Books Introduce Black History Month Heroes

Stunted though it may be, February is an overachiever. Its 28 days are jam-packed with holidays, birthdays and observances – surely enough fodder to fill those bulletin boards with meaningful material all month long.

 While Groundhog’s Day may be a bit frivolous and Valentine’s Day a tad frilly, the Black History Month observance is fertile ground for broadening our children’s understanding of American history. It moves beyond waddling rodents and rotund cherubs with a fondness for archery. Rather, it provides the framework to introduce heroes, men and women with athletic, artistic and academic gifts and a vision for a better tomorrow.

 “In the centuries since African Americans first arrived on our shores, they have known the bitterness of slavery and oppression, the hope of progress, and the triumph of the American Dream. African American history is an essential thread of the American narrative that traces our nation’s enduring struggle to perfect itself. Each February, we recognize African American History Month as a moment to reflect upon how far we have come as a nation, and what challenges remain.”  – President Barack Obama

 What better tool to introduce this facet of American history than books? Who better to introduce the books than acclaimed poet and autobiographer Maya Angelou, who understands their power so well?

 “Any book that helps a child to form a habit of reading – to make reading one of his deep and continuing needs – is good for him.”  –  Maya Angelou, African American poet

 A Starter List of Biographies for Kids

 –        “A Picture Book of Harriet Tubman,” by David A. Adler and Samuel Byrd, traces the life of Harriet Tubman, who escaped from slavery to become a conductor in the Underground Railroad. Grade 4. (Scholastic)

 –        “Jackie Robinson Graphic Biography” details the life of the first African-American Baseball Hall of Fame inductee. Grades 4-6. (Saddleback Educational Publishing)

 –        “George Washington Carver,” by Eva Moore and Alexander Anderson, tells the story of a man who overcame tough beginnings to become an accomplished botanist. Grades 3-5 (Scholastic)

–        “Rap a Tap Tap,” by Leo and Diane Dillon, is a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book about Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, a popular tap dancer from the 1920s-30s, who “talked with his feet.” (Blue Sky Press)

–        “Martin Luther King Jr. Graphic Biography” is a biography about an influential man who fought against prejudice and injustice. Grades 4-6. (Saddleback)

–        A Picture Book of Sojourner Truth,” by David A. Adler and Gershom Griffith, traces the life of a well-known abolitionist and crusader for the rights of African Americans in the United States. (Grade 4) (Scholastic)

–        “A Picture Book of Jesse Owens,” by David A. Adler and Robert Casilla, is a simple biography about track star Jesse Owens, who competed in the 1936 Berlin Olympics.  (Grade 5) (Scholastic)

–        “I Am Rosa Parks,” by Rosa Parks with Jim Haskins, tells the story of a brave woman who acted upon her convictions. Grades 1-3. (Puffin)

–        “A Picture Book of Frederick Douglass,” by David A. Adler and Samuel Byrd, explains the role of this escaped slave, who went on to become a writer, speaker and leader of the abolitionist movement. Grade 5. (Scholastic)

–        “A Picture Book of Thurgood Marshall,” by David A. Adler and Robert Casilla, lets children learn more about the life of the first African-American Supreme Court justice. Grade 5. (Scholastic)

–        Reading Rockets offers its own list of Black History Month reads. Check them out.

Other African Americans making significant contributions to our society include neurosurgeon Ben Carson, sports legend Bill Russell, Pulitzer Prize poet Gwendolyn Brooks, Tuskegee Institute director Booker T. Washington, Medal of Honor soldier Vernon Baker, baseball legend Buck O’Neil, surgical technique pioneer Vivien Thomas, track great Wilma Rudolph, Oscar-winning actress Hattie McDaniel, choreographer Alvin Ailey, and too many others to count.

Big Universe, an online children’s picture books website, has lots to offer to supplement Black History Month discussions. Let your students explore the Bill of Rights by reading “What Are Citizens’ Basic Rights?” Grades 4-6 (Weekly Reader), or read  “Civil Rights: An Acrostic Poem”  by Big Universe member BlockB. “Slavery in America” and ”Reconstruction” are other options for older students. 

Right Book – For Who?

Choosing a book to read can be a pleasant experience. First there’s the cover of the book that draws the eye, then there may be illustrations, which draw the reader into the book. Print size, print spacing, is it a chapter book, is it the right topic, can the reader decipher the words and meaning of at least the first paragraph and does it keep their interest? All of this takes place in the matter of less than a minute for the experienced reader. But, what about the young novice reader and the reader who has difficulty with reading in general?

For a child who finds reading difficult, choosing the right book can be very hard. Where to start? Big Universe has over 1,000 picture books and you can now search the publisher books by Fountas and Pinnell levels as well as Interest Levels. The Fountas and Pinnell levels are the actual reading level where the student is performing. There are fourth grade students who are reading at a second grade level. It’s now possible to find appropriate reading material for these children on Big Universe!

For a child reading below grade level there are many books available that he or she can read comfortably and still be working within a book that is grade level material. For a fourth or fifth grade student reading at a second grade level, one of these books is Outer Space, written by Kenneth Walsh and published by Teacher Created Materials. It is written at a Fountas and Pinnell Level L, about middle second grade, but the interest level is through the age of 13.

There are many, many books like this on Big Universe. The key is to find the book that fits the child, NOT the book that fits the grade level.

Reading is Not Just Words

When you work with children with learning disabilities you quickly learn that there are two different meanings to the word read. Yours and theirs. To many children reading is  pronouncing every word on the page quickly, sometimes even with the correct fluency and tone. However, when they get to the end of the reading sample, they have no idea of the meaning of what they just read. To a teacher, reading is all about comprehension. Without understanding there is no need to read. 

The first books we give our children are picture books. Then slowly the words are added but there are still lots and lots of beautiful pictures. Eventually the pictures disappear and there are just pages full of letters. For a child with learning disabilities when you hand them a book with just pages of words it’s like you’ve taken away their crutches. Those pictures that have been removed gave clues. They helped to give meaning. They helped make connections. Taking those connections away before a child is ready, has a negative impact on the child’s ability to understand the written word. 

As a teacher the challenge is finding picture books that are age appropriate. Most schools have hundreds of leveled books for fourth, fifth and sixth grade students. There are very few that are picture books that a student in that age group would want to carry around in the open. Most picture books, available in the public schools are not age appropriate for older children.  

There’s an absolutely fantastic website called Big Universe, which is overflowing with picture books for children of all ages. Picture books! My students love Big Universe and so do their parents. . I have one fourth grade student who is in love with history. He has found many fantastic books to read in the social studies category. I have a couple of others who love space and the science and technology category is wonderful. As a teacher I’m able to project the Big Universe  books onto the Smart Board and I build lessons around the books. I love picture books for their teaching capabilities and my students love them because they are more pleasant to read. They are a natural bridge to learning that I plan on using as long as quality material is available.  Now that I’ve found an endless source, thank you Big Universe, my students and I are ready to read and comprehend!