Reviews of Books by the McKissacks
African-American
Inventors
Patricia and Fredrick McKissack
The authors highlight African-American inventors in their well-researched
volume. They explain what patents are, how the U.S. patent system works,
and they introduce the innovators and their patented devices in chronological
order. Among the inventors are Jan Metzliger, who revolutionized the shoe
industry; Lewis Latimer and Granville T. Woods, pioneers in the field
of electricity; and Elijah McCoy and Frederick McKinley Jones, each of
whom youngsters can learn more about in the books that follow. 1994, Millbrook,
Ages 11 and up.
Reviewer: Beverly Kobrin
ISBN: 1-56294-468-1
Black
Diamond
Patricia C. McKissack & Fredrick McKissack, Jr
African Americans did not play major league baseball until Jackie Robinson
became a part of the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. But that doesn't mean that
African Americans didn't enjoy the sport. There were many teams and players
who constituted the Negro Leagues. The McKissacks start with a brief history
of the sport and then move on to discuss in detail the development of
the sport and its African American stars. If you are a sports or history
buff, this book will have lots of appeal. It is liberally illustrated
with black and white photographs (not always of good quality), but never-the-less
interesting. There is a section of brief biographies of the various players,
a Hall of Fame listing, timeline, and index. The book was selected as
a Coretta Scott King Honor Book. 1994, Scholastic, Ages 10 up, $14.95
and $3.99.
Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot
ISBN: 0-590-45809-4
ISBN: 0-590-67170-7
Black
Hands, White Sails: The Story of African-American Whalers
Patricia C. McKissack and Fredrick L. McKissack
This Coretta Scott King award winner tells the dramatic, little-known
story of the role African Americans played in the East Coast whaling industry.
Despite the dangers of the sea, runaway slaves were eager to work on the
ships, which supplied eighty percent of the oil used by Americans. Free
black seamen signed on because of the career opportunities: one day they
might be first mates, captains, or even owners. As one black seaman wrote,
"The sea was an equalizer of men, therefore the captain chose his crew
based on who could do the job best."
Black Hands, White Sails details complete voyages of whaling ships, from
signing on at the docks, to the hunt, to the return home. The whalers
also played a significant part in the formation of the abolitionist movement
and the Underground Railroad. Archival photos and drawings are included,
bringing this special time in history alive for young readers.
Scholastic Press, Hardcover, ISBN 0-590-48313-7, 160 pp., ages 8-13
Can
You Imagine?
Patricia McKissack
Photographs by Myles Pinkney
Can you imagine becoming a writer? Most young children cannot fathom the
idea of themselves as writers, limiting such experiences to the paper
that's due on Friday and how long it has to be. This working author autobiography
allows readers to discover and meet McKissack, who wrote the Newberry
Honor Book, The Dark Thirty. McKissack describes her life as a writer
and how her imagination, as well as her family experiences, lead to her
story ideas. She also reveals that her family is involved in helping her
research writing topics and several have collaborated with her on books.
Color photos allow students to trace McKissack's life from childhood to
the present. Part of the "Meet the Author" series. 1997, Richard C. Owen
Publishers, Ages 7 to 12, $13.95. Reviewer:Melinda Medley Sprinkle
ISBN: 1-878458-61-1
Christmas
in the Big House, Christmas in the Quarters
Patricia McKissack and Fredrick McKissack
Illustrated by John Thompson
Details of holiday observances practiced by the wealthy residents as well
as the slaves who lived on a large Virginia plantation in 1859 are shared
through narrative, songs, recipes and glorious illustrations. The love
of family and the bonds of traditions are made bittersweet by the tumultuous
changes wrought by the upheavals inherent in the lives of the slaves and
the impending wrenching changes wrought by war. The book is meticulously
attendant to historical accuracy and never descends into an overly sentimental
view. Detailed notes follow the text, with further interesting tidbits
(for example, the phrase "sleep tight" refers to the rope slats supporting
a mattress which must be tight to avoid uncomfortable sagging). Winner
of the 1995 Coretta Scott King Award. 1994, Scholastic, Ages 12 up,
Reviewer: Dr. Judy Rowen
ISBN: 0-590-43027-0
The Dark-Thirty:
Southern Tales of the Supernatural
Patricia McKissack
Illustrated by Brian Pinkney
This collection contains ten original ghost stories with African American
themes ranging from the time of Slavery to the Civil Rights Era. Keeping
with the oral storytelling tradition, these tales should be told at a
special time called the dark-thirty--the half hour before sunset--when
ghosts seem all too believable and shadows play tricks on the mind. Suspenseful,
heart-stopping stories such as "Boo Mama," "The Chicken-Coop Monster,"
and "The Woman in the Snow" are accompanied by eerie black and white scratch-board
illustrations. 1992, Alfred A. Knopf, Ages 8 up,
Reviewer: Debra Briatico
ISBN: 0-679-81863-4
ISBN: 0-679-91863-9
The Inca
Patricia McKissack
Did you know that the Inca built highways and suspension bridges without
the help of wheels and work animals? And did you know that they
mummified kings like the Egyptians and killed the household servants to
bury them along with the king? Learn about these and many other fascinating
facts related to the Inca, both historical and contemporary. One title
in the "A New True Book" series, this informational picture book uses
sketches, painting and photographs to convey ideas about the Inca's agricultural,
religious and cultural practices. Particularly useful are the book's discussion
of the devastating confrontation between the Inca Empire and the Spanish
in the 1500s and its explanation of survival of some of those people from
whom the modern Inca descended. These aspects along with McKissack's inclusion
of a supplementary glossary of unfamiliar terms would make this an appropriate
and interesting addition to a lesson on Latin cultures. 1985, Children's
Press, Ages 6 to 10, Reviewer: Michelle H. Martin
ISBN: 0-516-41268-X
Let My People Go: Bible Stories Told by a Freeman of Color
Patricia C. McKissack and Fredrick L. McKissack, illustrated by James
E. Ransome
In this extraordinary collection, Charlotte Jefferies and her father,
Price, a former slave, introduce us to 12 best-loved Bible tales, from
Genesis to Daniel, and reveal their significance in the lives of African
Americans and indeed of all oppressed peoples. Each breathtaking illustration
adds exquisite clarity.
