Black History Month: Its History, Great Reads, Discussions and Lesson Suggestions

With February, Black History Month quickly approaching,  I thought I'd share some great books, links and discussion/lesson suggestions to last you through February.

The history and story behind Black History Month:

Dr. Carter G. Woodson, the son of slaves was the first figure to try to incorporate Black history in to the public discussion. Born in Virginia in 1875, Carter Woodson escaped poverty through education, receiving a Doctorate from Harvard University in 1912. Through his education, Woodson noticed that while Black slaves and freemen were instrumental in U.S. history and economy there was either no information about them and their contributions, are there was misinformation. So, in 1915 he founded The Association of Negro Life and History  (ASNLH) (along with minister Jesse E. Moorland, and in 1916 began publishing The Journal of Negro History (now known as The Journal of African American History.

Dr. Carter G. Woodson

With the encouragement of others, in 1926, Woodson organized the first annual Negro History week for the second week in February, intentionally coinciding with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. In the decades that followed, mayors across the country began to officially recognize Negro History Week. Twenty-six years after Dr. Carter Woodson's death, with the help of the Civil Rights Movement and growing black pride, Black History Week became Black History Month, as part of the Bi-Centennial celebration. President Gerald Ford officially recognized Black History Month in 1976, calling upon Americans to "seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history."

 Here are some of my favorite reading suggestions:

• The Silence of Our Friends  by Mark Long, Jim Demonakos and Nate Powell (First Second Books, Grades 6+) - a true story about a while male reporter and his family living in Texas during the Civil Rights Movement. The father must make career and life choices while trying to do the 'right thing.' The struggles of segregation and the Civil Rights movement are clearly and sensitively depicted.
• To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee — an American classic about a town struggling with racism and a trial that brings two families from opposing sides of the civil rights conflict to the forefront.
• March, a graphic novel by Congressman John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell (Grades 6+) - This first volume spans Lewis’ youth in rural Alabama, his meeting with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the birth of the Nashville Student Movement, and their battle against segregation. (Note: This book has an awesome teacher’s guide, too.)
• I Have a Dream: Writings and Speeches That Changed the World by Martin Luther King Jr. — the text of King’s famous speech.
• Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by Doreen Rappaport and Bryan Collier (illustrator) — an extraordinary picture-book biography, incorporating narrative, famous quotes from Dr. King, and powerful collage and watercolor illustrations introducing King’s words and legacy to younger readers.
• Coming of Age in Mississippi by Anne Moody — an autobiography of a poor Black girl whose parents were tenant farmers on a Mississippi plantation and whose dream of going to college was realized upon winning a basketball scholarship. We get first-hand accounts of her joining the NAACP, CORE, and SNCC and the steps she took in demonstrations and sit-ins, along with her subsequent arrests and jailings.
• Through My Eyes: Ruby Bridges by Ruby Bridges, Margo Lundell (Editor) — Ruby Bridges chronicles her steps in November 1960 as a six-year-old Black girl, surrounded by federal marshals who walked her through a mob of screaming segregationists into school.
• For older readers (high school and older):
  • Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston — novel about Janie Crawford, a proud, independent Black woman whose quest for identity and has become a highly acclaimed expression of African-American literature.
  • I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou — autobiography about poet and writer Maya Angelou’s early years. She writes about women’s lives in a male-dominated society, and uses metaphors of rape (the suffering of her race) and a caged bird trying to escape throughout the book.
  • In Struggle: SNCC and the Black Awakening of the 1960s by Clayborne Carson — Using primary resources (interviews, meeting transcripts, and recently released FBI papers), Carson describes the SNCC story from its start-up as the earliest civil rights fighters (its sit-ins, freedom rides, organized voter registration) to sparking wider social protests against the Vietnam War. This book goes behind the scene and takes a look at the organizations accomplishments and internal and often bitter power struggles.
  • The Color Purple by Alice Walker — about Celle, a Southern Black woman sold into a live of servitude to her brutal sharecropper husband and her struggle to find her own way.

