Special Collections
Coretta Scott King Award Winners
- Table View
- List View
The Story of Stevie Wonder
by James HaskinsA biography of the blind composer, pianist, and singer who was a child prodigy and went on to win nine Grammy awards.
Winner of the Coretta Scott King Medal
The Stuff of Stars
by Marion Dane Bauer and Ekua HolmesIn an astonishing unfurling of our universe, Newbery Honor winner Marion Dane Bauer and Caldecott Honor winner Ekua Holmes celebrate the birth of every child.
Before the universe was formed, before time and space existed, there was . . . nothing. But then . . . BANG! Stars caught fire and burned so long that they exploded, flinging stardust everywhere. And the ash of those stars turned into planets. Into our Earth. And into us. In a poetic text, Marion Dane Bauer takes readers from the trillionth of a second when our universe was born to the singularities that became each one of us, while vivid illustrations by Ekua Holmes capture the void before the Big Bang and the ensuing life that burst across galaxies. A seamless blend of science and art, this picture book reveals the composition of our world and beyond — and how we are all the stuff of stars.
Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush
by Virginia HamiltonA beautiful ghost appears to a troubled teen and shows her the heartbreaking secrets of her family&’s past Fifteen-year-old Teresa has fallen in love—with a ghost. The handsome man that she&’s passed on the street a few times captures her attention, and she thinks he notices her too. But when the man suddenly appears inside her home, hovering in the air and passing through solid furniture, Teresa realizes this isn&’t going to be a typical crush. The ghost is Brother Rush, a man tied to Teresa&’s past, who has come to show her the ways her life has special meaning, and that her problems at school and at home are not what they seem.
Swim Team
by Johnnie ChristmasA splashy, contemporary middle grade graphic novel from bestselling comics creator Johnnie Christmas!
Bree can’t wait for her first day at her new middle school, Enith Brigitha, home to the Mighty Manatees—until she’s stuck with the only elective that fits her schedule, the dreaded Swim 101. The thought of swimming makes Bree more than a little queasy, yet she’s forced to dive head first into one of her greatest fears. Lucky for her, Etta, an elderly occupant of her apartment building and former swim team captain, is willing to help.
With Etta’s training and a lot of hard work, Bree suddenly finds her swim-crazed community counting on her to turn the school’s failing team around. But that’s easier said than done, especially when their rival, the prestigious Holyoke Prep, has everything they need to leave the Mighty Manatees in their wake. Can Bree defy the odds and guide her team to a state championship, or have the Manatees swum their last lap—for good?
Advisory: Bookshare has learned that this book offers only partial accessibility. We have kept it in the collection because it is useful for some of our members. Benetech is actively working on projects to improve accessibility issues such as these.
Talkin' about Bessie
by Nikki GrimesElizabeth "Bessie" Coleman was always being told what she could & couldn't do. In an era when Jim Crow laws and segregation were a way of life, it was not easy to survive. Bessie didn't let that stop her. Although she was only 11 when the Wright brothers took their historic flight, she vowed to become the first African-American female pilot. Her sturdy faith and determination helped her overcome obstacles of poverty, racism, and gender discrimination. Innovatively told through a series of monologues.
Winner of the Coretta Scott King Medal
Tar Beach
by Faith Ringgold"Ringgold recounts the dream adventure of eight-year-old Cassie Louise Lightfoot, who flies above her apartment-building rooftop, the 'tar beach' of the title, looking down on 1939 Harlem. Part autobiographical, part fictional, this allegorical tale sparkles with symbolic and historical references central to African-American culture. The spectacular artwork resonates with color and texture. Children will delight in the universal dream of mastering one's world by flying over it. A practical and stunningly beautiful book. "--(starred) Horn
Winner of the Caldecott Honor
Winner of the Coretta Scott King Medal
This Life
by Sidney PoitierPoitier's biography is one of bitter sweet humorous at times and seriously moraled at others. His life story rivals that of his films. His dirt poor up bringing with feelings of embarrassment, pride, and humility to his success story and subsequent feelings of strength, ....pride...and yes humility is one that is under-rated and under-appreciated. It just the kind of story that the world needs now.
Winner of the Coretta Scott King Medal
Toning The Sweep
by Angela JohnsonSpanning three generations of African-American women, each holding on to a separate truth, this novel details the struggle these women face in finding a common ground upon which to share their love, friendship, and hardships.
Winner of the Coretta Scott King Medal
Trombone Shorty
by Troy "Trombone Shorty" AndrewsA 2016 Caldecott Honor Book and Coretta Scott King (Illustrator) Award Winner Hailing from the Tremé neighborhood in New Orleans, Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews got his nickname by wielding a trombone twice as long as he was high. A prodigy, he was leading his own band by age six, and today this Grammy-nominated artist headlines the legendary New Orleans Jazz Fest. Along with esteemed illustrator Bryan Collier, Andrews has created a lively picture book autobiography about how he followed his dream of becoming a musician, despite the odds, until he reached international stardom. Trombone Shorty is a celebration of the rich cultural history of New Orleans and the power of music.
