Valarie Budayr's Blog, page 30
February 27, 2018
February Picture Book Kidlit Book Bundle Giveaway!
Books! Books! I have so many books!
I am truly blessed to be able to receive and review children’s books from amazing authors and publishers…but I am running out of room on my bookshelf! So what do you do when you have too many books?
You give them away
February 25, 2018
Weekend Links: Books and Activities for Artsy Kids
Welcome to Weekend Links! This is my weekly chance to round up and share the best-of-the-best in children’s books and activities that I discover during my online travels.
The cooler temps in my zip code makes me want to snuggle and do some creating. In case you were feeling the same, here are some wonderful Books and Activities for Artsy Kids. Enjoy!
10+ Awesome Monet Inspired Art Activities for Kids https://t.co/jPEkeqi3NZ #kidsactivities #kidsart #arteducation pic.twitter.com/vCPRaPRqIL
— PlaygroundParkbench (@PGPBmeghan) February 15, 2018
Fiber Arts for Kids: Earlier this week I did a review of an amazing book called Knit, Hook and Spin by Laurie Carlson.
Knit, Hook, and Spin is one of those books that I wish I’d had as a kid! There are so many different activities and crafts to fill your day with fun! Carlson talks about felting, weaving, knotting, stitching, knitting, crocheting, spinning, dyeing, and even recycling old projects! But not only does she give us all of these wonderful crafts, Carlson can’t leave us without a little information first. We jumped headfirst into some of Ms. Carlson’s fiber arts for kids activities and go here to see the results!
Feeling artsy? Check out these 10 crafts from around the world: In the Playroom
How gorgeous are these!!?? 30 Cool Art Techniques for Kids from Buggy & Buddy!
Get your read on: 13 Children’s Books About Famous Artists via @sufficientkids
Playful Learners: 10 Play Ideas For a Rainy Day
Gotta love a good ‘ol cardboard box! 50 THINGS YOU CAN DO WITH A CARDBOARD BOX at The Kids Activities Blog
Make a Schultute (German School Cone) for the first day of school! Kid World Citizen
Inspired by the poet and author, Hans Christian Andersen, I’ve created a child-friendly off the shoulder felt story bag that can be your family’s Storyteller’s Bag. I hope your Hans Christian Andersen-inspired Storyteller’s Bag of tales holds as many wonders for you as ours has.
Creating a Hans Christian Andersen-inspired Storyteller’s BagCreating a Hans Christian Andersen-inspired Storyteller’s Bag
What You’ll Need:
• 2 10 x 12 inch pieces of Wool Felt
• 2 3 x 36 inches of wool felt for the straps
• 1 8 x 10 inch sheet of wool felt for the appliqué
• Pins
• Needle
• Embroidery Floss
• All Purpose sewing thread to match
• Sewing machine
Get the full tutorial HERE. I hope you enjoy your new Storyteller Bag!
How about some “Painting With Scissors?” Check out this Creative Activity Inspired by Henri Matisse
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If your family loves crafts and inspiration based on children’s classics, then you will love A Year in the Secret Garden; a book based on the classic The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett.
Enjoy month-by-month activities based on the classic children’s tale, The Secret Garden! A Year in the Secret Garden is a delightful children’s book with over 120 pages, with 150 original color illustrations and 48 activities for your family and friends to enjoy, learn, discover and play with together. Grab your copy ASAP and “meet me in the garden!” http://amzn.to/1DTVnuX
The post Weekend Links: Books and Activities for Artsy Kids appeared first on .
February 23, 2018
Introduce young crafters to embroidery | Stitching with Jane Foster
Kids and crafts go hand-in-hand and simple introductions to new skills are the best way to open the door to new loves that will follow them into adulthood.
Experts say that adults who do crafts benefit in many ways since the effects of flow when creating something are similar to those of meditation. Imagine what crafting and creating can do for bored and anxious kids!
Hand embroidery is an easy and pleasurable skill to learn if you have an interest in learning it. Stitching with Jane Foster is a delightful book that will introduce young crafters to embroidery with the quick and easy cross-stitch sewing projects. This book is full of fun, bright and easy-to-follow hand stitching activities to keep little hands busy for hours.
