No Crystal Stair in Mock Newbery 2026

Oct 27, 2012 Sps rated it it was ok

Shelves: setting, historical-fiction, biography, 2013-mock-newbery

The research and the themes are great. But while kids who enjoy biographies for their own sake might get into this, I don't see broad appeal. Many kid readers won't know the historical figures involved or be able to understand the context for changing political philosophy among African-American leaders. The voices aren't strongly differentiated and come across as fairly formal; if I'm hearing first-person narratives I want immediacy, unfiltered emotions, messy motivations and feelngs revealed. W ...more

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Oct 30, 2012 Richie Partington rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fiction

Richie’s Picks: NO CRYSTAL STAIR: A DOCUMENTARY NOVEL OF THE LIFE AND WORK OF LEWIS MICHAUX, HARLEM BOOKSELLER by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson and R. Gregory Christie, ill., Carolrhoda LAB, February 2012. ISBN: 978-0-7613-6169-5

1909, LEWIS:
“I tried to make some money picking berries. The farmer man was paying two cents a quart, and the best you could pick was ten quarts a day. Twenty cents worth.
“There were about a hundred kids picking. That fat white man, with his great big hat on, set up under a wi ...more

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Nov 09, 2012 Samantha rated it really liked it

Shelves: african-american, teen, new-york

The story of legendary bookseller Lewis Michaux. He set up shop in Harlem in the 1930s with the mission to inspire black folks to read. His National Memorial African Bookstore was well-known to black authors and historical figures such as Malcolm X. Amassing a collection of over 200,000 volumes by or relating to African Americans, Michaux's store was eventually driven out of business when plans for a new government building pushed his store out of the neighborhood. His legend and influence live ...more

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Jan 18, 2013 Brandy rated it really liked it

Shelves: non-fiction, civil-rights

Another excellent non-fiction book. If all kids are introduced to quality non-fiction like this early in life, maybe they won't avoid it all their life like I did.

This one is a little harder for me to review. I liked it, I really did. I think the hard thing is that I sometimes get my feathers ruffled when I read books set during the civil rights movement. I still get so appalled by the way people thought. And I feel that way about both sides. But, it is good for me to read about that time. A tim Another excellent non-fiction book. If all kids are introduced to quality non-fiction like this early in life, maybe they won't avoid it all their life like I did.

This one is a little harder for me to review. I liked it, I really did. I think the hard thing is that I sometimes get my feathers ruffled when I read books set during the civil rights movement. I still get so appalled by the way people thought. And I feel that way about both sides. But, it is good for me to read about that time. A time that wasn't so long ago. A time that still influences the way a lot of people think today. It is good to understand our history. So as much as my feathers get ruffled, I am glad for understanding.

I loved the theme in this book about making something of yourself. Life isn't easy. Don't let that be a reason to quit trying. Lewis started out rough and even though some wouldn't see past that rough beginning, I feel that he was able to make a huge difference in people's lives.

I felt myself wanting every young adult to read this book as they make decisions about the road they will take in life. Sometimes it is easier to take advise from people who aren't perfect and struggle with similar things but who turned out ok in the end.

Another part of the story that resonated with me was that he was the owner of a bookstore. Not just any bookstore, but one that made a huge difference. It was a place to come and gain knowledge, share ideas and learn who you really were. It made me so sad that brick and mortar bookstores are quickly becoming a thing of the past, mostly because I have secretly longed to own my own bookstore. This book rekindled that flame, a flame that I will have to direct on a different path.

It was neat for me to see that the author was Lewis' niece. I didn't feel that she wrote with a bias and was really impressed with the way she was able to represent all the characters, even her own father.

Lastly I say, go read this book. Make non-fiction a part of your normal repertoire of reading! ...more

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Jan 20, 2013 Barbara rated it really liked it

Shelves: jobs, reading, ncbla2013, social-activists, literacy, urban-life, multiple-narrators, social-studies, families, writing

Blending various elements of fact and fiction, this incredible book describes the life, times, and acquaintances of Lewis Michaux, whose efforts to bring books by black authors to Harlem for more than 40 years were Herculean. Michaux grew up during a time when segregation still existed in many places. His father, who ran a store and sold fish for a living, encouraged him to think for himself, and his mother favored his brother, Lightfoot, who would go on to found a Church of God. After spending Blending various elements of fact and fiction, this incredible book describes the life, times, and acquaintances of Lewis Michaux, whose efforts to bring books by black authors to Harlem for more than 40 years were Herculean. Michaux grew up during a time when segregation still existed in many places. His father, who ran a store and sold fish for a living, encouraged him to think for himself, and his mother favored his brother, Lightfoot, who would go on to found a Church of God. After spending time trying to make a living in various ways, Lewis started his own bookstore with five books, peddling his wares on the city streets. Eventually, his store became a rallying place for anyone wanting to learn about black heritage as well as a home for several writers, including Nikki Giovanni, and political figures, including Malcolm X. Amazingly, Michaux encouraged patrons to use his bookstore as a library. This story about the author's own great-uncle is inspiring, a fresh reminder that knowledge is power. Just as many documentary films move from one short scene to another, from one speaker to another, so does this book. The shift in time, place, and person is a bit jarring at first, but moving through it becomes smooth after a reader adjusts to this particular storytelling device. Reading between the lines, I could tell that this man was dedicated completely to bringing literature by African-American writers to African-Americans. Nothing else mattered to him. How many of us could have been that single-minded with so few monetary rewards? While I finished the book wanting to know more about Lewis, I also closed its pages filled with admiration for this man and for this talented storyteller. While some may argue that some of the facts are conjecture and some of the speakers are invented, I would argue that much of anyone's life is based on educated guesses as well. The back matter explains the author's research and writing processes enough to satisfy me. The inclusion of FBI notes on its observation of Lewis over the years is rather chilling, reminding readers that those who spoke out against the status quo were often suspect. What treasures this man and his bookstore must have been! ...more

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Jan 27, 2013 Courtney rated it it was amazing

Shelves: young-adult, 2013

I had never heard of Lewis Michaux before I started this book, and now I wish I knew more. This amazing "documentary novel" shares the history of Michaux, the Harlem bookseller who started the first black bookstore dedicated to selling literature for, by, and about African Americans. The book is not quite true but also not completely fiction as Michaux's actual FBI files are included in the novel. The story of his life is inspiring and this book will probably lead me to eventually go in search o ...more

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Apr 05, 2013 Pamela rated it it was amazing

I hesitated reading this book, fearing it would be too heavy, too dull. However, I am so glad I did. It is a beautifully written story about such an interesting character. It offers an important insight into a critical time of our country's history when people were fighting to secure civil rights for black people. Michaux's belief in the power of reading and educating oneself led him to open a bookstore which became a place for buying books by and about blacks, as well as for reading and discuss ...more

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Dec 31, 2012 Susie rated it really liked it

I learned a lot from this book. I understand why the author had to insert some fictional elements, but found myself researching to try to get just the facts, which may not be possible. The description of the different civil rights movements and conflict among different leaders was something I need to know more about. I wish I had been able to visit the bookstore and meet Mr. Michaux.
The author does a wonderful job including her research sources, and the family tree is a nice touch. Did I miss me ...more

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Oct 16, 2012 Benji Martin rated it really liked it

I saw this book on a Mock Newbery list, and got a copy for the library. I think it's probably Newbery worthy, but I don't think it will win. There are safer and probably better choices for the committee this year. ...more

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