James Ransome

A window into a child’s experience of the Great Migration. Climbing aboard the New York bound Silver Meteor train, Ruth Ellen embarks upon a journey toward a new life up North — one she can’t begin to imagine. Stop by stop, the perceptive young narrator tells her journey in poems, leaving behind the cotton fields and distant Blue Ridge mountains.

Clara is born into slavery but learns an important skill when she becomes a seamstress. Her quilting ability allows Clara to put together directions to escape north to freedom when she overhears a conversation about a route to Canada.

The story of one family’s journey north during the Great Migration starts with a little girl in South Carolina who finds a rope under a tree one summer. She has no idea the rope will become part of her family’s history.

A girl and her grandmother prepare to visit the girl’s father by packing a big lunch then boarding a bus. The joyful reunion takes place in a prison, emphasizing the love between a father and his daughter. Notes from both the author and illustrator complete this book.

Lincoln’s own words punctuate this overview of his life and times including lighter moments. Full color illustrations exaggerate Lincoln’s physical features but complement the man’s complexity.

Belle goes with her talented grandmother on a singing tour during a time of racial segregation in the south in the 1950s. Grandmama decides to continue performing up north “where things were a little easier for black people.” Realistic watercolors help define the setting.

A young Frederick Douglass narrates this handsome, moving, and authentic story of his early life as a slave, his desire to learn, and plans to escape slavery. The child who grew up to be an abolitionist, memorable writer, and orator knew that words — reading — would set him free.

Ten-year-old James is intrigued by the K-Bones, a local gang, and considers joining. But when his six-year-old brother witnesses him vandalize a sign, he begins to have second thoughts. A tough topic is handled in a brief but effective way, sure to launch discussion.