I also appreciated that Stitching is spiral bound so it can lay flat when picking out activities or just perusing the book in general. The designs are perforated so they can pop out of the book easily and are made of sturdy cardboard as well. Parents are going to want to invest in some yarn needles (not sharp or pointy) and some lightweight acrylic yarn in a variety of colors.
Stitching with Jane Foster offers 37 quick and easy cross-stitch sewing cards with punched holes for easy stitching. Readers will also receive a 36-page project book featuring instructions for designing your own unique stitching patterns and color combinations.
Gather up your tool and, with some help from Jane, you’ll get started on learning the basics of stitching, including the straight stitch, cross-stitch, back-stitch, and many others. Once you’re confident in your stitching ability, enjoy the project gallery which shows off examples of how to use your stitched cards: everything from bookmarks and journals to greeting cards and ornaments.
The stitching patterns taught in Stitching with Jane Foster are simple enough for children to work with, and promote growth and development, hand-eye coordination, and creativity and imagination.
Jane Foster is an illustrator, author, and textile designer in Devon, UK. She designs, draws, screen prints, and sews from her home studio. Her website is filled with delightful gifts that showcase her talent.
SOMETHING TO DO
If your young crafters are taking to embroidery like a fish to water, keep their creativity and curiosity flowing with this great beginners tutorial!
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If your family loves crafts and inspiration based on children’s classics, then you will love A Year in the Secret Garden; a book based on the classic The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett.
Enjoy month-by-month activities based on the classic children’s tale, The Secret Garden! A Year in the Secret Garden is a delightful children’s book with over 120 pages, with 150 original color illustrations and 48 activities for your family and friends to enjoy, learn, discover and play with together. Grab your copy ASAP and “meet me in the garden!” http://amzn.to/1DTVnuX
The post Introduce young crafters to embroidery | Stitching with Jane Foster appeared first on .
February 20, 2018
Telling an Unknown Story | Lilly Ann Granderson and Her Secret School
{guest post-Janet Halfmann, author of Midnight Teacher: Lilly Ann Granderson and Her Secret School}
It has long bothered me that some individuals, usually white as I am, have dozens of books written about them, while others from minority groups who have accomplished amazing things might not have a single book. So about fifteen years ago, I decided to do my part to tell a minority person’s little-known story. That effort resulted in my book, Seven Miles to Freedom: The Robert Smalls Story, published by Lee & Low Books in 2008.
Seven Miles to FreedomWhile researching black accomplishments, I read a lot of stories about how enslaved people learned to read even though it was against the law. I wanted to somehow tell that story. That led me to search out early teachers who taught the enslaved at great risk to their lives. One of those people was Milla Granson, who historians later discovered was actually Lilly Ann Granderson. This discovery inspired my book, Midnight Teacher: Lilly Ann Granderson and Her Secret School
Lilly Ann learned to read and write from her master’s children in Kentucky. She shared her knowledge with other enslaved people in a hidden spot in the woods on Sundays when the family was away. Later, she was sold to Mississippi, where teaching others carried a punishment of thirty-nine lashes with a whip. To keep from being found out, Lilly Ann taught in a secluded cabin off a back alley from midnight until two in the morning. Over the years she taught hundreds of enslaved people, and they, in turn, shared their knowledge with others.
Lilly Ann’s story was mainly saved for history because it was included in a book by Laura S. Haviland, a Northern abolitionist who visited Natchez, MS, shortly after it was occupied by the Union army during the Civil War. (So many stories have been lost to history because there was no one to write them down.) Haviland met Lilly Ann and called her by the name Milla Granson. Other aspects of Lilly Ann’s story, under the names Granderson or Grandison, appear in American Missionary Association documents and records of the Freedmen’s Bureau.
All of the first accounts I found of Lilly Ann told her story up to only a few years beyond the end of the Civil War. By digging through ancestry records, googling under every possible name for her, and checking out every single hit, one night I discovered that Michigan Senator Charles C. Diggs and his son U.S. Congressman Charles C. Diggs, Jr. were Lilly Ann’s descendants. Since this was about ten years ago, I can’t recall all the specifics of the find, but I remember I was so excited that I could barely sleep that night.
