"Music is the heart of our story," says Momma to young Rosetta, surprising her with her first guitar. Rosetta's strums sound like ker-plunk s. But with practice and determination, she makes music, fingers hopping "like corn in a kettle," notes pouring over the church crowd "like summer rain washing the dust off a new day."

Follow the inspiring life of Martin Luther King Jr. in a moving, vital, and informative book by an author and an illustrator with close ties to Dr. King's family. Martin Luther King Jr. devoted his life to helping people, first as a Baptist minister and scholar and later as the foremost leader in the African-American civil rights movement. An organizer of the Montgomery bus boycott and cofounder of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Dr. King won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 for combating racial inequality through nonviolent resistance. As a result of his actions, the United States Congress passed the historic Civil Rights Act of 1964. This book's powerful story and important message, originally published in 1964, remain as relevant today as they were more than fifty years ago. With a new foreword by the author's widow, Xernona Clayton, the text has been reviewed and updated for a new generation and features striking new illustrations by Donald Bermudez.

Find out about the life of Martin Luther King Jr. from how he fought racism and led the civil rights movement in the United States to his tragic death and how he is remembered now around the world. The book has photographs and a simple text suitable for young children.

Throughout history women have shaped the culture, politics, and people of the land we know as Canada. The women in this series have had a lasting impact on our daily lives. Explore their stories and learn how they have made a difference.

Find out about the life of American poet and writer Maya Angelou and her work as an activist in the US civil rights movement. The book has photographs and a simple text suitable for young children.

Melvin Robinson wants a strong, smooth, He-Man voice that lets him say what he wants, when he wants--especially to his crush Millie Takazawa, and Gary Ratliff, who constantly puts him down. But the thought of starting high school is only making his stutter worse. And Melvin's growing awareness that racism is everywhere--not just in the South where a boy his age has been brutally killed by two white men, but also in his own hometown of Spokane--is making him realize that he can't mutely stand by. His new friend Lenny, a fast-talking, sax-playing Jewish boy, who lives above the town's infamous (and segregated) Harlem Club, encourages Melvin to take some risks--to invite Millie to Homecoming and even audition for a local TV variety show. When they play music together, Melvin almost feels like he's talking, no words required. But there are times when one needs to speak up. When his moment comes, can Melvin be as mighty on the outside as he actually is on the inside?

In the Newbery Medal and Coretta Scott King Award–winning Bud, Not Buddy, Bud met a girl named Deza Malone in a Hooverville. This is her story.   “We are a family on a journey to a place called wonderful" is the motto of Deza Malone's family. Deza is the smartest girl in her class in Gary, Indiana, singled out by teachers for a special path in life. But the Great Depression has hit Gary hard, and there are no jobs for black men. When her beloved father leaves to find work, Deza, Mother, and her older brother Jimmie go in search of him, and end up in a Hooverville outside Flint, Michigan. Jimmie's beautiful voice inspires him to leave the camp to be a performer, while Deza and Mother find a new home, and cling to the hope that they will find Father. The twists and turns of their story reveal the devastation of the Depression and prove that Deza truly is the Mighty Miss Malone.   “Witty and moving.” —The Wall Street Journal   “The fluidity of the writing, the strong sense of place and time combined with well-drawn characters will captivate and delight. . . . a fitting literary companion to Bud Caldwell.” —Kirkus Reviews, Starred   “Curtis threads important bits of African-American history throughout the narrative. . . . Some readers will feel they are due a bit of happiness; others will be struck by how little has changed in 75 years for the nation’s have-nots.” —Publishers Weekly, Starred

"We are a family on a journey to a place called wonderful" is the motto of Deza Malone's family. Deza is the smartest girl in her class in Gary, Indiana, singled out by teachers for a special path in life. But it's 1936 and the Great Depression has hit Gary hard, and there are no jobs for black men. When her beloved father leaves to find work, Deza, Mother, and her older brother, Jimmie, go in search of him, and end up in a Hooverville outside Flint, Michigan. Jimmie's beautiful voice inspires him to leave the camp to be a performer, while Deza and Mother find a new home, and cling to the hope that they will find Father. The twists and turns of their story reveal the devastation of the Depression and prove that Deza truly is the Mighty Miss Malone.