Unspeakable The Tulsa Race Massacre
by Carole Boston Weatherford and Floyd Cooper"Celebrated author Carole Boston Weatherford and illustrator Floyd Cooper provide a powerful look at the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, one of the worst incidents of racial violence in our nation's history".
Uptown
by Bryan CollierDiscover the vibrant world of Harlem, New York, as seen through the eyes of one little boy who lives there. "Uptown ...Harlem, New York. Chicken and waffles. Jazz. Home. "Uptown is a rich mix of flavors, colors, sounds, and cultures that come together to create a vibrant community like no other in the world. Seen through the eyes of one little boy who lives there, the details of life in Harlem are as joyous as a game of basketball on a summer's afternoon and as personal as a trip to the barbershop where old-timers reminisce. Bryan Collier's spare, poetic text and beautiful, intricate illustrations evoke every aspect of Harlem, from the legendary Apollo Theater to chocolate-colored brownstones, weekend shopping on 125th Street, and the music of Duke Ellington.
Winner of the Coretta Scott King Medal
Victory. Stand!
by Derrick Barnes and Tommie Smith and Dawud AnyabwileLonglisted for the 2022 National Book Award for Young People's Literature A groundbreaking and timely graphic memoir from one of the most iconic figures in American sports—and a tribute to his fight for civil rights. On October 16, 1968, during the medal ceremony at the Mexico City Olympics, Tommie Smith, the gold medal winner in the 200-meter sprint, and John Carlos, the bronze medal winner, stood on the podium in black socks and raised their black-gloved fists to protest racial injustice inflicted upon African Americans. Both men were forced to leave the Olympics, received death threats, and faced ostracism and continuing economic hardships. In his first-ever memoir for young readers, Tommie Smith looks back on his childhood growing up in rural Texas through to his stellar athletic career, culminating in his historic victory and Olympic podium protest. Cowritten with Newbery Honor and Coretta Scott King Author Honor recipient Derrick Barnes and illustrated with bold and muscular artwork from Emmy Award–winning illustrator Dawud Anyabwile, Victory. Stand! paints a stirring portrait of an iconic moment in Olympic history that still resonates today.
We Are the Ship
by Kadir Nelson"We are the ship; all else the sea"
--Rube Foster, founder of the Negro National League.
The story of Negro League baseball is the story of gifted athletes and determined owners; of racial discrimination and international sportsmanship; of fortunes won and lost; of triumphs and defeats on and off the field. Most of all, the story of the Negro Leagues is about the unsung heroes who overcame segregation, hatred, terrible conditions, and low pay to do the one thing they loved more than anything else in the world: play ball.
Using an "Everyman" player as his narrator, Kadir Nelson tells the story of Negro League baseball from its beginnings in the 1920s through its decline after Jackie Robinson crossed over to the majors in 1947. The voice is so authentic, you will feel as if you are sitting on dusty bleachers listening intently to the memories of a man who has known the great ballplayers of that time and shared their experiences. But what makes this book so outstanding are the dozens of oil paintings--breathtaking in their perspectives, rich in emotion, and created with understanding and affection for these lost heroes of our national game.
We Are the Ship is a tour de force for baseball lovers of all ages.
[This text is listed as an example that meets Common Core Standards in English language arts in grades 4-5 at http://www.corestandards.org.]
Winner of the Sibert Medal and the Coretta Scott King Medal
We Deserve Monuments
by Jas Hammonds"An absolute must read." —Buzzfeed"A gripping portrayal of the South's inherent racism and a love story for queer Black girls." —Teen VogueFamily secrets, a swoon-worthy romance, and a slow-burn mystery collide in We Deserve Monuments, the award-winning debut novel from Jas Hammonds exploring the ways racial violence can ripple down through generations. What’s more important: Knowing the truth or keeping the peace?Seventeen-year-old Avery Anderson is convinced her senior year is ruined when she's uprooted from her life in DC and forced into the hostile home of her terminally ill grandmother, Mama Letty. The tension between Avery’s mom and Mama Letty makes for a frosty arrival and unearths past drama they refuse to talk about. Every time Avery tries to look deeper, she’s turned away, leaving her desperate to learn the secrets that split her family in two.While tempers flare in her avoidant family, Avery finds friendship in unexpected places: in Simone Cole, her captivating next-door neighbor, and Jade Oliver, daughter of the town’s most prominent family—whose mother’s murder remains unsolved.As the three girls grow closer—Avery and Simone’s friendship blossoming into romance—the sharp-edged opinions of their small southern town begin to hint at something insidious underneath. The racist history of Bardell, Georgia is rooted in Avery’s family in ways she can’t even imagine. With Mama Letty's health dwindling every day, Avery must decide if digging for the truth is worth toppling the delicate relationships she's built in Bardell—or if some things are better left buried.
We Wait for the Sun
by Dovey Johnson Roundtree and Katie McCabeA beautiful and uplifting non-fiction picture book about trailblazing civil rights lawyer and activist Dovey Johnson Roundtree.
The Young Landlords
by Walter Dean MyersFive devoted friends become landlords and try to make their Harlem neighborhood a better place to live.
Winner of the Coretta Scott King Medal