With this information, I was able to track down and meet with some of Lilly Ann’s descendants, who had a family obituary of Lilly Ann’s daughter. This obituary led to other leads, which allowed me to flesh out Lilly Ann’s life.
I feel so honored to have had the opportunity to write the first book sharing Lilly Ann Granderson’s story with the world. I hope that in years to come to her name becomes a household word, as she so richly deserves for the risks she took to improve so many lives for generations.
You can find out more about Midnight Teacher at Lee & Low’s page for the book (includes a Teacher’s Guide)
My bio:
Janet Halfmann is a multi-award-winning children’s author who strives to make her books come alive for young readers and listeners. Many of her picture books are about animals and nature. She also writes picture book biographies about little-known people of achievement. In addition to Midnight Teacher and Seven Miles to Freedom, recent titles include Grandma Is a Slowpoke; Animal Teachers; Eggs 1, 2, 3: Who Will the Babies Be?, Home in the Cave; Star of the Sea; Good Night, Little Sea Otter; Fur and Feathers; and Little Skink’s Tail. Janet has written forty fiction and nonfiction books for children.
Before becoming a children’s author, Janet was a daily newspaper reporter, children’s magazine managing editor, and a creator of coloring and activity books for Golden Books. She is the mother of four and the grandmother of five. When Janet isn’t writing, she enjoys gardening, exploring nature, visiting living-history museums, and spending time with her family. She grew up on a farm in Michigan and now lives in South Milwaukee, WI. Find out more about Janet and her books at:
https://www.facebook.com/janethalfmann
https://twitter.com/JanetHalfmann
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February 18, 2018
Weekend Links: Love(ly) #Kidlit Books that are about Love
Love is in the air! February just seems to be a month that focuses on love in general whether it’s the love of those around us or the love of books. In my weekly travels, I have encountered some very LOVE(ly) Kidlit Books that are about Love. enjoy!
10 Recent Picture Books With a Lot of Heart & GIVEAWAY!
From Newbery Medal-winning author Matt de la Peña and bestselling illustrator, Loren Long comes a story about the strongest bond there is and the diverse and powerful ways it connects us all.
“In the beginning there is light
and two wide-eyed figures standing near the foot of your bed
and the sound of their voices is love.
…
A cab driver plays love softly on his radio
while you bounce in back with the bumps of the city
and everything smells new, and it smells like life.”
In this heartfelt celebration of love, Newbery Medal-winning author Matt de la Peña and bestselling illustrator Loren Long depict the many ways we experience this universal bond, which carries us from the day we are born throughout the years of our childhood and beyond. With a lyrical text that’s soothing and inspiring, this tender tale is a needed comfort and a new classic that will resonate with readers of every age.
32 LOVEABLE VALENTINES BOOKS FOR KIDS
Loving Lion Books is a publishing house that creates and publishes gorgeous custom children’s books featuring and celebrating children and families of color. Loving Lion Books and, their very first book, Love Family, launched in June of 2017. The publishing house creates visually stunning and warm books that reflect families of color, multiracial families, adoptive families and generally families that are too often absent from children’s books. This sweet book is truly stunning and I adore how it can be customized to honor the uniqueness of families all over the globe.
Speaking of diverse publishers, Worldwide Buddies came on to my radar during Multicultural Children’s Book Day and there’s something about the charm, color, and light of this company that continues to mesmerize me. Then I saw their latest blog post and I simply had to share.
10 lovable things to do with your little ones this February
Our social media feeds are bursting with heart-shaped ads, the window displays are full of heart-shaped objects, even our coffees are sprinkled with heart-shaped cocoa powder. Yup. Valentine’s Day is coming up.
But what does it mean for the little ones around the world, we wondered. How do they understand love? How can you show and explain love to them?
And after some serious thinking and a few coffees drizzled with heart-shaped cocoa powder later, we came to a conclusion. The best way, we decided, is taking a step away from your daily life, and taking the time and energy to connect with your little ones in meaningful ways.
Read the full article HERE.
You can never have too many heart crafts!
–
If you are looking for a fun digital and interactive children’s story inspired by a kids’ classic story, you will love The Ultimate Guide to Charlie out into the World.
Enter a world where collaborative play is woven into the fabric of our everyday family life. The Ultimate Guide to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory will open the door to transforming relationships, encouraging new perspectives, and indulging in the happiness and the joy of innovating with your children.
Who is Charlie? The Ultimate Guide to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is an interactive, adventure that leads us through the Chocolate Factory with stops along the way to create, laugh, and learn. It reawakens the passion and idea of “jumping” inside the pages of this book with the knowledge that each chapter is a gateway into a magical world. Now available on iTunes, it’s your opportunity to truly experience where art, literature and technology meet allowing you to feel the story like never before.
Charlie was born of a unique collaboration between co-authors Valarie Budayr and Roscoe Welply, this dynamic duo along with Kite Readers have crafted an enchanting world that leaps from the pages, and coaxes the reader to immerse themselves in the adventures that await them at the Chocolate Factory.
What You Can Expect with Charlie:
A bridge between the “plugged” and “unplugged” world for families
A book that brings families together reading and enjoying their imaginations.
Creation of an atmosphere where reading becomes a family event instead of a solitary act.
The option to educate, inform, and entice children to want to know more about the world they live in.
The delight of pulling the story off the pages, and the act of bringing the pages to LIFE.
Gather your family and come along on a magical journey into one of the most beloved children’s books of all time to experience a story like never before. You will have a front row seat to this delightfully illustrated and fabulously written children’s enhanced digital e-book that will come to life with not only a great story, but over 20 activities and crafts that will spark their imagination and awaken their inner child.
Are you read for an adventure? Enter HERE to start the Charlie experience or grab your download on iTunes.
Disclaimer: This book is not affiliated or associated with the author, publisher, or distributors of Roald Dahl’s book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
The post Weekend Links: Love(ly) #Kidlit Books that are about Love appeared first on .
Weekend Links: A Love(ly) #Kidlit Books that are about Love
Love is in the air! February just seems to be a month that focuses on love in general whether it’s the love of those around us or the love of books. In my weekly travels, I have encountered some very LOVE(ly) Kidlit Books that are about Love. enjoy!
10 Recent Picture Books With a Lot of Heart & GIVEAWAY!
From Newbery Medal-winning author Matt de la Peña and bestselling illustrator, Loren Long comes a story about the strongest bond there is and the diverse and powerful ways it connects us all.
“In the beginning there is light
and two wide-eyed figures standing near the foot of your bed
and the sound of their voices is love.
…
A cab driver plays love softly on his radio
while you bounce in back with the bumps of the city
and everything smells new, and it smells like life.”
In this heartfelt celebration of love, Newbery Medal-winning author Matt de la Peña and bestselling illustrator Loren Long depict the many ways we experience this universal bond, which carries us from the day we are born throughout the years of our childhood and beyond. With a lyrical text that’s soothing and inspiring, this tender tale is a needed comfort and a new classic that will resonate with readers of every age.
32 LOVEABLE VALENTINES BOOKS FOR KIDS
Loving Lion Books is a publishing house that creates and publishes gorgeous custom children’s books featuring and celebrating children and families of color. Loving Lion Books and, their very first book, Love Family, launched in June of 2017. The publishing house creates visually stunning and warm books that reflect families of color, multiracial families, adoptive families and generally families that are too often absent from children’s books. This sweet book is truly stunning and I adore how it can be customized to honor the uniqueness of families all over the globe.
Speaking of diverse publishers, Worldwide Buddies came on to my radar during Multicultural Children’s Book Day and there’s something about the charm, color, and light of this company that continues to mesmerize me. Then I saw their latest blog post and I simply had to share.
10 lovable things to do with your little ones this February
Our social media feeds are bursting with heart-shaped ads, the window displays are full of heart-shaped objects, even our coffees are sprinkled with heart-shaped cocoa powder. Yup. Valentine’s Day is coming up.
But what does it mean for the little ones around the world, we wondered. How do they understand love? How can you show and explain love to them?
And after some serious thinking and a few coffees drizzled with heart-shaped cocoa powder later, we came to a conclusion. The best way, we decided, is taking a step away from your daily life, and taking the time and energy to connect with your little ones in meaningful ways.