See below for English description. Je m'appelle Kikelomo, et je suis chérie! C'est le premier jour d'école de Kikelomo et elle est très impatiente! Mais au moment où elle dit son prénom à ses camarades de classe, Kikelomo est surprise et attristée de voir les autres enfants se moquer. Ce soir-là, lorsqu'elle rentre à la maison, sa mère et son père lui rappellent qu'ils ont choisi son prénom avec soin et qu'il signifie « un enfant qui est chéri » en yoruba, la langue maternelle de sa mère. Lorsqu'elle retourne à l'école, le lendemain, elle est impatiente de raconter pourquoi il est important de l'appeler par son prénom et d'expliquer que chacun peut arriver à le prononcer s'il essaie. Ce simple geste incite ses camarades de classe et son enseignant à apprendre et à partager l'histoire de leur prénom. Joyeuse, puissante et imprégnée d'amour, cette histoire d'affirmation de soi trouvera un écho chez tous les enfants qui ont besoin de défendre leur prénom magnifique. My name is Kikelomo and I am cherished! It's Kikelomo's first day of school and she is excited! But when it's time to share in her classroom circle, Kikelomo is surprised and saddened when other children make fun of her name. When Kikelomo comes home that night, her mother and father remind her how carefully they chose her name and that it means "a child who is cherished" in Yoruba, the language of her mother's family. It prompts her to think about all the times she feels cherished and who she is, held inside her loving family. When Kikelomo returns to school the next day, she can't wait to share why calling her by her name is important, and how everyone can pronounce it if they try. With this simple act, her classmates -- and teacher! -- are all inspired to learn and share the stories of their names too. Joyful, powerful and infused with love, this proudly affirming story will resonate with every child who needs to stand up for their big, beautiful name, and encourage kids and grownups from all backgrounds to think about their own unique connection to their name. Original title: My Name Is Cherished

A Caldecott Honor and Reading Rainbow book, this memorable retelling of Cinderella is perfect for introducing children to the fairy tale as well as the history, culture, and geography of the African nation of Zimbabwe. Inspired by a traditional African folktale, this is the story of Mufaro, who is proud of his two beautiful daughters. Nyasha is kind and considerate, but everyone—except Mufaro—knows that Manyara is selfish and bad-tempered. When the Great King decides to take a wife and invites the most worthy and beautiful daughters in the land to appear before him, Mufaro brings both of his daughters—but only one can be queen. Who will the king choose? Award-winning artist John Steptoe’s rich cultural imagery of Africa earned him the Coretta Scott King Award for Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters. The book also went on to win the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award. This stunning story is a timeless treasure that readers will enjoy for generations.Coretta Scott King Award for IllustrationCaledcott HonorReading Rainbow BookBoston Globe-Horn Book

As the civil rights movement and the fight for voter rights unfold in Selma, Alabama, many things happen inside and outside the Brown family's home that do not have anything to do with the landmark 1965 march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge. Yet the famous outrages which unfold on that span form an inescapable backdrop in this collection of stories. In one, Willie Mae takes it upon herself to offer summer babysitting services to a glamorous single white mother--a secret she keeps from her parents that unravels with shocking results. In another, Willie Mae reluctantly joins her mother at a church rally, and is forever changed after hearing Martin Luther King Jr. deliver a defiant speech in spite of a court injunction. Infused with the vernacular of her Southern upbringing, My Selma captures the voice and vision of a fascinating young person--perspicacious, impetuous, resourceful, and even mystical in her ways of seeing the world around her--who gifts us with a loving portrayal of her hometown while also delivering a no-holds-barred indictment of the time and place.

"Find out about the life of Nelson Mandela and his life as an activist against apartheid in South Africa. Jailed for his activisim, he eventually became president. The book has photographs and a simple text suitable for young children"--