It is so difficult to choose only ten books for Black History Month; my list should be immediately expanded to include any book by any of the authors I cite.
Of the many skills we learn in school, the two most important are reading and writing. Master these, and the rest comes easy. I tell students all the time that a book can be read on many different levels. It can of course be enjoyed as a story, but it also can be deconstructed as a writing lesson. This is so cool! A reader can get a lesson on writing from any of the authors on this list.
I have learned so much from each of them as well as many other authors. The lessons I've learned from Toni Morrison and Walter Dean Myers and Mark Twain are reflected in my latest book, "The Mighty Miss Malone" [Wendy Lamb Books, $15.99].
Not only are these lessons available in February, they should be taken advantage of year round.
And sorry, but I've gotta screech "Horrors!" at the omission of Nella Larsen. (And I'm sure Zora Neale Hurston's supporters will also screech just as loudly.)
(Note: In the forgettable film, Young Adult, Charlize Theron pays an author of time-wasting romance books for teeange girls. She refers to her books as being for young adults. Everyone knowledgable about book publishing refers to the genre as YA.)
I never heard of One Crazy Summer before, but now it's on my reading list. The Black Panthers deserve to be remembered for their good works, particularly with children. One of those children, both of whose parents were Panthers, is DJ Spooky, a multi-media artist who works with museums, musicians, and dance companies.
http://bit.ly/yJ8aqW
'Invisible Man' Ellison. 'Native Son' Wright. 'The Fire Next Time" Baldwin. 'Soul On Ice' Cleaver.
Notables __- WHEN A BLACK WOMAN PRAYS __ WHEN A BLACK MAN PRAYS and
A BLACK CHILD SHALL NOT LEAD THEM.....all by RAYMOND STURGIS