Read the full article HERE.
You can never have too many heart crafts!
–
If you are looking for a fun digital and interactive children’s story inspired by a kids’ classic story, you will love The Ultimate Guide to Charlie out into the World.
Enter a world where collaborative play is woven into the fabric of our everyday family life. The Ultimate Guide to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory will open the door to transforming relationships, encouraging new perspectives, and indulging in the happiness and the joy of innovating with your children.
Who is Charlie? The Ultimate Guide to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is an interactive, adventure that leads us through the Chocolate Factory with stops along the way to create, laugh, and learn. It reawakens the passion and idea of “jumping” inside the pages of this book with the knowledge that each chapter is a gateway into a magical world. Now available on iTunes, it’s your opportunity to truly experience where art, literature and technology meet allowing you to feel the story like never before.
Charlie was born of a unique collaboration between co-authors Valarie Budayr and Roscoe Welply, this dynamic duo along with Kite Readers have crafted an enchanting world that leaps from the pages, and coaxes the reader to immerse themselves in the adventures that await them at the Chocolate Factory.
What You Can Expect with Charlie:
A bridge between the “plugged” and “unplugged” world for families
A book that brings families together reading and enjoying their imaginations.
Creation of an atmosphere where reading becomes a family event instead of a solitary act.
The option to educate, inform, and entice children to want to know more about the world they live in.
The delight of pulling the story off the pages, and the act of bringing the pages to LIFE.
Gather your family and come along on a magical journey into one of the most beloved children’s books of all time to experience a story like never before. You will have a front row seat to this delightfully illustrated and fabulously written children’s enhanced digital e-book that will come to life with not only a great story, but over 20 activities and crafts that will spark their imagination and awaken their inner child.
Are you read for an adventure? Enter HERE to start the Charlie experience or grab your download on iTunes.
Disclaimer: This book is not affiliated or associated with the author, publisher, or distributors of Roald Dahl’s book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
The post Weekend Links: A Love(ly) #Kidlit Books that are about Love appeared first on .
February 15, 2018
Authors, Books and Festivities for Read Across America Day!
During my morning coffee-and-Twitter ritual, this particular tweet caught my eye and gave me a moment of, “Holy cow! Read Across American Day is coming!” Time to share all of the Authors, Books, and Festivities for Read Across America Day.
A post shared by Susan Bernardo (@sunkissesmoonhugs) on Jan 25, 2018 at 8:46am PST
Read Across America Day is a nationwide reading celebration that takes place annually on March 2—Dr. Seuss’s birthday. Across the country, thousands of schools, libraries, and community centers participate by bringing together kids, teens, and books, and you can too!
You’re never too old, too wacky, too wild,
To pick up a book and read with a child.
You’re never too busy, too cool, or too hot,
To pick up a book and share what you’ve got.
In schools and communities,
Let’s gather around,
Let’s pick up a book,
Let’s pass it around.
There are kids all around you,
Kids who will need
Someone to hug,
Someone to read.
The NEA’s Read Across America page is filled with downloadable sheets, guidelines and activity ideas. Dr. Seuss has been part of this literacy event for many years and here are some Seuss-y book ideas to help your party take shape.
– And To Think I Saw It On Mulberry Street
– The Sneetches
– If I Ran the Circus
– Oh Say Can You Say (another book of tongue twisters)
– Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are
– There’s a Wocket in My Pocket!
PLUS by following the #ReadAcrossAmerica hashtag on Twitter you can discover all sorts of fun activities and book-related fun like these classrooms!
. @NPES_Panthers is getting ready for #ReadAcrossAmerica with teacher and staff book recommendations for kids pic.twitter.com/e0DI9tdk7k
— Brittany Terry
February 13, 2018
It’s all about Chickens and Pillows | New Picture Books from Laura Gehl
Who doesn’t love chickens? Or pillows? I know both bring a smile to my face
February 8, 2018
Book Pilgrimage: Visiting Astrid Lindgren’s Home in Sweden
As I type this post, I am enjoying the view from a farmhouse tucked deep into the landscape of Gotland, Sweden.
