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Scraps of Time #3
A Song for Harlem
Harlem in its heyday?the 1920s?is the backdrop for the next Scraps of Time story. For Lilly Belle, ?the capital of Black America? is about as far from her hometown of Smyrna, Tennessee, as a twelve-year-old can get?maybe not in miles but certainly in mind set. A summer program for gifted young writers opens a new world. Jazz music in the street lulls her to sleep, her classroom is in a mansion called ?the Dark Tower,? and the author Zora Neale Hurston is her teacher, helping Lilly Belle come to a deeper understanding of the power of words, especially her own. Once again Patricia C. McKissack builds an involving story around real events and famous figures.
112 pages, Hardcover
First published August 16, 2007
3 people are currently reading
96 people want to read
About the author
Patricia C. McKissack
160 books210 followersPatricia C. McKissack was the Newbery Honor, Coretta Scott King Award-winning author of The Dark-Thirty and Porch Lies an ALA Notable Book. She collaborated with Jerry Pinkney on Goin' Someplace Special (Coretta Scott King Award winner) and Mirandy and Brother Wind (Coretta Scott King Award winner and Caldecott Honor Book).
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
February 25, 2016
This book us about how a girl named Lilly Belle goes to New York city, Harlem to got to camp to become a poet. Lilly Belle expenses many problems that she knows the solution to. I reply like this book because I liked how she sticks up for her friends and never backs down even though someone is being mean to her.
February 14, 2016
Obtained for .25 at the Bethlehem, PA Library sale even last weekend, this is a delightful, book that focuses on New York's Harlem district during the extraordinary time when Harlem was at it's peak of embracing opportunities in the arts, and freedom of opportunity and jobs for black writers, poets and musicians.
The time period is the 1920's in New York City Harlem when many African American's left the racist, bigoted, segregated south in the hope of freedom to express themselves and live in harmony in the north. This was a time of the beginning of NAACP, when it was reported that in 1923, 200,000 blacks left the south and many of them moved to Harlem.
The writers and editors at the time brought an excitement to the power of words by creating a unique literature that addressed issues long swept under the carpet. This was the time of W.e. Du Bois, Langston Hughes, and Jean Toomer.
As the book notes, in 1925, a black filmmaker by the name of Oscar Micheaux produced Body and Soul with Paul Robeson as the lead actor. This is the time of Louis Armstrong, of Duke Ellington and the Cotton Club.
This is the time of the very talented writer Zora Neale Hurston, author of Their Eyes Were Watching God paved the way by graduating from college and receiving a scholarship to do so. Charting unknown territory, she also attended graduate school at Columbia University.
While today these accomplishments may seem "normal", in the America of 1920's blacks were indeed especially treated incredibly poorly.
This book tells a story of a unique woman by the name of A'Lelia Walker whose mother was the founder of a hair and skin care company that grossed millions. This fortune was inherited by A'Lelia who encouraged writers and artists, especially reaching out by holding summer programs to young black students showing promise in writing abilities.
Patricia C. McKissack weaves a story of a character whom she calls Lilly Belle who spent the summer of 1928 under the tutlelage of Zora Neale Hurston whom A'Lelia Walker hired to develop the talent of a small group of youngsters who were carefully selected.
We see Harlem through the eyes of homesick Lilly Belle who soon became enhtralled with all New York City and Harlem had to offer.
While small in size, this was a fun book packed full of many beautiful, wonderful depictions of an exciting time of American History.
The time period is the 1920's in New York City Harlem when many African American's left the racist, bigoted, segregated south in the hope of freedom to express themselves and live in harmony in the north. This was a time of the beginning of NAACP, when it was reported that in 1923, 200,000 blacks left the south and many of them moved to Harlem.
The writers and editors at the time brought an excitement to the power of words by creating a unique literature that addressed issues long swept under the carpet. This was the time of W.e. Du Bois, Langston Hughes, and Jean Toomer.
As the book notes, in 1925, a black filmmaker by the name of Oscar Micheaux produced Body and Soul with Paul Robeson as the lead actor. This is the time of Louis Armstrong, of Duke Ellington and the Cotton Club.
This is the time of the very talented writer Zora Neale Hurston, author of Their Eyes Were Watching God paved the way by graduating from college and receiving a scholarship to do so. Charting unknown territory, she also attended graduate school at Columbia University.
While today these accomplishments may seem "normal", in the America of 1920's blacks were indeed especially treated incredibly poorly.
This book tells a story of a unique woman by the name of A'Lelia Walker whose mother was the founder of a hair and skin care company that grossed millions. This fortune was inherited by A'Lelia who encouraged writers and artists, especially reaching out by holding summer programs to young black students showing promise in writing abilities.
Patricia C. McKissack weaves a story of a character whom she calls Lilly Belle who spent the summer of 1928 under the tutlelage of Zora Neale Hurston whom A'Lelia Walker hired to develop the talent of a small group of youngsters who were carefully selected.
We see Harlem through the eyes of homesick Lilly Belle who soon became enhtralled with all New York City and Harlem had to offer.
While small in size, this was a fun book packed full of many beautiful, wonderful depictions of an exciting time of American History.
