Lyons, K.S. (2012). Ellen’s broom. New York, NY: The Penguin Group.
Ellen’s Broom is written by Kelly Starling Lyons and illustrated by Daniel Minter. Minter was awarded the Coretta Scott King Award in 2013 for his illustrations. Ellen’s Broom tells the story of a young African American girl and her parents wedding broom. At the beginning of the story, Ellen learns that her parents, like all African Americans at the time, were not allowed to officially be married but times are changing! Slavery has ended and soon Ellen’s family is off to the courthouse so her parents can finally become husband and wife under the law. Ellen connects with her past and her future through the story and tradition of the broom. The story is told from Ellen’s perspective and we learn that Ellen is a kind and caring young girl that loves her family. The book could easily be aligned with social studies standards. It would be a great read aloud when discussing slavery and the injustices faced by African Americans at that time. Students could write their personal reactions to the injustices which could then be used to initiate a meaningful discussion or even a debate at the upper elementary grade levels. Ellen’s Broom was an enjoyable story, although it was not one of my favorite picture books.
(Image from www.scholastic.com)
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