Many of you know by now that I have some deep Swedish roots in my family. From food to vacations and books, I am always looking for ways to embrace my Swedish Heritage. This recent visit is part of the yearly trip I make to this country.
Many years ago I had the pleasure of visiting the childhood home of Astrid Lindgren in Swede and the memories are still fresh as yesterday in my mind. Getting to see where the author of Pippi Longstocking, Mio my Mio, and the Brother’s Lionheart, lived and grew up was almost verging on a pilgrimage for me.
The center and heart of Astrid Lindgren’s world was in Näs at Vimmerby, Småland, Sweden. Here, she was born in 1907. She grew up the daughter of a Rectory tenant and lived with her parents, brothers and sisters, as well as, many many friends.
“The best thing about my childhood was that we enjoyed just the right amount of safety and freedom”, Astrid said.”The safety cam from being surrounded by settled and confident adults: mother, father, farmhands, maids, cowherds, and female helpers. There was always someone around.
But the children also enjoyed a great deal of freedom, since the adults were very busy with their own jobs and chores on the farm. They couldn’t keep their eyes on the children all the time.
This farm along with the village of Vimmerby was a great resource of inspiration for the books “children of the Noisy Village”, and “The Noisy Village Christmas.” In these books, Astrid describes the kind of childhood which she had but she writes from the child’s perspective and not from an adult’s point of view. There was a life governed by play and imagination, a place which we all would love to return to. I know for myself I try to create many enchanting and memorable moments for my children to hold onto. Astrid said,” Inside, I will always be a country girl from Vimmerby”. “I write for my inner child”. And ours too luckily.
On her family farm in Vimmerby, Astrid climbed in the “lemonade tree”,
Played with her brothers and sisters jumping into piles of hay in the barn
and listened to stories told by Kristin in the garden and the kitchen.
Welcome to Näs at Vimmerby.
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February 6, 2018
Celebrating #BlackHistoryMonth with books from Peachtree
It was this tweet that caught my eye and reminded me what an amazing publishing company Peachtree Publications is.
For #BlackHistoryMonth, celebrate the African American accomplishments, contributions, experiences, and stories that have shaped the history and legacy of our diverse country.
Empower young readers with these inspirational books! https://t.co/AWIrlezzhO #kidlit pic.twitter.com/SXKi4dd69J
— Peachtree Publishers (@PeachtreePub) February 2, 2018
Peachtree is a woman-owned, independent publisher creating children’s books that educate, entertain, encourage, and endure. They also publish breathtaking and beautiful diverse for kids. Here a few that I would recommend adding to your “must read” stack in honor of #BlackHistoryMonth.
Yours for Justice, Ida B. Wells
The Daring Life of a Crusading Journalist
by Philip Dray
illustrated by Stephen Alcorn
Journalist Ida B. Wells faces the greatest challenge of her life as a tireless crusader for justice and civil rights.
In 1863, when Ida B. Wells was not yet two years old, the Emancipation Proclamation freed her from the bond of slavery. Blessed with a strong will, an eager mind, and a deep belief in America’s promise of “freedom and justice for all,” young Ida held her family together, defied society’s conventions, and used her position as a journalist to speak against injustice. But Ida’s greatest challenge arose after one of her friends was lynched. How could one headstrong young woman help free America from the looming “shadow of lawlessness”?
Author Philip Dray tells the inspirational story of Ida B. Wells and her lifelong commitment to end injustice. Award-winning illustrator Stephen Alcorn’s remarkable illustrations recreate the tensions that threatened to upend a nation while paying tribute to a courageous American hero.
Dad, Jackie, and Me
by Myron Uhlberg
illustrated by Colin Bootman
“It was Opening Day, 1947. And every kid in Brooklyn knew this was our year. The Dodgers were going to go all the way!”
It is the summer of 1947 and a highly charged baseball season is underway in New York. Jackie Robinson is the new first baseman for the Brooklyn Dodgers—and the first black player in Major League Baseball. A young boy listens eagerly to the Dodgers games on the radio, each day using sign language to tell his deaf father about the games. His father begins to keep a scrapbook, clipping photos and articles about Jackie. Finally one day the father delivers some big news: they are going to Ebbets Field to watch Jackie play!