Here are some links and resources:

General information:

•  http://www.history.com/topics/black-history-month has a variety of videos including the history ov Black History month, "Bet You Didn't Know: Rosa Parks"; clips on Jackie Robinson and Kings March in Washington, and more. This site also has links to "Key Events in African-American History"  and "Famous African Americans."
• http://www.readingrockets.org/calendar/blackhistory has a variety of links with information about black writers, illustrators and storytellers; recommended children's books; activities for the classroom and community; people and events; online guides to African American history; and related PBS television programs.
• http://www.africanamericanhistorymonth.gov/ has information on exhibits, has audio and video links, information for teachers and images. This is sponsored by The Library of Congress, National Endowment for the Humanities; National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, and the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration.
• http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/aaohtml/ "The African American Odyssey" sponsored by The Library of Congress, has outstanding links to famous events and milestones of the African American odyssey including: their quest for full citizenship, Frederick Douglass' papers, Jackie Robinson, slave narratives from the Federal Writers' Project 1936-38, slaves and the courts 1740-1860, and more.
• http://www.britannica.com/blackhistory is sponsored by Encyclopedia Brittanica and has an extensive timeline, audio and video clips and biographies.
• http://departingthetext.blogspot.com/2013/06/unsung-heroes.html  has assorted links for studying unsung black heroes.
• http://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/completelist/0,29569,1963424,00.html Time provides a list of unsung heroes for Black History Month
• http://www.pbs.org/teachers/thismonth/unsung/index1.html PBS lesson plan "Unsung Heroes in African America History: Activity Ideas
• http://www.tolerance.org/activity/unsung-heroes-civil-rights-movement has lesson suggestions for unsung heoes of the civil rights movement.

Links to specific events:

• Underground Railroad - an interactive site by National Geographic that follows the paths taken. Includes some audio component (songs sung) and options and choices to make along the journey.

Links to the civil rights movement:

• Martin Luther King, Jr. I Have a Dream speech – text and audio
• http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/themes/civil-rights/exhibitions.html – multimedia resources from the Library of Congress that support the teaching about civil rights
• Historical places of the civil rights movement – We Shall Overcome: A National Register of Historic Places Travel Itinerary with an introduction, itinerary maps, list of sites and links to learn more.
• http://www.academicinfo.net/africanamcr.html – civil rights history resource.
• http://www.pbs.org/teachers/thismonth/civilrights/index1.html – Teaching ideas for teaching the civil rights movement in American literature (all grade levels)
• http://www.crmvet.org/poetry/poemhome.htm – poems of the Freedom Movement
• http://www.whyy.org/generations/oral.html – guide for students on how to conduct oral history interviews with samples of American slave narratives and other primary resource sets
• http://www.history.com/search?q=civil+rights+movement&x=0&y=0 – History channel list of links and resources
• http://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/civil-rights-movement and http://www.slj.com/2013/01/books-media/collection-development/focus-on-collection-development/civil-rights-everyday-heroes-focus-on-january-2013/ – provides extensive lists for further reading on the civil rights movement for students of varying ages and reading levels.

Suggested kids' books and lessons around specific books

• Reading Rockets' Favorite Books for Black History Month
• Detailed lessons and resource links for Silence of Our Friends

As always, thank you for your visit.  Please leave your own suggestions or favorite Black History Month recommendations in the comments below.

The Very Best of 2011 Kids' Graphic Novels with Links and Excerpts!

As 2011 draws to a close, it's time to share my list of 2011's "Very Best" graphic novels for kids (although I LOVED them and last time I checked, I was considered - by most- to be an adult).  I am only a recent avid fan, and I rationalize my newly found passion by the fact that in the last few years this industry has exploded with diverse, quality, works that MUST be included in homes, schools, and libraries. I have included books with intelligent content, and quality art and prose.

So here are my recommendations (note that I have also included accessible web sites that either deal with important issues or have online previews and excerpts):

FOR KIDS 4-8

Bake Sale by Sara Varon weaves a salivating tale of friendship, chemistry, and baking, and marching bands. It is about friends using creative ideas to help each other with life's dreams and unavoidable obstacles. Life's solutions (at least in this book) revolve around baking. There are seven recipes from classic cupcakes and cookies to sugared flower petals to marzipan.  It is wonderfully heart-warming and creative. Please see this YouTube clip for more about the book.

Gunnerkrigg Court by Tom Siddell is a series of books about Antimony Carver, a girl with special talents attending a strange school called Gunnerkrigg Court.  It is a fictional school in a fictional world and the story weaves political intrigue, science, fantasy and mythology into a beautifully (verbally and visually) told story.  The books are published by Arehaia Studios Press but the stories are updated online three days a week at Gunnerkrkigg Court.
 
