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BARNES, Derrick D. The Low-Down, Bad-Day Blues. illus. by Aaron Boyd.
ISBN 0-439-56867-6. FORD, Bernette. Don't Hit Me! illus. by Gary Grier. ISBN 0-439-56860-9.
----. Hurry Up! illus. by Jennifer Kindert. ISBN 0-439-56849-8. MEDEARIS, Angela Shelf. Lights Out! illus. by Nicole Tadgell. ISBN 0-439-56868-4. ea vol: 32p. (Just for You! Series). Scholastic. 2004. pap. $3.99. LC number unavailable.
K-Gr 1-These appealing easy readers focus on social skills, conflict resolution, and bedtime, and feature African-American characters. The stories are engaging, even though the language is quite simple. The illustrations will draw young readers, as they are filled with action and activities to which children will relate. Each title includes discussion tips for adults. "Meet the Author" and "Meet the Artist" pages include photographs and interesting personal notes. These books will be effective in a classroom or library.-Corrina Austin, Locke's Public School, St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada
BERMISS, Aamir Lee. I Hate to Be Sick! illus. by Ken Wilson-Max. ISBN
0-439-56877-3.
HOOKS, Gwendolyn. The Mystery of the Missing Dog. illus. by Nancy Devard.
ISBN 0-439-56864-1.
----. Three's a Crowd. illus. by Sylvia Walker. ISBN 0-439-56865-X.
ea vol: 32p. (Just for You! Series). Scholastic. 2004. pap. $3.99. LC number
unavailable.
K-Gr 3-These series entries are designed to provide beginning readers and their
parents opportunities to share stories and activities. The tales have kid-friendly
plots and all feature African-American protagonists. In the first book, a
boy complains about being sick ("I'm coughing and sneezing/and
holding my head./My fever is high./I am sweating in bed."), until a little
TLC makes him feel better. In Missing Dog, Alex searches his apartment for
his pet, and in Crowd, Keisha is jealous when her best friend brings a new
girl on their Saturday morning bike ride. The colorful illustrations match
the moods of the stories. Each book ends with questions and activities to help
extend the reading experience.-Doris Losey, Tampa-Hillsborough County Public
Library, Tampa, FL
10/01/2004 BOOKLIST
Black, Sonia W. Jumping the Broom. Illus. by Cornelius Van Wright. 2004. 32p. Scholastic, paper, $3.99 (0-439-46878-1). Gr. 2.
Grimes, Nikki. A Day With Daddy. Illus. by Nicole Tadgell. 2004. 32p. Scholastic, paper, $3.99 (0-439-56850-1). Gr. 1.
Upbeat without being preachy or sentimental, these titles in the new Just for You! easy-reading series tell realistic stories of African American family life with excitement and grace. In Jumping the Broom, Erin's big sister is getting married. Everyone is happy except Erin, who can't find the right gift—until Grandmother tells her about jumping the broom, a wedding tradition that started among slaves. The characters are beautifully defined in both words and pictures, and many kids will recognize Erin's pride in honoring her roots. In A Day with Daddy, a boy living with his mom talks about having fun with Dad on their weekly outing. Grimes draws on personal memories of growing up in a divorced family, and her simple, poetic words describe what goes on until the boy returns home with “"enough happy / to last me one week." The separation is here as well as the joy, and Tadgell's exuberant watercolors show the family bonds, the longing, and the love. Both books include excellent notes for adults and suggestions of things they can do with their children. —Hazel Rochman