Author Myron Uhlberg offers a nostalgic look back at 1947, and pays tribute to Jackie Robinson, the legendary athlete, and hero. Illustrator Colin Bootman’s realistic, full-color illustrations capture the details of the period and the excitement of an entire city as Robinson and the Dodgers won the long-awaited pennant and brought an entire New York community together for one magical summer.
Blacksmith’s Song
by Elizabeth Van Steenwyk
illustrated by Anna Rich
The son of an enslaved blacksmith learns that his father is using the rhythm of his hammering to communicate with travelers on the Underground Railroad. When Pa falls ill, it is up to him to help others along the journey—and also lead his family’s escape.
Pa works hard as a blacksmith. But he’s got another important job to do as well: using his anvil to pound out the traveling rhythm – a message to travelers on the Underground Railroad. His son wants to help, but Pa keeps putting him off. Then one day, Pa falls ill and the boy has to take over.
A powerful story of rhythm and craft in nineteenth-century America with beautiful oil paintings and back matter that includes more information about the Underground Railroad.
Poet:The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton
by Don Tate
George loved words. But George was enslaved.
Forced to work long hours, George was unable to attend school or learn how to read. But he was determined—he listened to the white children’s lessons and learned the alphabet. Then he taught himself to read. Soon, he began composing poetry in his head and reciting it as he sold fruits and vegetables on a nearby college campus. News of the slave poet traveled quickly among the students, and before long, George had customers for his poems. But George was still enslaved. Would he ever be free?
In this powerful biography of George Moses Horton, the first southern African-American man to be published, Don Tate tells an inspiring and moving story of talent and determination.
Gabriel’s Horses
It is 1864, and twelve-year-old Gabriel loves to help his father care of the thoroughbred racehorses on Master Giles’s farm in Kentucky. But the violence of the Civil War breaks out and Gabriel’s father leaves to enlist in a Colored Battalion, bringing the arrival of Mr. Newcastle, a white horse trainer with harsh, cruel methods for handling horses and people. Now i’ts up to Gabriel to protect the horses he loves from Mr. Newcastle and keep them safely out of the clutches of Confederate raiders. Alison Hart mines the complex relationships of the Civil War in Gabriel’s Horses, the first book in a gripping historical fiction middle grade series. Read an excerpt here and find the Teacher’s Guide here. Continue reading the Racing to Freedom Trilogy with Gabriel’s Triumph and Gabriel’s Journey.
We’ve Got a Job: The 1963 Birmingham Children’s March
Cynthia Levinson tells the inspiring story of one of the greatest moments in civil rights history as seen through the eyes of four young people who were at the center of the action. We’ve Got a Job: The 1963 Birmingham Children’s March tells how Audrey Hendricks, Wash Booker, James Stewart, Arnetta Streeter and 4,000 black elementary, middle, and high school students succeeded where adults had failed in desegregating one of the most racially violent cities in America. If you are interested in We’ve Got a Job, also check out our Teacher’s Guide here.
Keep On! The Story of Matthew Henson, Co-discoverer of the North Pole
Deborah Hopkinson brings us a stunning picture book Keep On! The Story of Matthew Henson, Co-discoverer of the North Pole which tells the story of the under-recognized Matthew Henson who joined Robert Peary’s great 1909 expedition to reach the North Pole. The team endured storms, shifting ice, wind, injuries, accidents, and unimaginable cold. Finally, on April 1, Peary, Henson, and four Inuit men began the final 133-mile push to the Pole. For more resources, check out our Teacher’s Guide for Keep On! here.
Valarie Budayr is the founder of Audrey Press and author of the books, Dragon Are Real! A Year in the Secret Garden, The Fox Diaries: The Year the Foxes Came to our Garden and The Ultimate Guide To Charlie and The Chocolate Factory. She is passionate about making kid’s books come alive and when she isn’t jumping into a book and creating wildly inventive adventures, she is “mom” to three uber creative children, married to a wonderfully patient man who has come to love yarn, proud owner of one adored cat, and the Fox Whisperer to lots and lots of Foxes (that come and go as they please). You can also find Valarie on Facebook or on Twitter at @JumpIntoaBook1.
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