Books with author R. Gregory Christie

Black is a look, a taste, a speed, an emotion. It's the surprising stripes on a zebra, the taste of dark chocolate, the scary, exciting feeling of going inside a tunnel, and a mother's voice as her daughter falls asleep. In this celebration of the African American spirit, Dinah Johnson and R. Gregory Christie paint a picture of "black" that is vivid, varied, and proud.

Dyamonde Daniel may be new in town, but that doesn’t stop her from making a place for herself in a jiffy. With her can-do attitude and awesome brain power she takes the whole neighborhood by storm. The only thing puzzling her is the other new kid in her class. He’s awfully grouchy—but Dyamonde’s determined to get to the bottom of his frowning attitude and make a friend. Readers will fall in love with Dyamonde Daniel, the spirited star of a new series by Nikki Grimes. With her upbeat, take-charge attitude, Dyamonde is a character to cheer for—and the fun, accessible storytelling will hook kids from the first page.

Muhammad Ali is one of the world’s best-known figures, and this incredible biography delves into precisely why. From his unlikely beginnings as a skinny, young Cassius Clay learning to box at a local gym to becoming the heavyweight champion of the world at the famous “Rumble in the Jungle,” where even the skies let loose with rain right after his victory, Ali has captivated the world. Tonya Bolden’s careful research and elegant telling, paired with R. Gregory Christie’s incredible paintings, make this a book that will inform and inspire readers of all ages.From the Hardcover edition.

Dyamonde Daniel is excited about the local library?s poetry contest, and so is her friend Free. The prize is one hundred dollars?just think what they could buy with that much money! But when they find out that Damaris, one of their classmates, has been living in a homeless shelter, their ideas about what it means to be rich or poor start to change. And when they get to know Damaris, they realize the one who could use the prize money the most also happens to be the best poet in class. In this fantastic follow-up to Make Way for Dyamonde Daniel, Nikki Grimes tackles big issues like homelessness in a sensitive, kid-friendly way. Dymonde?s can-do attitude and lively spirit will endear her to readers.

Through poems and poetic prose pieces, acclaimed children's author Arnold Adoff celebrates that uniquely American form of music called the blues. In his signature “shaped speech” style, he creates a narrative of moments and joyous music, from the drums of the ancestors, the red dirt of the plantations, the current of the mighty Mississippi, and the shackles, blood, and tears of slavery. Each chop of the ax is a beat, each lash of the whip fashions another line on the musical staff. But each sound also creates the chords and harmonies that preserve the ancestors and their stories, and sustain life, faith, and hope into our own times.

In her moving homage to the Black Church, Tonya Bolden has written a poem spanning centuries of oppression, freedom, prejudice, and joy. From times when slaves worshipped secretly in fields at night to the grand city churches of today, the Church has been there to help its community, inspire its congregants, and teach us what is possible when people join together. From the Trade Paperback edition.

In her moving homage to the Black Church, Tonya Bolden has written a poem spanning centuries of oppression, freedom, prejudice, and joy. From times when slaves worshipped secretly in fields at night to the grand city churches of today, the Church has been there to help its community, inspire its congregants, and teach us what is possible when people join together.

Once there was a time when the people of the earth did not have to tend the fields, for the Sun's daughters—Maize, Pumpkin, and Red Bean—walked among them, leaving lush crops wherever they stepped. But then headstrong Maize disobeyed her mother and was trapped by cold, lonely Silver, and the Sun vowed not to touch the earth again until Maize was returned. How the tiny pewee bird saved Maize and kept the people from starving is eloquently told in this tale, which, though based on an Iroquois legend, parallels the Greek myth of Persephone and Demeter. The lovely, unusual images in the text are dramatically complemented by R. Gregory Christie's masterful paintings. Afterword.

Muhammad Ali is one of the world’s best-known figures, and this incredible biography delves into precisely why. From his unlikely beginnings as a skinny, young Cassius Clay learning to box at a local gym to becoming the heavyweight champion of the world at the famous “Rumble in the Jungle,” where even the skies let loose with rain right after his victory, Ali has captivated the world. Tonya Bolden’s careful research and elegant telling, paired with R. Gregory Christie’s incredible paintings, make this a book that will inform and inspire readers of all ages.

Every Christmas, millions of children wait impatiently for the arrival of the man in the red suit: Santa Claus. But Christmas is not always a happy time for children who are poor, alone or have to grow up to soon. Poet Tony Medina takes readers into the world of children who are speaking from the heart and want Santa to bring them real answers and practical solotions to the issues that they face daily.

A powerful picture book biography of one of the abolitionist movement's most compelling voices.Sojourner Truth traveled the country in the latter half of the 19th century, speaking out against slavery. She told of a slave girl who was sold three times by age 13, who was beaten for not understanding her master's orders, who watched her parents die of cold and hunger when they could no longer work for their keep. Sojourner's simple yet powerful words helped people to understand the hideous truth about slavery. The story she told was her own.Only Passing Through is the inspiring story of how a woman, born a slave with no status or dignity, transformed herself into one of the most powerful voices of the abolitionist movement. Anne Rockwell combines her lifelong love of history with her well-known skill as a storyteller to create this simple, affecting portrait of an American icon.