These artists aren’t world-famous, but each contributed to the world of art in a unique way:
Draw What You See: The Life and Art of Benny Andrews by Kathleen Benson, illustrated by Benny Andrews. Published by Clarion Books.
Born to sharecropper parents in Georgia, Benny Andrews was an artist, teacher, and advocate for artists of color. He started a prison art program and traveled to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina to teach art to kids there. His paintings are used to illustrate the book.
Funny Bones: Posada and his Day of the Dead Calaveras by Duncan Tonatiuh. Published by Abrams Books for Young Readers.
Jose Guadalupe Posada was a Mexican printer and political cartoonist who became best-known for his prints of Calaveras (skeletons) to celebrate Dia de los Muertos. The book speculates on the meanings of some of the more enigmatic prints and shows the techniques Posada used to create his art.
Gordon Parks: How the Photographer Captured Black and White America by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Jamey Christoph. Published by Albert Whitman and Company.
Growing up in 1920’s Kansas City, Gordon Parks was told he’d be a porter or a waiter. He did work as a waiter, but buying a $7.50 camera changed his life. He went on to work for magazines like Life and Vogue, using his photography to work for human rights, and directed the movie Shaft.
The exciting true story of a humpback whale rescue off the coast of California. Beautifully illustrated.
Another fascinating Australian animal book from the author/illustrator team that brought you last year’s Big Red Kangaroo.
Sixth-grader Ally has moved so frequently that her dyslexia has gone undiagnosed. She feels like an outsider at school until substitute extraordinaire Mr. Daniels gets her some help. Definitely the sleeper of the new school year, with quite a few fifth-grade girls clamoring for this title.
Any book with a dolphin on the cover is sure to generate some interest. The story is compelling, too, with Lily forced to make a difficult choice when she suspects the dolphin who is helping her autistic brother is being mistreated.
I’ve been surprised at the interest in this book. One reader has already finished it and asked me for the sequel, Ava and Pip (fortunately, I had it). Ava’s story about her new cat is told in diary format, with some of the wordplay her entire family enjoys.
Instead of a lemonade stand, Rufus sets up a story stand, and writes custom-made stories for all of his friends. The writing process is fun, but the best part is sharing his gifts at the end of the day.
These ten steps for how to read a story will make you want to grab a book and a friend and try them right out.
Nathan Hale’s latest Hazardous Tale is girl-powered by Harriet Tubman. The compelling story of the Underground Railroad’s most famous conductor.
It’s 1976, and Sunny’s unhappy to be suddenly forced to spend the month of August with her grandfather in Florida. Flashback scenes reveal the family crisis that has led to her trip. Brother-and-sister team Jennifer and Matthew Holm team up for this family drama/comedy based on their own childhood experiences.
Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews tells how he started his musical career as a young child in New Orleans. He and his friends made their own instruments from castoffs, and he got his big break when he started playing along at a jazz festival. Beautifully illustrated by Caldecott medalist Collier.
Can’t help falling in love with the story of how a poor boy from Mississippi became the king of rock and roll.
The inspiring story of the all-female, almost all African-American jazz band that traveled around the United States and Europe in the 1940’s. Breaking racial and gender boundaries, the group was a true sisterhood of talented musicians.
Another barrier-breaking musician, Millo Castro Zaldarriaga, became a drummer in Cuba when girls and women weren’t allowed to play drums. More than one blogger has picked this book as a potential Caldecott winner.
Once upon a time, there were four boys growing up in postwar Liverpool named John, Paul, George, and Richard. This book looks at the stories of those four, and how they intersected and eventually connected to become the Beatles.
Kangaroo has big feet, Crocodile has a winning smile, Elephant has a long nose…no two animals are alike, yet each one is special. Kids in a classroom can think about what makes them unique and an important part of the group.
Dory and her wild imagination are back for a second book. She’s starting school, and her brother and sister recommend she leave her imaginary friends at home and make a real friend. Dory decides to listen to the voices of experience and takes their advice…sort of.
If you want in-depth information about the founding fathers, look elsewhere. If you want a book chock-full of interesting facts and tidbits about George, Ben, John, Thomas (and a few others you might not be familiar with), set aside a good chunk of time to spend with The Founding Fathers.
A Kids Book A Day 