Click on book to order
 Papa's Free Day Party |  Lubaya’s Quiet Roar |  Ostrich and Lark |
 A Little Bitty Man |  Snook Alone |  The Ladder 2006 |
Papa’s Free Day Party
Johnnie wants to celebrate her Papa’s birthday, but Papa doesn’t know exactly when that special day is. Johnnie doesn’t understand how that could be. Then she learns about Papa’s childhood–how he built a new life in the all-Black town of Boley, Oklahoma. Inspired by her father’s incredible story, Johnnie decides to throw Papa a different kind of party–one to recognize her father’s day of freedom. Based on a true story about the author’s grandfather, Papa’s Free Day Party is a powerful celebration of storytelling, strength, and the importance of family.
Lubaya’s Quiet Roar
Newbery Honor winner Marilyn Nelson and fine artist Philemona Williamson have come together to create this lyrical, impactful story of how every child, even the quietest, can make a difference in their community and world. Young Lubaya is happiest when she’s drawing, often behind the sofa while her family watches TV. There, she creates pictures on the backs of her parents’ old protest posters. But when upsetting news shouts into their living room, her parents need the posters again. The next day her family takes part in a march, and there, on one side of the posters being held high, are Lubaya’s drawings of kids holding hands and of the sun shining over the globe–rousing visual statements of how the world could be. “Lubaya’s roar may not be loud, but a quiet roar can make history.”
Ostrich and Lark
“The story, which captures the feel of a traditional African folktale, is brought to life with vibrant illustrations inspired by the ancient rock paintings of the San people’s ancestors.” –Goodreads
“Nelson’s lyrical writing gives a vivid sense of life in the desert: “[O]ver the cicada’s drone, a drizzle of buzzings fell, and a downpour of birdsong.” A valuable starting point for classroom discussions about Africa, ecosystems, and finding one’s voice.” –Publishers Weekly
A Little Bitty Man
“Translated from the original works of beloved Danish poet Halfdan Rasmussen, this delightful collection of poems for young children will enthrall little ones with captivating rhyme, rhythm, humor, and charm. Kevin Hawkes’s enchanting, light-filled illustrations bring the text to life, making this an essential addition to any child’s library of modern classics.” –Goodreads
Snook Alone
“Marilyn Nelson has given us a gem of a spring board with the book Snook Alone.” –The Children’s Book Review
“Marilyn Nelson’s poetic text is sweetened by Timothy Basil Ering’s color-saturated paintings set against parchment-textured backgrounds. Water-level views of Snook in the prow of a boat – ears flying, nose pointed at the sky – give way to bleak beaches across which a small, black-and-white figure trudges, nose to the sand. But never fear, the final image is one of such pure bliss, such unmeasured joy, that it requires no words to explain.” –The Washington Post