Books with author Patricia C. McKissack

If telling the truth is the right thing to do, why is the whole world mad at Libby?“Tell the truth and shame the devil,” Libby’s mama has told her. So whatever is Libby doing wrong? Ever since she started telling only the truth, the whole world seems to be mad at her. First it’s her best friend, Ruthie Mae, who gets upset when Libby tells all their friends that Ruthie Mae has a hole in her sock. Then Willie gives her an ugly look when she tells the teacher he hasn’t done his homework. It seems that telling the truth isn’t always so simple. Children will sympathize with Libby as she struggles to figure out that even though it’s always wrong to tell a lie, there’s a right and a wrong way to tell the truth. Giselle Potter’s naively stubborn illustrations perfectly capture this humorous and poignant story by award-winning author Patricia C. McKissack.

Think of yourself as a time traveler, a visitor who has just gone back to a Virginia plantation in 1859 at Christmastime. The Big House is awash with light and color. Elegance and beauty dazzle your eyes at every turn. There's plenty of food and warm hospitality. But, the people seem uneasy. Listen to their conversations. They're talking about John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry, slave insurrections, secession, and possible war! Now, take a walk to the slave Quarters. There is no grandeur here. The wretchedness is staggering. People live in cramped one-room cabins with dirt floors. Yet, there's a celebration going on - eating, singing, and dancing. Does this mean the slaves are happy and contented? No. Listen carefully to their songs and stories. They are mostly of the hope that freedom is coming soon! The events and customs we describe in the book are historically accurate. The conversations and dialogue are real; so is the setting. However, everything we use could not and would not have happened on one plantation. For this reason, we recreated a 'Big House' and 'Quarters' based on real people, events, and places located in Virginia, 1850. Why Virginia? Because, the Jamestown Colony is where the first American Christmas was observed, and where many of our present holiday traditions began. Remember while you're reading that this is more than a seasonal account. It is the story of a region and its people on the eve of a war. When that war ended, the great plantations were never the same (taken from the author's note).

Side-splittingly funny, spine-chillingly spooky, this companion to a Newbery Honor–winning anthology The Dark Thirty is filled with bad characters who know exactly how to charm. From the author's note that takes us back to McKissack's own childhood when she would listen to stories told on her front porch... to the captivating introductions to each tale, in which the storyteller introduces himself and sets the stage for what follows... to the ten entertaining tales themselves, here is a worthy successor to McKissack's The Dark Thirty. In "The Best Lie Ever Told," meet Dooley Hunter, a trickster who spins an enormous whopper at the State Liar's contest. In "Aunt Gran and the Outlaws," watch a little old lady slickster outsmart Frank and Jesse James. And in "Cake Norris Lives On," come face to face with a man some folks believe may have died up to twenty-seven different times!

“Each page sparkles with life.”—The New York Times Book Review In this Caldecott Honor and Coretta Scott King Award winning tale, Mirandy is determined to capture the best partner for the junior cakewalk jubilee. And who is the best partner? The wind, of course! Grandmama Beasley says, “Can’t nobody put shackles on Brother Wind, chile. He be special. He be free.” With neighbors up and down Ridgetop suggesting all manner of strategies, and friend Ezel laughing at each foiled one, Mirandy grows ever more determined: she’ll get hold of that Brother Wind yet! Patricia C. McKissack’s thoroughly engaging tale dances with spirit and rollicking good humor. Complemented by Jerry Pinkney’s rich, eye-catching watercolors of the rural South, here’s one of those rare, rewarding picture books that is sure to be read and enjoyed again and again.

Paul Robeson proved his prowess on the football field and excelled in college and law school in an era that offered few opportunities to African Americans. He won international acclaim as a singer and actor, but was blacklisted as a controversial political activist. Today, Robeson's legacy has reclaimed its rightful place in history. He is recognized for his astounding range of talents and his unwavering stature as a champion of civil rights.

"Part songbook, part research text, this work is perfect for families to share together or for young scholars who seek to discover an important piece of cultural history."— School Library Journal, starred reviewFrom Newbery Honor winner Patricia C. McKissack and two-time Caldecott Honor winner Brian Pinkney comes an extraordinary must-have collection of classic playtime favorites. This very special book is sure to become a treasured keepsake for African American families and will inspire joy in all who read it. Parents and grandparents will delight in sharing this exuberant book with the children in their lives. Here is a songbook, a storybook, a poetry collection, and much more, all rolled into one. Find a partner for hand claps such as “Eenie, Meenie, Sassafreeny,” or form a circle for games like “Little Sally Walker.” Gather as a family to sing well-loved songs like “Amazing Grace” and “Oh, Freedom,” or to read aloud the poetry of such African American luminaries as Langston Hughes, James Weldon Johnson, and Paul Laurence Dunbar. And snuggle down to enjoy classic stories retold by the author, including Aesop’s fables and tales featuring Br’er Rabbit and Anansi the Spider. "A rich compilation to stand beside Rollins’s Christmas Gif’ and Hamilton’s The People Could Fly." —The Horn Book "An ebullient collection.... There is an undeniable warmth and sense of belonging to these tales." —Kirkus Reviews, Starred

Newbery honor author Patricia C. McKissack’s original yarn of the Louisiana bayou is "told with verve and sly wit." (Publishers Weekly, Starred review) Hugh Thomas knows that the Bayou Clapateaux is a mighty peculiar place. Why, back in 1903, Papa-Daddy and Elder Abbajon caught a turkey that weighed 500 pounds…more or less. 500 pounds?! Hugh Thomas isn’t so sure about that, until he’s left alone on the bayou with only his fishing pole for company. Soon he catches three fish, and then…a million more! But after meeting up with raccoon bandits, thieving crows, and a hungry cat named Chantilly, Hugh Thomas returns home with just enough fish for breakfast…and a fantastic story, of course!

A historical chapter book series from three-time Coretta Scott King Award winner and Newbery Honor author, Patricia C. McKissack.Unlike his older brothers, thirteen-year-old Everett was "born in freedom," never knowing life as a slave. His most prized possession is the medal his father earned in the Civil War. Now, more than 125 years later, that treasure is kept in the Websters' attic with other "scraps of time," ready to be discovered by another generation eager to know its family history. The second novel in Patricia C. McKissack's family saga recounts a young Southern boy's dream of heading west to a new life and the way in which his journey teaches him the deeper meaning of the medal his father won."A rewarding tale that highlights a lesser-known aspect of American's pioneer story." --School Library Journal