This book offers a history and analysis of African American children's literature from its beginnings to the present. Chapters explore issues surrounding race and representation, from the race and gender politics of African American hair to the absence of the "N-word" in children's books.

LEGACY IN WORDS I ponder what I can leave My children when I’m gone, For I don’t have a lot of money, Nor a great big fancy home. They will have some memories But those will surely fade. What tangible thing can I leave, To remind them of my place. I put some words together Some of them even rhyme They tell of my inner most thoughts And things going on at that time. When the children read this book Of poetry they will see My legacy in words A gift to them from me. Hopefully it will encourage them When they are feeling down, And they can feel my presence When I’m no longer around.

“Haunting . . . To read The Good Negress is to fall under a spell, to open a window, to fly.” —Los Angeles Times Book Review Twenty years after its initial publication, The Good Negress continues to be an important part of the literary canon, as relevant and necessary as ever. Set in 1960s Detroit, the novel centers around Denise Palms, who leaves her grandmother’s home in rural Virginia to reunite with her mother, stepfather, and older brothers. As a black teenage girl, Denise is given scarce opportunity beyond cooking, cleaning, and raising her mother’s baby. But an idealistic, demanding teacher opens Denise’s eyes to a future she has never considered, and soon she begins to question the limits of the life prescribed to her. With lyrical, evocative prose, A. J. Verdelle captures Denise’s journey from adolescence to womanhood as she navigates the tension between loyalty and independence, and between circumstance and desire. The Good Negress is an unforgettable debut—simultaneously the portrait of a family and a glimpse into an era of twentieth-century America. Winner of the Harold D. Vursell Memorial Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters Finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction

You have a mildly retarded little girl. When author Micky Wever heard the final diagnosis of her daughter Brennan, she and her family were anguished. Still they refused to allow challenges to hinder the growth and joys in the life of their child Brenan. Why Me, Mama is a memoir that takes the family and the reader on journeys to remember from Tennessee, Georgia, Maryland, Southeast Asia, and then to California (with forays to India). Wever shares her stinging tears, heartaches, struggles, and times of triumphs of Brenan, her special childalong with moments of rejoicing. It tells about lessons in flexibility and searching a path of acceptance, also the chronicle of a mothers celebration of her daughters accomplishments and insight. The authors purpose for writing Why Me, Mama is to reach out to those who are raising children with disabilities. She hopes to help people feel the gift of having a disabled child. The disabled did not ask for these limitations. For people with disabilities, it is a lifetime struggle. They need an abundance of encouragement. Thus, parents and family members should learn how to emphasize the strength of these children and help them achieve goals that are within their capabilities. Wever doesnt claim to have all the answers. There is no perfect pattern for raising disabled children. But she points out the importance of being willing to live with uncertainties, to have faith, and to make a difference with love, compassion, and perseverance.

This book is a story of an unfavoured child called Victoria. Vicky suffered because of the favouritism her mother showed among her four children, discriminating against Vicky. The difficulties of life led Vicky to build a wall of defense around her. Vickys difficult life led her to master the art of escaping the pains of rejection by becoming a high achiever. She thought she was fine and doing all right until the day when her mother died. At that moment, Vicky realized that she never had a mother who loved her. She never would because life cheated her out of a mother and now death had too. The book takes you through the trials and tribulations that Vicky faced before she emerged successful.

One night, as Mama bathed me, I asked why she didnt paint her nails. Who have you seen wearing nail polish? she asked. The blond lady Daddy takes me to see on Sundays. After my parents were divorced, I overheard Grandma say, Yetta, your baggage will hamper you from finding another husband. So as Mama bathed me, she said, Dont call me Mama. Hearing this was hurtful. My father hadnt taken me with him when he left. Now, I felt Mama no longer wanted me. I was four years old. Who would take care of me? It was a desperate, sometimes devastating journey through the depths of despair I lived daily as a preschooler. Then it was a tumultuous adolescence with my malicious grandmother. How did I find the courage to survive the journey through these challenges? You will find it an exciting yet uplifting reading experience.