Colin Bootman

A mysterious man appears in Harlem and promises to rid the city of its rats by playing the steel pan drum.

In 1957, a young girl is torn between life in the neighborhood she grew up in and fitting in at the school she now attends.

When flood waters from broken levees submerge their New Orleans neighborhood in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, a young cornet player and his parents evacuate their home and struggle to survive and stay together.

"A son teaches his father how to write his name so he can vote for the first time in this historical tale filled with warmth and strength by Coretta Scott King Honor winner Colin Bootman's expressive oil paintings. In a new author's note, veteran teacher and author Gwendolyn Battle-Lavert expands upon the obstacles facing African American voters in the aftermath of the Civil War and the fight to end voter suppression that goes on even today. Simms...

In segregated 1950s Alabama, Louis cannot use the public library to research a class assignment, but one of the librarians lets him in after hours and helps him find the book that he needs. Includes an author's note with historical information about library segregation in the South.

"Biography of Vivien Thomas, an African-American surgical technician who pioneered the procedure used to treat babies with a heart defect known as 'blue baby syndrome.' Includes author's note and author's sources"--

Ten-year-old Queen, a spoiled and conceited African American girl who is disliked by most of her classmates, learns a lesson about friendship from an unlikely "knight in shining armor."

"Climbing Lincoln's Steps" describes important moments of African- American history occurring at the Lincoln Memorial, including Dr. Martin Luther King's famous speech and a visit from the first African- American president and his family.

"Slap! Flap! Tap! What's that sound? That's the sound of Tap! In the 1800s, African and Irish Americans found that they had something in common: Both cultures shared a love of dance. As people came together in New York City, the dance style 'Tap' grew with each new dancer. New ideas and new moves were inspired by their personal cultures. Read along to hear about the blending of Irish and African backgrounds, and of course keep an ear out for Slaps,...