Knock, Knock: My Dad’s Dream for Me by Daniel Beaty

Beaty, D. (2013). Knock, knock: My dad’s dream for me. New York, NY: Little, Brown, and Company.

Knock, Knock: My Dad’s Dream for Me is written by Daniel Beaty and illustrated by Bryan Collier. Collier was awarded the Coretta Scott King Award for his breathtaking illustrations in Knock, Knock. This is a brilliant story about a young boy’s tumultuous relationship with his father. The main character was very close to his father as a young child. Sadly, the young boy is abandoned by his father (presumably due to incarceration) and longs for his father’s return. He learns to live with the void left by his father’s absence but is forever changed by it. The story ends with a note of hope as the reader sees the young boy grow into a happy man with his own family to love.

Not only is the story touching, but the illustrations created through watercolor and collage are amazing! They add so much to the story by adding layers of texture and depth much like the emotions of the young boy. This book would be particularly powering for young people that have experienced life with only one parent and abandonment. The book shows struggle and pain, but ultimately triumph as well. Due to the interesting and creative illustrations, this book could be used to discuss both writer’s craft as well as the artistry of the illustrator. A teacher could use this text to model using different mediums to create illustrations. Students could then create their own picture book complete with text and illustrations. Perhaps this book could be used by a guidance counselor to help students cope with their feelings because, as I said previously, this book could be particularly significant for some children. It could even be used to help them connect with and overcome their feelings of abandonment. Overall, I really enjoyed this beautiful, touching story and glorious art work.

(Image from www.danielbeaty.com)

Ellen's Broom by Kelly Starling Lyons

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)

Underground: Finding the Light to Freedom by Shane Evans

Evans, S. (2011). Underground: Finding the light to freedom. New York, NY: Roaring Book Press.

Underground: Finding the Light to Freedom by Shane Evans is a 2013 Coretta Scott King Award winner. Underground tells the harrowing tale of the plight of slaves escaping to freedom using the underground railroad. It is told very simply with no more than a few words on each page. The illustrations of the book are primarily composed of deep blue hues with dark tones to signify the night time journeys undertaken using the underground railroad. Some yellow is introduced as the story moves along to show light along the way shining from the lamps of those who helped the slaves along the way. At the end yellow hues are prominently displayed to symbolize the slaves’ new found freedom and life. This book would be a good story to use to infer various story elements. For example, students could infer why the author says certain things like “We run”, “We fear”, and “Some don’t make it.” Students could then make inferences about why the slaves must run or are fearful or why some don’t make it to freedom. Additionally, Underground could easily be used as a link to the social studies curriculum when learning about slavery and the underground railroad. For instance in the third grade standards, students are expected to learn about the contributions of famous americans and Harriet Tubman is included in those famous people. This book would be a good read aloud while learning about Harriet Tubman and her bravery leading slaves to freedom using the underground railroad. The overarching theme of the story-hope, determination, and freedom make this book a pleasure to read!

(Image from www.amazon.com)