With illlustrations by James Ransome and a unique braided narrative, this picture book shows how young activists can follow Dr. King’s example and be drum majors for justice in their own schools and communities. The poetic text is tailor-made for choral reading. I just love hearing students chant, “You can be a King!”
Carole Boston Weatherford and Gregory Christie, the team behind the Caldecott Honor book Freedom in Congo Square, first collaborated on Dear Mr. Rosenwald. The story in verse conveys how sharecroppers invested in education to give their children a brighter future. The new paperback edition includes lots of primary sources in the back matter. This under-the-radar book garnered four starred reviews and an SCBWI Golden Kite Honor and was adopted by Boston Public Schools for all second graders. Dear Mr. Rosenwald is ideal for a K-5 common read. Available only on Amazon.
K-12 Teachers: Take the mic for National Poetry Month. Video students as they spit bars from The Roots of Rap–or beatbox to the rhymes. Post videos to Twitter @poetweatherford #RootsOfRapChallenge. Win a free Skype visit and a copy of the book. Deadline: April 30, 2019
Freedom on the Menu: The Greensboro Sit-ins tells this story through the eyes of a fictional eyewitness who wants to eat at the whites-only lunch counter. Here’s a bookmark with a banana split recipe to share with your students.
MLK would be 90 on January 15. Observe his holiday with my un-biography YOU CAN BE A KING: DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.’S DREAM AND YOU (illustrated by James Ransome). With a service-learning project and reader’s theater built-in, the text lends itself to multiple narrators and a chorus. Add props, music and slides. Or combine the reading with a live paint or quick draw of a King mural. Here’s a planning guide and reader’s theater script. Do share!
ILA’s Literacy Daily blog featured a list of read alouds for ages 4 to 15+. The Legendary Miss Lena Horne, illustrated by Elizaabeth Zunon was the pick for ages 15 and up.
Several years ago, a librarian once introduced me prior to a keynote by saying, “Carole Boston Weatherford doesn’t write picture books; she writes illustrated books for adults.” I don’t know if that’s true or not, although I will admit to tackling provocative subjects and themes. In a way, aren’t picture books just lavishly illustrated short stories characterized by an economy of language? Here are some other picture books of mine that might fit the bill for teen read alouds.
Do or have you read aloud to teen? What picture books would you share with teens?
