Books with author James%20Berry

In 1807, at the height of the slave trade, Ajeemah and his son, Atu, are snatched by slave traders from their home in Africa while en route to deliver a dowry to Atu's bride-to-be. Ajeemah and Atu are then taken to Jamaica and sold to neighboring plantations'never to see one another again. "Readers will come away with a new sense of respect for those who maintained their dignity and humanity under the cruelest of circumstances."'SLJ. "Each moment here of the Jamaican-born poet's terse, melodious narrative is laden with emotion. . . . Brilliant, complex, powerfully written."––K. Notable Children's Book of 1993 (ALA)1993 Best Books for Young Adults (ALA)1993 Fanfare Honor List (The Horn Book)1992 Books for Youth Editors' Choices (BL)Notable 1992 Children's Trade Books in Social Studies (NCSS/CBC)Bulletin Blue Ribbons 1992 (C)1993 Books for the Teen Age (NY Public Library)Children's Books of 1992 (Library of Congress)1993 Boston Globe-Horn Book Fiction Award

This is a collection of short stories about children and young people in Jamaica. Full of wonderfully atmospheric background detail combined with the rhythms and patterns of speech, these contemporary narratives bring to life a culture highly relevant to multi ethnic Britain. Stories include "Becky and the Wheels and Brake Boys"; "A Thief in the Village"; "Tukku Tukku and Sampson"; "All other Days Run into Sunday"; "The Mouth Organ Boys"; "Elias and the Mongoose"; "The Pet, The Sea and Little Buddy"; "Fanso and Granny-Flo"; and, "The Banana Tree".

Poetry's allure -- it rhymes, rhythms, and rich imagery -- can best be appreciated when read aloud. And what a delightful way for children and adults to spend time together! This thematic collection of over 150 poems, which includes selections from Shakepeare, Tennyson, the Bible, from modern poets such as Robert Frost and Ted Hughes, and the works of Carribean, African and Native American Poets, has been compiled with an emphasis on choosing works particularly suited for reading aloud. With its stand-out dramatic color illustrations and its simple black and white line drawings, all of which echo the mood and meaning of the poetry, it is a terrific gift any family would cherish.