(4) K-3 Illustrated by Colin Bootman. Bootman's somber paintings capture the tenderness of the relationship between Simms and his papa in this story, with an indeterminate setting, about a black community's first exercise in voting. While the story has too many elements and not enough context, its themes shine clear, as the men courageously cast their first ballots.

Reviewer: Henrietta M. Smith

(4) 1-3 Illustrated by Colin Bootman. One summer, Derrick's elderly uncle gives him harmonica lessons. When "old Arthur" (arthritis) prevents Uncle Booker T. from giving a lesson one day, a now-accomplished Derrick soothes him with his own playing. The text occasionally verges on sentimentality, but the author also exercises restraint, as when intimating the old man's mortality. The illustrations affectionately depict summertime and community in the South.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Aminah Brenda Lynn Robinson. Generosity is abundantly rewarded in this original folkloric tale. Miss Annie Mae always feeds the birds in her yard, even when she has little to eat herself. One night a young stranger named Raven Reed appears on her doorstep and, shaking her empty birdseed sack, provides her with all she needs. Strong, earthy, and with touches of humor, the art is a good match for a well-honed narrative.

Reviewer: Joanna Rudge Long | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2000