Nursery Rhyme Comics edited by Chris Duffy is a compilation of nursery rhymes classics retold by 50 of today's most talented cartoonists and illustrators.  Each rhyme is one to three pages long, simply paneled and lettered for an easy read for all ages, and each one isa feast for the eyes and mind.

Squish:  Super Amoeba by Jennifer and Matthew Holm is about the world of single-celled friends (Squish, Peggy and Pod) and as they navigate school, bullies and life.  It is wonderfully creative and these ameoba and paramecium move and interact with their environment in a very creative (and relatively true to life) way.  It is a great introduction to pond life and the single-celled world and a great way to discuss fact, fiction, and an author's use of both to tell a story.  I just loved this book and recommend it for home and school use. They have a second book out already (Squish:  Brave New Pond) with a third one coming out soon "Squish:  The Power of the Parasite"
 
Zita Space Girl by Ben Hatke -  invites the reader from the first panel.  Art and story are incredibly engaging for kids of all ages.  This is a great book to read aloud or have your child read on their own.  It is about Zita who knows she shouldn't touch an unidentified object while walking with her friend Joseph, but she just can't resist.  (Sound like any child you know?).  Even with Jacob's warning, she touches it and sending Jacob to another universe.  She knows she must go to rescue him and embarks on the adventure of her life. For more details see my previous post which has a YouTube video clip excerpting this book.



FOR KIDS 8-12
Amelia Rules by Jimmy Gownley is a funny, witty, intelligent series of books that follow Amelia as she adjusts to life in a new town after her parents' divorce.  These books deal with issues of friendship, loyalty, school, various family life issues, and social ' belonging' issues.  Gownley shows (not tells) kids how they can navigate life's lessons in a wonderfully fun, supportive and empowering way, while dealing with very real issues.  It is one of the best kid's book I've read in a long time. In 2011 alone, four different Amelia books have been published - the are ALL SUPERB and well worth the read.  Here is a YouTube video excerpt from one of the Amelia books.

Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol is a story about how a ghost (named Emily) who is 'rescued' by Anya when she falls down a well, helps Anya deal with the awkward teen years.  She helps Anya address her self consciousness about her looks, her friends and being popular, with Anya's embarrassment of her family (they are very ethnic), and with her rebellious, confused emotions.  It is a lovely coming of age book. Here are the first 17 pages of the book, courtesy of First Second Books.

City of Spies by Susan Kim and Laurence Klaven depicts life in the summer of 1942.  Evelyn's dad is getting remarried and he sends her to her aunt's house in New York City. Evelyn discovers herself and with the help of Tony, the super's son, they uncover a German spy ring after seeing newsreels asking citizens to help in the war effort.  It is exciting, empowering, and a lovely coming of age story. Here are 8 pages from the book, courtesy of First Second Books.

Resistance (2010) and Resistance Book 2: Defiance (2011) by Carla Jablonski & Leland Purvis is a story about World War II from the perspective of  a boy, Paul Tessier and his family.  In Book 1 the Tessiers have to decide how to live under German occupation as they weigh their options of joining the French Resistance, remaining 'neutral', or sympathizing with the Germans (in the hope of more and better rations and privileges). They also must decide whether to help Paul's best friend, a Jew.  In book 2 Defiance the story continues. Paul is now 14 and he still wrestles with helping his beloved torn France. Please view some excerpt pages.

Rust:  Visitor in the Field by Royden Lepp is a gripping story of Roman Taylor who struggles in a world similar to ours (which looks a lot like dust-bowl Oklahoma) to save his family's small farm which was devastated by a war.  One day a boy with a jet pack lands in the field and Romam begins to discover the secrets of Jet's past as he develops greater hopes for the future.  This is really a story for young teens, older teens and adults, which I reluctantly place here.  20th Century Fox has already picked up the rights to this awesome story.  Please check out these preview pages.

The Olympians (Zeus, Athena, Hera) by George O'Connor are a collection of books on Greek mythology.  The latest is Hera.  The story is true to classic Greek myth, and the illustrations and panel /page arrangements are breathtaking.  Greek myths truly come alive in this series and it is a GREAT bet for any kids interested in Greek mythology. Note that Hades is the fourth book coming out in 2012.  I saw a galley and it is spectacular as well.  Also note that each book comes with suggested lesson plans, suggested supplemental reading lists, and a family tree of the Greek gods.  Please view the first 12 pages, courtesy of First Second Books.



