Julius Lester,
author
Jerry Pinkney, illustrator
Birds, bears, panthers, and even a unicorn come out
of the woods when John Henry is born.
Within moments of his arrival, John jumps out of his mother’s arms and
grows taller than the roof! The next
morning he gets up and chops an acre of trees down. As John ventures out west, he single-handedly
crushes gigantic boulders and digs through a mountain! There are many versions of this tale, but
Lester’s stands out for its humorous personification, colorful hyperbole, and
engaging storytelling.
Mary E. Lyons, author
Terry Widener, illustrator
Roy Tyle has a way with automobiles. People say he “can
grease an axle faster than you can say 'carburetor,' and he can clean spark
plugs just by looking at them hard." Roy believes there is a fatal
flaw in the factory cars—they can get into accidents. So, he takes his talents to the next level—building
his own car. After spending an hour in his garage, he comes out with one that
is “accident proof.” In test after test, his car avoids cars and trucks by
sliding over or under them. He doesn’t
stop there though…he builds a another car that goes so far as to impress God,
himself!
Jerdine Nolen, author
Kadir Nelson, illustrator
From the moment Big Jabe shows up as a small boy
floating in a basket down the river, he uses his extraordinary abilities to
help the slaves on the Plenty Plantation.
When the fish aren’t biting, he commands them to jump from the river and
into the wagon. When works needs to be
done, he is able to single-handedly complete it—allowing the others some much-deserved
rest. Even the plants and animals change
in remarkable ways when he is present.
When slaves begin to disappear without a trace, some wonder if Jabe is the one rescuing them.
Jerdine Nolen, author
Kadir Nelson, illustrator
Kadir Nelson, illustrator
On a summer night during a fierce thunderstorm, a lively baby is
born. Rather than cry out while taking her first breath of life, she sits
up and takes hold of the lightning and thunder. Then, she tells her
parents she is partial to the name Rose, so they call her Thunder Rose.
Full of spunk, determination, and confidence, Thunder Rose accomplishes
everything she sets out to do. She amazes her parents by drinking
her milk while holding up a cow, creating objects with scrap metal, staking a
fence without assistance, and building a sky scraper—all before the age of ten!
These thrilling feats are just the beginning of her story!
Andrea Davis Pinkney, author
Brian Pinkney, illustrator
Brian Pinkney, illustrator
Feisty as a kettle of just-caught fish, Peggony-Po is
able to climb a look out mast and catch whales on the high seas—all before the
age of 4! There is just one whale that eludes
even that most skilled sailor’s grasp—Cetus!
Peggony-Po is determined to catch that whale—known for wrecking havoc
for sailors and, even, land folk. The
young boy ventures off in search of Cetus without even bothering to take a
boat! This high seas adventures, full of
astonishing acts and vivid similes, celebrates the many brave African American
sailors who worked side by side as equals with white sailors on whaling ships
in a time of great inequality.
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