Patricia and Frederick McKissack

With simplified vocabularies, large print, and plenty of illustrations, this book describes the life and accomplishments of Carter G. Woodson, the man who pioneered the study of African American history. This is one of five biographies in the Great African Americans Series.

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Preparations for Christmas on a Virginia plantation in 1859 begin with the harvest. There are differences between the celebrations in the big house of the plantation owners and those in the slave quarters. This fictionalized account blends the drama and history for a dramatic portrait of the period.

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Sure, lots of kids put off cleaning their room. But Messy Bessey takes sloppy to a whole new level! Find out what happens to finally get her to clean up her mess.

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Straightforward language and lots of illustrations in an open format create an inviting introduction to one of the early greats in baseball.

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Patricia McKissack describes the importance of family stories and how listening to them influenced her. Her engaging narrative, filled with current and early photographs may well inspire others to become writers.

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Flossie and the Fox is an African American variant of the tale, "Little Red Riding Hood." In this version, the fox is after Flossie's basket of eggs. In this version, however, it's Flossie herself who is brave enough and smart enough to outfox the fox!

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'Tricia Ann, though frustrated by the Jim Crow laws that forbid her, as an African American, to enter certain restaurants and hotels, or even to sit on park benches marked "For Whites Only," rises above her pain and makes her way to one of the only places in the city that welcomes her with open arms: the public library.

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David Earl always knows the days of the week by what apron his mother wears for each specific chore. And he knows Sunday is the day when no apron is needed for their special time together. Handsome, realistic watercolors evoke the earlier time in which this story is set and memories of the author’s family.

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Mirandy attempts to capture the elusive wind as she dances the cakewalk with her friend, Ezel. Brother Wind is depicted as a dandy with a top hat in this elegantly illustrated tale that is told using appealing dialect.

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Nettie Jo desperately needs a needle to sew a new wedding dress for her beloved doll, but the three animals she helps during her search do not seem inclined to give their assistance in return.

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Inspired by stories she heard as a child, the author presents original tales steeped in oral tradition and imbued with the African American experience. Rich language and memorable characters create a collection to be shared aloud time and time again on front porches or anywhere else.

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With compassion and historical detail, the McKissacks offer a rich profile of Isabella Van Wagener. Her experiences as both slave and freed slave in New York shaped her mid-life commitment to abolition and women's rights. At age 46, she received a call to "walk in the light of His truth." Henceforward, her name was Sojourner Truth and, although she never learned to read or write, the six-foot tall woman became a striking, eloquent spokesperson whose wit, common sense, and candor popularized her with audiences throughout New England and the Midwest.

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Libby decides to tell the truth and always the truth after she’s caught in a fib by her mom. Libby learns, however, that even though her mother says that when we "speak the truth…" we "shame the devil" that it sometimes hurts others’ feelings. Informal language and folksy illustrations depict a familiar childhood experience.

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