Simon & Schuster Children's, hardcover, ISBN: 0-689-80856-9, 144 pp.,
ages 9 12
Ma
Dear's Aprons
Patricia C. McKissack
Illustrated by Floyd Cooper
Little David knows what day of the week it is by the apron his mother
wears. Each day of the week and the strenuous chores Ma undertakes are
described in this wonderful book, Through David's eye and his mother's
aprons, young readers will learn about the hard life of African-Americans
living in the South in the late 1800s. But what really shines through
is the strong love between a mother and her son. 1997, Atheneum Books,
Ages 3 to 12,
Reviewer: Rebecca Joseph
ISBN: 0-689-81051-2
Click here for an interview with the
author about Ma Dear's Aprons.
A Picture
of Freedom: The Diary of Clotee, a Slave Girl
Patricia C. McKissack
At turns sassy and poignant, a slave girl's secret writings reveal that
hope and strength can prevail even in the face of unspeakable hardships.
Scholastic, hardcover, ISBN: 0-590-25988-1, 195 pp., ages 912
Rebels
Against Slavery: American Slave Revolts
Patricia McKissack and Fredrick L. McKissack
"Slavery is as old as recorded history and so are slave rebellions." So
begins the introduction to this fascinating history of the resistance
to slavery in North America. We learn of rebels known and unknown, lauded
and unsung. Some of the names are familiar: Nat Turner, Harriet Tubman,
John Brown. Others are less well known, but their stories are no less
compelling: in Haiti, Toussaint Louverture; in South Carolina, Denmark
Vesey; in Virginia, Gabriel Prosser and his brothers. Perhaps most arresting
of all, on the high seas aboard the slave ship Armistad and then in the
courtroom, there is the man known as Cinque, who brought to his struggle
the dignity and courage of his Mende upbringing. The stories of all these
people, and so many more (Maroon and Seminole, abolitionist and Quaker)
are told in clear and riveting narrative. A bibliography, index and chronology
are useful additions. 1996, Scholastic Hardcover, Ages 9 and up
Reviewer: Uma Krishnaswami
ISBN: 0-590-45735-7
Red-Tail
Angels: The Story of the Tuskegee Airmen of World War II
Patricia and Fredrick McKissack
Finally recording the little-known but crucially important contributions
of the Tuskegee Airmen of WWII, the McKissacks provide under one cover
a wealth of information. Their research took them to materials held by
the Smithsonian, the Library of Congress, the National Air and Space Museum,
andmany other place. They give due credit to a group of nearly forgotten
African-American servicemen between 1900-1948. The book's introduction
provides a brief synopsis of African-Americans' fight to be admitted into
the American military and to receive treatment and salary equal with that
of their white counterparts. Black and white archival photographs and
details of political decisions throughout the text make the reader aware
of the impact that the Red-Tailed Angels had not only on desegregation
in the military but also in civilian society. By flying hundreds of successful
missions over Europe and North Africa, and by maintaining the reputation
of never having lost a bomber that they escorted, this group of airmen
changed the oft held perception that African-Americans were not smart
or disciplined enough to succeed as airmen. This rich resource will likely
be an eye-opening experience even for readers who consider themselves
knowledgeable about African-American history. 1995, Walker, Ages 9 up
Reviewer: Michelle H. Martin
ISBN: 0-8027-8292-2
ISBN: 0-8027-8293-0
Run Away
Home
Patricia C. McKissack
In rural Alabama, in 1888, Sarah finds a young Apache boy hiding in her
barn and dying from swamp fever. Skye escaped from a train en route to
a Florida reservation. Sarah and her mother nurse him to health. Skye
becomes a member of their family and unites both the Native Americans
and blacks of the nearby communities to stand against the white supremacists
of that time. Using both historical documents from that time, and the
oral history of her own family, McKissack has spun a compelling tale of
this time period and these remarkable people.
1997, Scholastic Press, Ages 10 to 14
Reviewer: Mary Sue Preissner
This post Civil War story by Patricia McKissack was inspired by queries
about her ancestry. McKissack writes about eleven-year-old Sarah Crossman
who rescues Sky, an ailing Apache boy who fled from a train headed for
the reservation. This leads to a more difficult life in 1888 Alabama where
Sarah's black parents already fear white supremacists, boll weevils, and
losing their land. However, Sky opens hearts and minds, bringing the joy
of independence to the troubled family and, later, to the entire African-American
community. 1997, Scholastic, Ages 8 to 12
Reviewer: Susie Wilde
ISBN: 0-590-46751-4
Sojourner
Truth: Ain't I a Woman
Patricia and Fredrick McKissack
This is a rich biography because of the dynamic energy and brilliance
of its subject. Sojourner may have been illiterate, she had to dictate
her autobiography, but she spoke dramatically and sincerely from first-hand
experience. Her wit and wisdom are still applicable. She spoke out
for all who were oppressed, both slaves and women. Six feet tall, dressed
in black, she had a presence that made people take notice. Her famous
"
and ain't I a woman" speech is still a powerhouse. She is a woman for
all time. 1994 (orig. 1992), Scholastic, Ages 11 to 14
Reviewer: Jan Lieberman
ISBN: 0-590-44690-8