September 18, 2008
Lilly Belle is in New York City staying with her aunt Odessa because she won a place in a young writer's workshop with her poems. It is 1928 and the change from rural Tennessee to busy New York City is hard to adjust to. This story follows Lilly Belle as she learns and grows through this experience. It gives a look at the culture of the times and the life of an African American in Harlem. It was a good example of historical fiction.
March 15, 2009
Great for teaching about writer's VOICE.
March 24, 2018
A very good historical book for your people.
March 19, 2026
Another book for 3rd grade book club in their Harlem renaissance unit.
April 8, 2012
I read the historical fiction chapter book called A Song for Harlem. This story is about a 12 year old girl in 1928. The story begins a girl looking for a magazine in her grandmother's attic called 'A Song for Harlem,' written by Lilly Belle. The grandmother, Gee, explains that Lilly was her aunt and she spent the summers writing in New York as part of an author's writing project. Gee begins telling her grandchildren of the story of Lilly Belle. The book continues with Lilly's story of her writing poems regarding the times- 1928 in which the Harlem Renaissance was occurring. At the end of Gee's story, she tells her grandchildren that Lilly Belle became a reporter in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
This story is for the upper-intermediate through the beginning of the advanced age range. The main character, Lilly Belle, is 12 years old in the story. It is also a chapter book with lots of words and vocabulary. Therefore, it would be more appropriate and better for an older child to read.
Since this is a chapter book, there aren't many pictures, but there are a few. The pictures are black and white and look like they are drawn using graphite or charcoal. They are smeared and the use of lines is messy and not well-defined. The cover illustration is in color and looks like it is painted.
I would recommend this story because it is an inspiring story about the success of African Americans in Harlem, New York, during the 1920's. Lilly Belle was a talented writer and is a good role model for female writers, especially those who are minorities.
This story is for the upper-intermediate through the beginning of the advanced age range. The main character, Lilly Belle, is 12 years old in the story. It is also a chapter book with lots of words and vocabulary. Therefore, it would be more appropriate and better for an older child to read.
Since this is a chapter book, there aren't many pictures, but there are a few. The pictures are black and white and look like they are drawn using graphite or charcoal. They are smeared and the use of lines is messy and not well-defined. The cover illustration is in color and looks like it is painted.
I would recommend this story because it is an inspiring story about the success of African Americans in Harlem, New York, during the 1920's. Lilly Belle was a talented writer and is a good role model for female writers, especially those who are minorities.
December 23, 2013
gr 3-4 99 pgs
1928, Harlem NYC. 12 year old Lilly Belle is so excited to be one of the winners of The Crisis' writing contest. As a prize winner, she gets to attend a writing class taught by Zora Neale Hurston. Lilly Belle quickly makes friends with most of the other contest winners except fro stuck-up Alice Gaylord. Alice never has anything nice to say about anyone or their writing, but when it's her turn to share her writings with the class, she always makes an excuse. Could Alice be hiding a secret?
Great story and a great cast of characters.
1928, Harlem NYC. 12 year old Lilly Belle is so excited to be one of the winners of The Crisis' writing contest. As a prize winner, she gets to attend a writing class taught by Zora Neale Hurston. Lilly Belle quickly makes friends with most of the other contest winners except fro stuck-up Alice Gaylord. Alice never has anything nice to say about anyone or their writing, but when it's her turn to share her writings with the class, she always makes an excuse. Could Alice be hiding a secret?
Great story and a great cast of characters.
April 29, 2009
I'm a Zora Neale Hurston fan, so I really wanted to read this book. I related to the protagonist Lilly Belle Turner because I, too, wanted to be a writer.
This book is a wonderful vehicle to bring young people into the world of the Harlem Renaissance. The only thing is that I wish that the book would have let us know what happened to Cora Mae, the girl who was too homesick to stay.
The book is also effective in discussing plagiarism.
This book is a wonderful vehicle to bring young people into the world of the Harlem Renaissance. The only thing is that I wish that the book would have let us know what happened to Cora Mae, the girl who was too homesick to stay.
The book is also effective in discussing plagiarism.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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February 14, 2009It was the most interesting book I've ever read about the 1920's in Harlem. You will fall in love with Lily Belle, Aunt Odessa, Zora, Ms. Walker and Melvon. Also and occasional visit to Logan's won't hurt a bit.
September 2, 2014
A simple, sweet story for the very young. I read it for my book club (books about summer), and I enjoyed it as a young country girl's perspective on the Harlem Renaissance. I can't quite imagine to whom I would recommend it, but I am glad I read it.
October 24, 2011
This is a wonderful book with great historical references. There are so many names and venues that I want to know more about!
March 29, 2013
It's about a ten year olds opinion about history.
March 29, 2013
This is a story about a young girl named Lilly who has a love for poetry and writing and is up rooted from Tennessee to New York City.
January 23, 2016
Enjoyable & satisfying reading from the 4th grade Battle of the Books. Inspiring for young writers, interesting historical fiction with Zora Neale Hurston as a character.
May 13, 2016
This book was really interesting. Its about a little girl who goes through the experience of being in Harlem. Hope more kids read this book in time.
April 7, 2016
Really good. I don't know how to explain the bad things.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews