On December 1, 1955, in Montgomery,
Alabama, seamstress Rosa Parks quietly refused to give up her seat on the bus
to a white man. “She thought about her mother and her grandmother and knew they
would want her to be strong. She had not sought this moment, but she was ready
for it,” writes author Nikki Giovanni in Rosa,
a moving picture book about Parks. A professor at the local college heard about
the incident and, with a group of like-minded friends, printed up signs that
began the Montgomery Bus Boycott that lasted more than a year and resulted in a
federal ruling that segregated buses were unconstitutional. Illustrator Bryan
Collier received the Coretta Scott King Award and Caldecott Honor for his bold
and beautiful watercolor and collage interpretations of the story. Ages 6-10.
Related activities and interviews may be found at: TeachingBooks.net
Abraham Lincoln governed our nation at a
difficult time and has become an icon of honorable leadership. In Lincoln: A
Photobiography, author Russell Freedman presents a fascinating, balanced
picture of the sixteenth president, from his childhood on, with numerous period
photographs and prints extending our understanding of the era. Quotations from
some of Lincoln’s writings and speeches are included, eloquent and thoughtful
representations of a complex personality. Freedman received the Newbery Medal
in 1988 for this outstanding biography suited for readers age 10 and up,
including adults! Ages 10 to adult.
Related activities and interviews may be found at: TeachingBooks.net
Created by author and illustrator
Virginia Lee Burton in 1943, Katy and the Big Snow is a completely
entrancing story. Who wouldn’t appreciate the grit and bravery of this
beautiful red crawler tractor when she gets called upon to plow out the city of
Geoppolis after a huge snowstorm? Readers follow her “chug! chug! chug!” as she
digs out the center of the city and calls, “Follow me” as she helps the doctor
get his patient to the hospital, the water department fix a broken main, the
fire department reach a three-alarm out in South Geoppolis, an airplane to land
at the snowed-in airport. This classic picture book is both a delight to read
aloud and a model of fortitude in the face of challenges. Ages 4-7.
Related activities and interviews may be found at: TeachingBooks.net
