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(3)
4-6
Fans of Laura Ruby's York: The Shadow Cipher will enjoy this realistic mystery featuring three tweens of color who stumble into a mystery involving a valuable work of art and fight back when their neighborhood is threatened by an amusement-park development. An emphasis on the history of Harlem artists fighting for inclusion also highlights art as a means to innovate and preserve culture.
32 pp.
| Lee
| October, 2004
|
TradeISBN 1-58430-156-2$16.95
(4)
K-3
Illustrated by
Adjoa J. Burrowes.
Destiny is an avid reader who loves to hang out at Mrs. Wade's bookstore on Tuesdays and Saturdays. When she learns that the store might have to close she sets the wheels in motion to raise money to save the store. Though the collage illustrations lack fluid construction, the multicultural neighborhood is appealing. An open-ended conclusion gives credibility to the story.
32 pp.
| Little/Tingley
| February, 2002
|
TradeISBN 0-316-52284-8$$15.95
(3)
K-3
Illustrated by
E. B. Lewis.
On Miles's first trip to the barbershop, he observes other customers' hairstyles--from a man with a shaved head to a man with "long, thick dreadlocks"--as he tries to decide what style "look[s] like me." He chooses his father's style but is afraid of the clippers until he remembers how brave his father is when he gets his hair cut. Expressive watercolors showcase Miles's curiosity, fear, and satisfaction, as well as a close father-son relationship.
26 pp.
| Little
| January, 1998
|
TradeISBN 0-316-52275-9
(3)
K-3
Although Keyana dreads the pain of getting the tangles combed from her hair every night, her mother helps her see that her hair is also a blessing because she can wear it in cornrows, braids, an Afro, and many other wonderful ways. Expressive watercolor paintings fancifully interpret the different styles and highlight Keyana's face as it goes from wincing to reflective to joyous.