A Is for Affrilachia
A Is for Affrilachia not only brings awareness of notable African Americans from this region, but this inspired children's alphabet book is also an exuberant celebration of the people, physical spaces, and historical events that may not be as well-known in mainstream educational structures. Illustrated by acclaimed artist upfromsumdirt, every image exudes vibrancy, beauty, and whimsy as it depicts an alphabetized word alongside each corresponding letter. Featured are a range of musicians, artists, and activists, as well as mountain ranges, literary works, and coal mining implements. Famous names, such as playwright August Wilson, writer Nikki Giovanni, actor Chadwick Boseman, and singer Nina Simone are spotlighted, as well as lesser-known individuals, such as artist Romare Bearden and musician Amythyst Kiah. Particularly poignant are the letters representing the four girls--Addie Mae Collins, Denise McNair, Carole Robertson, and Cynthia Wesley--who were killed in the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1963.
Holler of the Fireflies
Javari knew that West Virginia would be different from his home in Bushwick, Brooklyn. But his first day at STEM Camp in a little Appalachian town is still a shock. Though run-ins with the police are just the same here. Not good. Javari will learn a lot about science, tech, engineering, and math at camp. And also about rich people, racism, and hidden agendas. But it's Cricket, a local boy, budding activist, and occasional thief, who will show him a different side of the holler--and blow his mind wide open. Javari is about to have that summer. Where everything gets messy and complicated and confusing . . . and you wouldn't want it any other way.
Story Quilts: Appalachian Women Speak
History books have forgotten most Appalachian women, many of whom were poor or lacked formal education. Yet these women spoke through the quilts they created from scraps of cloth collected over time. Piece by piece, these patchwork quilts revealed the beauty of mountain life.
Let Me Fix You a Plate
This tale of a family road trip highlights the author's joy in both her American and Colombian heritage, and captures all the warmth and love of her family's two distinct cultures. Once a year, on a Friday night, My family leaves the city And drives hours and hours . . . After a long drive to visit family--whether in the mountains of rural West Virginia or the sticky heat of Florida--what could be a better welcome than a homemade meal? Inspired by Elizabeth Lilly's childhood vacations and the sense-memories of late-night journeys down the coast, Let Me Fix You a Plate is a vivacious exploration of family traditions old and new-- from toast with homemade blueberry jam, to fresh orange juice and arepas with queso blanco, to midnight waffles at home.
If You're from the Mountains by ISBN: 9781724151148"If You're From The Mountains" is a love letter to the Appalachian Mountains, the ancestors that raised us, and the children growing up in those hills and valleys. "If You're From The Mountains" reminds readers of the unique beauty and charm that is our mountains. Illustrated by the children of the Appalachian Mountains themselves, "If You're From The Mountains" emphasizes why we are proud of our mountain home.
Passing the Music Down by ISBN: 9780763637538A young boy travels to the hills of Appalachia to meet the old-time fiddle player whose music he has admired, and so sparks a friendship that will forge a bond between generations. The boy develops under the man's care and instruction, just as seedlings grow with spring rain and summer sun. From playing on the front porch to performing at folk festivals, the two carry on the tradition of passing the music down.
My Old Kentucky Home by ISBN: 9780999666630The sun shines bright in My Old Kentucky home Come explore the hills, towns, and waterways of our beautiful commonwealth-- from Fulton to Pike County and everywhere in between. My Old Kentucky home is not so far away
As Far As You'll Take Me by ISBN: 9781547600175Marty arrives in London with nothing but his oboe and some savings from his summer job, but he's excited to start his new life--where he's no longer the closeted, shy kid who slips under the radar and is free to explore his sexuality without his parents' disapproval. From the outside, Marty's life looks like a perfect fantasy: in the span of a few weeks, he's made new friends, he's getting closer with his first ever boyfriend, and he's even traveling around Europe. But Marty knows he can't keep up the facade. He hasn't spoken to his parents since he arrived, he's tearing through his meager savings, his homesickness and anxiety are getting worse and worse, and he hasn't even come close to landing the job of his dreams. Will Marty be able to find a place that feels like home?
Lorraine by ISBN: 9781492616924Lorraine and her Pa Paw spend their days celebrating life with the music of the Tennessee hills. With Pa Paw's harmonica and Lorraine's pennywhistle, the pair can face just about anything. But when a fearsome storm rolls in and their instruments are nowhere to be found, can Lorraine find the music inside herself to get them through?
Saving Annie's Mountain by Call Number: PS3603.H55 S36 2015ISBN: 9780979080814A protest in West Virginia coal country takes on new meaning when four children meet a feisty old woman who witnessed the original battle for miners' rights in 1921.
Tadpole by Call Number: PZ7.W58446 Tad 2003ISBN: 9780374310028In rural Kentucky in 1955, Serilda Collins, single mother of four lively girls, takes in their orphaned cousin one summer. The Collins girls are a sight around their town. Kentucky, the oldest is the most popular girl in school. Virginia is the prettiest. Georgia is the smartest. And youngest daughter Carolina is trying to to find her own special place, surrounded by more well-regarded sisters and a mother who known for her love and devotion. When "Tadpole" arrives, the guitar-playing charismatic thirteen-year old makes Carolina into the center of attention. Then she discovers that Tad is being subjected to brutality by his guardian, who threatens to return to take him, and Carolina must understand how she and Serilda can stop it.
My Mountain Song by ISBN: 0618159703In this tender, lyrical story set in the mountains of Kentucky, Brenda Gail is spending the summer with her great-grandparents. Gran Pap tells her that "everybody born in the mountains got a song inside 'em," made of memories. That means Brenda Gail has one, too, "just waitin' to come out." A squabble with her troublesome cousin Melvin, in which Big Ma's favorite hen is injured, and their reconciliation help Brenda Gail start to choose the moments that will be in her song.
Trouble in Troublesome Creek by Call Number: PZ7.A4318 Tr 2010ISBN: 9781933176321Quiet young James becomes the hero of Troublesome Creek when he discovers the legacy of a long-ago war that is killing the fish in the stream and poisoning the Troublesome Creek gang's swimming hole.
Amber on the Mountain by Call Number: PZ7.J6478 Am 1998ISBN: 9780780780330Amber's mountain is beautiful, but it is a lonely place-until the day Anna arrives, bringing both her friendship and the will to teach Amber how to read.
