Ashley Bryan

In a story of the Ila people, the colorful birds of Africa ask Blackbird, whom they think is the most beautiful of birds, to decorate them with some of his "blackening brew."

Imagine being looked up and down and being valued as less than chair. Less than an ox. Less than a dress. Maybe about the same as ... a lantern. You, an object. An object to sell. Ashley Bryan goes to the heart of how a slave is given a monetary value by the slave owner, tempering this with the one thing that CAN'T be bought or sold -- dreams. Inspired by the actual will of a plantation owner that lists the worth of each and every one of his "workers",...

A shepherd boy apprenticed to his carpenter father builds a stable and then welcomes two weary travelers from Nazareth.

Fourteen tales from Africa full of fun, magic, and few lessons to be learned.

Illustrated versions of three well-known hymns. Includes musical notation.

An illustrated version of the well-known hymn, which describes the marvels of God's creation.

"This book is a dream caught on paper with the sense of magic and wonder and unfettered imagination of a child. As sleep starts the journey into the blue, marvelous threads unravel dreamy images out of the blue revealing animals, far-off places, a circus, games, toys, wind, rain, a touch of this and a touch of that, words and wordplay. A poem accompanies the whimsical illustrations, perfectly capturing the sense of awe and excitement of childhood....

Examines the role of African-Americans in the military through the history of the Triple Nickles, America's first black paratroopers, who fought against attacks perpetrated on the American West by the Japanese during World War II.

Each letter of the alphabet is represented by a line from a poem by different African American poets, describing an aspect of the black experience.

Hand-selected by Newbery honoree Ashley Bryan, he has, with his masterful flourish of color, shape, and movement, added a visual layering that drums the most important message of all to young, old, parent, child, grandparent, and friend alike: You are loved. You are loved. You are loved. As a bonus, one page is mirrored, so children reading the book can see exactly who is loved--themselves!