Published by Neal Porter Books

Summary:  “I was the only brown person in class.” The narrator feels the stares of her white classmates when they learn about slavery and civil rights.  Her mother tells her of ancestors who were enslaved or who only got to go to school for a few years, reminding her to be grateful for her own education.  She loves to learn but doesn’t like feeling like her race is what the other kids see about her.  The girl grows up to become a doctor with a daughter of her own.  When her daughter tells her of similar experiences at school, she encourages her to feel proud of herself and her ancestors, and to focus on what she sees when she looks in the mirror.  Includes notes from the author and the artist.  32 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  This book opens up interesting questions about how Black history is taught in schools and how to do it in a way that empowers children of color.

Cons:  The author’s note was in a font size that strained my middle-aged eyes.

Published by Calkins Creek

Summary:  May 26, 1861: George Scott, living in a cave in the woods after escaping slavery two years earlier, sees other Black people entering Fortress Monroe and not being returned.  He learns that the commander of the fort, Major General Benjamin Franklin Butler, has declared the Black people “contrabands of war”, which means he doesn’t have to return them to the Confederates.  When Scott tells Butler he can find the Confederate hideout, Butler sends him on a mission back into the woods where he’s been hiding.  Scott finds the Confederates gathered at a church, and the Union army attacks, thwarting the threat to the fortress.  As a reward, Butler writes a letter to President Lincoln making the case for Scott and the other contrabands.  His words play a part in what eventually becomes the Emancipation Proclamation.  Includes four pages of additional information about George Scott, Benjamin Franklin Butler, Fortress Monroe, and the contrabands, as well as a bibliography.  40 pages; grades 2-6.

Pros:  This well-written and engaging narrative tells a little-known Civil War story, illustrated with sepia-toned paintings that evoke the photographs from that era.  Seems like more should be written about Benjamin Franklin Butler, who went on to become governor of Massachusetts and was a leader in civil rights on many fronts.

Cons:  Apparently, “contrabands” was the term used for those who found refuge at the fortress, but it seems like a somewhat dehumanizing expression. 

Published by Simon and Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books

Summary:  “From land to land, brave travelers arrive with hopes, dreams, skills, and determination.”  The lyrical text and illustrations of this book celebrate the immigrants who have come to the United States, and the Statue of Liberty that welcomes them.  The gifts that people bring in terms of skills, languages, and cultures are recognized, as are the harder truths that people have not always been made to feel welcome.  “The long, bitter story of the US” is also acknowledged, including “stealing land from Native people, bringing enslaved captives all the way from Africa, and then seizing a huge part of Mexico.”  The final image, though, is of Lady Liberty’s torch, and the book concludes on this hopeful note.  Includes notes from the author and illustrator about their personal experiences of immigration.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  This would make an excellent introduction to immigration, with poet Margarita Engle’s text and Raúl Colón’s colored pencil illustrations depicting so many different nationalities coming to the US.  While some hard truths are acknowledged, the tone is basically hopeful and celebratory.

Cons:  A list of additional resources would have made this even more useful for older kids.