She Persisted: Oprah Winfrey

New Orleans is known as a place where hurricanes happen … but that’s just one side of the story. Children of New Orleans tell about their experiences of Hurricane Katrina through poignant and straightforward free verse in this fictional account of the storm. Books like this can help children contextualize and discuss difficult events.

Bold, bright illustrations and a cheerful text that includes song lyrics introduce the life of an early 20th century African American performer. Though part of the Harlem Renaissance, Mills is a relative unknown who both on and off stage worked to help other African Americans and those who were less fortunate than she. An author’s note concludes this charming life sketch.

Maya Angelou was the first Black poet and the first woman to recite poetry at a Presidential Inauguration. Her life is introduced in free verse and realistic collage to evoke the poet and her work. A timeline and notes from the award-winning author and illustrator conclude this memorable portrait. 

Jade believes she must get out of her poor neighborhood if she’s ever going to succeed. Her mother tells her to take advantage of every opportunity that comes her way. And Jade has: every day she rides the bus away from her friends and to the private school where she feels like an outsider, but where she has plenty of opportunities. But some opportunities she doesn’t really welcome and she’s tired of being singled out as someone who needs help, someone people want to fix. Jade wants to speak, to create, to express her joys and sorrows, her pain and her hope. Maybe there are some things she could show other women about understanding the world and finding ways to be real, to make a difference.

All Amara wants for her birthday is to visit her father’s family in New York City — Harlem, to be exact. She can’t wait to finally meet her Grandpa Earl and cousins in person, and to stay in the brownstone where her father grew up. Maybe this will help her understand her family and herself in new way. But New York City is not exactly what Amara thought it would be.  As she explores, asks questions, and learns more and more about Harlem and about her father and his family history, she realizes how, in some ways more than others, she connects with him, her home, and her family.

A young student receives a family tree assignment in school, but she can only trace back three generations. Grandma gathers the whole family, and the student learns that 400 years ago, in 1619, their ancestors were stolen and brought to America by white slave traders. But before that, “they had a home, a land, a language.” She learns how the people said to be born on the water survived. An illustrated work for young readers basaed on The 1619 Project (opens in a new window).

Middle school is just around the corner for Ryan Hart, which means it’s time to start thinking about the future — and not just how to prank her brother, Ray! During Black History Month, Ryan learns more about her ancestors and local Black pioneers, and their hopes for the future, for her generation. She wonders who she wants to be and what kind of person her family hopes she becomes. Drawing on the ambitions of those who came before her and her own goals, Ryan is determined to turn her dreams into reality.

Ryan Hart loves her family and friends. She’s looking forward to summer vacation, spending time with loved ones, and her first trip to sleepaway camp! The Hart family is experiencing a lot of changes, and Ryan needs to grow her patience in many ways, find ways to share the love, meet new challenges, and grow into the leader her mom and dad named her to be. This summer and the start of fifth grade just might give Ryan the chance to show how she grows and glows! This is Book 2 in the Ryan Hart series.

Ryan Hart finds ways to make sunshine even when she’s not happy about moving to a smaller house, selling the family car, and the other changes life brings. But her name means “king” and so she must lead. Lead she does in this contemporary, realistic and engaging novel just right for fans of Beverly Cleary’s Ramona Quimby.