices of black children helped change the publishing landscape. From early titles that became bestsellers like the AFRO-BETS A B C Book and Bright Eyes, Brown Skin to acclaimed releases like the Coretta Scott King Honor Award-winning title, The Secret Olivia Told Me, Just Us Books, their family-owned and operated publishing company, has created quality literature that celebrates African-American kids.
The Hudsons are pioneers not just in publishing multicultural children’s books, but nurturing authors and illustrators of color too. They’ve given many people – including me – their break.
I first met them when I worked for Ebony magazine. Basil O. Phillips, distinguished photo editor for Johnson Publishing Company and director of special markets and promotions for JPC’s book division, took me to my first American Library Association conference. He introduced me to the Hudsons and showed me their wonderful booth full of books celebrating children of color. I believed in – and admired — their mission.
Years later, I sent Just Us Books a picture book manuscript for consideration. The editorial team turned that story down, but didn’t close the door on me. They invited me to try out for their chapter book series, NEATE. I won the assignment to write about character Eddie Delaney. And like they’ve been to so many authors and illustrators, they became teachers, guiding me through every step of the process.
Editors helped me see my manuscript in new ways. They challenged me to make scenes come to life and compel readers to turn the page. They praised the good parts and worked with me to smooth out the rough ones. On the other side of that process came the reward: I was a published children’s book author.
But the journey didn’t stop there. Just Us Books made another of my dreams come true too. Ever since reading Something Beautiful by Sharon Dennis Wyeth, I dreamed of creating a picture book of my own. When I wrote the manuscript for One Million Men and Me and submitted it for consideration, they encouraged me from the start. I didn’t have to explain why it was important to share the story of the Million Man March through the eyes of a girl there with her daddy. Just Us Books understood.
Editors helped me polish the story and add details that would help give children a sense of what it was about: Why was the March significant? What was its purpose? Who were some of the speakers? Those questions helped me turn my poem about a little girl’s experience with her father at the Million Man March into a fully-developed story.
They
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This sounds like a great book! Thank you for highlighting it!
Thanks, Zee!