For 12+
Americus written by MK Reed and illustrated by Jonathan Hill is about a book-loving boy from Americus, a small town in Oklahoma who eagerly awaits the latest edition of his favorite fantasy series starring a young sorceress who hunts monsters and tyrants.  Trouble arises with a movement to ban it from the library.  This book deals head on with book-banning in a sensitive, honest manner. The book appeared first on the web (and while now only available in print, this is a very cool link that deals with book banning), and is now available in book form.  Here is a 13-page preview for those interested (compliments of the publisher, First Second Books).


Feynman written by Jim Ottaviani and illustrated by Leland Myrick visually and verbally illustrates Richard Feynman's life from his childhood in Long Island NY to his college days at MIT to his work on the Manhattan Project, career at Cornell and CalTech,  his dramatic exposure of the Challenger disaster, his work on quantum electrodynamics and his antics in art and music (bongo drums).   This work is  an adaptation of Feynman's books ("Surely You're Joking Mr. Feynman" and "What Do You Care WHat Other People Think?" are two of my all-time favorite books) which are also well work a read. No science background is required for these books, although it may help with some sections. Here is a slide show excerpt of the book. 

The Silence of Our Friends by Mark Long, Jim Demonakos and Nate Powell is a semi-autobiographical story (about one of the author's father) who was a "Race Reporter" in Texas, 1976.  It is actually not out until January 17, 2012, but is available on Amazon for preorder. I was given a galley to read and it is powerfully honest, sensitive, and does a spectacular job relaying a very complicated, troubled time in our history. It is the story of prejudice, humiliation, degradation and a living testament of the growing civil rights movement in Houston Texas.  It talks about families who try to do the right thing, raise their kids' "right", make mistakes, but mostly make an effort to find the right path in a questioning time. Here is a preview - 13 pages from the book.  It is sensitive, smart, and honest.  A must read!


Honorable mentions from previous years:

Anne Frank:  The Anne Frank House Authorized Graphic Biography by Sid Jacobson and Ernie Colon.  The authors infuse this authorized biography with relevant history and perspective as Anne's story is retold.  It is an excellent read in which World War II and the Holocaust come alive, and lives lost all to early are remembered. 


Drawing Words and Writing Pictures by Jessica Abel and Matt Madden is a GREAT gift/book idea.  I recommend it for kids ages 12+.  It is actually written as a course and has won multiple awards including: BCCB Recommended Title, Publisher's Weekly Comics Week Best Comic of the Year. I has chapters on lettering, story structure, and panel layout and comes with homework, extra credit activities and supplemental reading suggestions.


I Kill Giants by Joe Kelly - a superb book about fifth grader Barbara who kills giants - we just don't know if she really kills giants, thinks she kills giants but is living (or retreating) to a fantasy world, or if this is a metaphor for something greater.  Please see previous blog post that illustrates how graphic novels like I Kill Giants are not only enteratining, but actually help shape inference skills and critical thinking (it has some excerpts from the book as well).

Laika  by Nick Abadzis tells the story of Laika, the first sentient being sent into space by the Russians and of the political posturing of the 1950's space race.  Please see a previous blog post of mine for more details.


Mouse Guard by David Petersen  Please see a previous blog post of mine for more details on this and other great reads.  It is the story of Medieval Mouse times.  It is already a classic work, the art and story are spectacular and it is well worth your time.

The Sons of Liberty by Alexander and Joseph Lagos tells the story of Colonial America with a bit of a twist as two young run-away slaves are are left with superpowers as the result of an encounter with Ben Franklin's son who was experimenting with electricity.  This is the first story of a series and is wonderfully engaging.

The United States Constitution Please my December 5, 2011 post for more details about this truly outstanding publication which seeming effortlessly describes the United States Constituion (Preamble and Amendments) as well as providing background and perspective to this work of genius.

Tribes: The Dog Years by Michael Geszel and Peter Spinetta, art by Inaki Miranda is an outstanding science fiction adventure that considers the effect of a medical research lab's experiment with nano virus' gone awry.  While there is some violence (hence the older age guideline) the story and art are spectacular and worth the read (for older kids and ALL adults).  Please see  my previous blog post for details as well as this post dealing with Tribes and social cognition.  Here is a great YouTube post trailer for Tribes: The Dog Years that is spectacular and shows you Inaki Miranda's spectacular art. 

This is a long posting, but these are all spectacular books that I fell passionately about.  Please leave some of your passionate suggestions as well - or questions.