Books with author R. Gregory Christie

With a simple clap of hands, an itty-bitty beboppin' baby gets his whole family singing and dancing. Sister's hands snap. Granny sings scat. Uncle soft-shoes--and Baby keeps the groove. Things start to wind down when Mama and Daddy sing blues so sweet. Now a perfectly drowsy baby sleeps deep, deep, deep. Lisa Wheeler and R. Gregory Christie pair up for a celebration of music, imagination, and big families--but they know that even a jazz baby needs to snooze. Oh yeah. (20071015)

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.

Fourteen poems offer young readers an exciting glimpse into the life of Langston Hughes, one of Americas most beloved poets. Each poem explores important themes in Hughess life his lonely childhood, his love of language and travel, and his dream of writing poetry. Color illustrations throughout and extensive notes at the back of the book expand upon the poems, giving a broader picture of Hughess life and the time in which he lived.

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.

The story of revolution leaderToussaint L'Ouverture of St. Domingue (now Haiti). The island now known as Haiti was once a French colony called St. Domingue, where white plantation owners forced hundreds of thousands of African slaves to farm sugar cane. Toussaint L'Ouverture was one of those slaves . . . but not for long. The day would come when L'Ouverture would lead his island's slaves into a revolution for freedom, and his efforts would influence the course of world history.

DyamondeÕs friend Free wants to enter the big poetry contest so he can win one hundred dollars. Then the quietest girl in the class signs up for the contest too. ThereÕs a mystery about this girl, and Dyamonde aims to figure it out. And when she does, just maybe she can help Free understand that there are more important things than money. Readers will fall in love with the spirited Dyamonde Daniel!

I'm DeShawn WilliamsI'm ten years oldcome see who I live with --who I love!From this inviting opening, we are swept into ten-year-old DeShawn's world where we meet his family, his friends, and learn about his hopes and dreams. DeShawn lives in the projects, where "You don't just hear music / you hear sirens too /cop cars and ambulances /screaming all the time /real loud at you." This is also a place where neighbors gather for barbecues, and where DeShawn and his cousin build a snowman in the winter. We experience the death of DeShawn's grandmother, deeply feeling his sadness and loss. And we share the hope as he and his mother turn to each other for comfort. Readers from all backgrounds will be charmed by this upbeat, compassionate, and creative young boy.In his first children's book, author Tony Medina draws from his experiences growing up in the projects to create this dynamic character. Award-winning artist R. Gregory Christie beautifully captures the emotion, humor, and strength of the story through his powerful illustrations. An afterword from the author expands on his connection to the story and explains how he was inspired to become a writer.

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.

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.

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.

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."