(3) K-3 Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney. An elderly man tells his granddaughter the story of his escape from slavery and explains why his apple orchard is a symbol of the help he received from strangers. Pinkney's expansive illustrations effectively portray the dark days of slavery and contrast them to the sunny pink of the apple orchard and freedom. The book was inspired by a true story.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Kadir Nelson. In an original tale, the Yao people evade approaching slavers, thanks to three female heroes. Mother Njemile proposes they hide in the forest; Grandmother Chimwala stands fast, posing as a hermit; while young Abikanile leads the tribe across the river. The illustrations reflect the story's gravity, and a ground-level point of view enhances the characters' dignity. This is a valuable and unusual addition to the literature about slavery.

Reviewer: Joanna Rudge Long | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2002

(3) K-3 In a poignant story, music assuages the longing a young girl named Tiny feels for her father, a blues musician who's on the road more than he's home. Wearing her daddy's hat to feel near him, Tiny one day hears her daddy's horn "inside the hat inside her head" and begins to sing. Spare pastel illustrations on deep-hued backgrounds aptly evoke Tiny's sadness and the restorative powers of music.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute