New Releases by Angela Shelf Medearis

Boldness and a gift for improvising verse enable eight-year-old African American Daisy Turner to triumph over an incident of discrimination in her nineteenth century rural Vermont school. Told in Daisy''s voice, the book''s themes of identity and self-affirmation offer a powerful lesson to today''s youngsters who face similar situations of prejudice and stereotyping in twenty-first century classrooms. Suggestions on the concluding page provide creative ways for young readers to develop their own storytelling style in verse. Ages 6-10

A story of students'' visit to an art museum.

First published: [New York]: Lodestar Books, 1994.

Karen, a new girl in school, comes up with the idea to plant a friendship garden for the class project, and it is not long before the entire neighborhood gets involved.

A biography of the journalist, newspaper owner, and suffragette who campaigned for civil rights and founded the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

Explores the dance traditions of African Americans, from their origins in the expressive dances that the slaves brought from Africa through the development of jazz and tap to modern dance and ballet.

Discusses the evolution of African-American music from its roots in the rhythms and instruments from Africa through the development of the blues, gospel, and soul to modern rock and rap.

Ransome''s paintings are glorious in this celebration of the market in the French Quarter of New Orleans at the turn of the century, and Medearis'' poetic rhyme captures the rhythm of the street cries and the ragtime beat of the marching band. A young girl is awakened by the shouts of the street vendors ("Nice little snap beans / pretty little corn"). She runs to the window, opens it wide. What she sees are "Creole women in red bandannas," shouting vendors with baskets on their heads, fruit sellers with juicy watermelons, shoppers searching for best buys. The beautifully composed, richly colored paintings are filled with light and movement, from market street scenes to close-ups of luscious vegetables. The child is part of it all, reaching for fruit, watching, listening, and then joining in, high-stepping, whirling, and twirling to the hot jazz notes of the marching band.

To win a $5000 reward, a chef named Dan agrees to stay in a haunted house overnight and when he meets a very hungry ghost, he gets more than he had expected.

Provides recipes and suggestions for celebrations for African-American holidays and special occasions throughout the year.

Introduces the influence of African-based foods, cooking techniques, and traditions to American culinary history.

Simple rhyming text and illustrations help children learn to count to 100 to celebrate this special day.

Children pout when it begins to rain, but, soon, properly dressed, they enjoyplaying outdoors in the rain."

A West African tale where one of the yams a farmer is gathering starts to talk to him.

When someone begins painting graffiti on walls throughout the town, Cameron Thompson, a detective''s son, teams up with his best friend, Tarann, to figure out if a new kid, a school artist, or a scary guy is the culprit. Original.

The children learn 100 spelling words, plant 100 seeds, bake 100 cookies, and "do everything the 100 way" to celebrate this special day.

After waiting anxiously for the arrival of snow, children enjoy it by making snow angels, throwing snowballs, and riding their sleds.

Inspired by her older sister, who is writing about a treasure hunt, Marcy finds buried treasure in her back yard.

Poppa finds a pair of lovely pants, only six inches too long, but Grandma Tiny, Big Momma, and Aunt Viney are all too tired to hem them before church.

A delicious blend of food, culture, and African-American history to make your Kwanzaa celebration warm, welcoming, and meaningful. Medearis leads us through the season, focusing on rituals and history, traditions and lore, and dishes that connect today''s African-Americans to the culinary traditions of Africa, the Caribbean, South America, and the American South. Includes: a "Cooking for Company" section for preparing simple, delicious meals for holiday guests and community suppers; tips on hosting and preparing a Kwanzaa Karamu Feast; inspirational text to read aloud during family or community gatherings; easy gifts to make in the kitchen; and 100 festive recipes.

This multi-cultural board book is vibrantly illustrated with lots of activities in which young children can participate.

Celebrating the legacy of African Americans, this story is told through an intimate conversation between a father and daughter as they explore together the history of their people, from ancient Asia through slavery in America up to the present.

A collection of recipes from the diverse traditions of African-American culture offers more than two hundred fifty dishes, including cuisine from Africa, the Caribbean, and the American South.

A couples youngest son is forced to leave his west African village because he chooses music over the more practical occupations of his brothers, but years later he returns to show the wisdom of his choice.

A kid-friendly guide to the history and customs of Kwanzaa. This informative and fun guide to the holiday of Kwanzaa by Black author Angela Shelf Medearis provides information about parties, recipes for African-inspired dishes, instructions for craft projects, and brief biographies of individuals who are connected to the holiday and its history.

A biography of the legendary trumpeter, singer, and bandleader.