Geeder's summer at her uncle's farm is made special because of her friendship with a very tall, composed woman who raises hogs and who closely resembles the magazine photograph of a Watutsi queen.

Twenty-six works by the distinguished children's book author illuminate the creative energy behind her artistry while speaking to a new generation of readers, introducing them to her literary vision and stunning body of writing which include Newbery Medal and National Book Award winners.

Nineteen stories focus on the magical lore and wondrous imaginings of African American women.

Newbery Medalist Virginia Hamilton presents a novella that brings together the slave past and multi-generational present life of a young girl in Ohio. From picking berries with her cousins to surviving a tornado to being dissed by a white, bigoted teacher, the daily life of Valena is drawn here with quiet dignity. Time Pieces are places in time, including chapters moving back to Hamilton's autobiographical family story of her grandfather's escape from slavery in Virginia, when he was brought to Ohio by his mother, a native American. A strong work of fiction from a master storyteller.

All of the kids at school stay away from “Bluish,” but when Dreenie and Tuli learn to see beyond her differences, they discover a true friend Ten-year-old Natalie is different from the other kids at her New York City magnet school: She is often absent, wears a knit cap, and uses a wheelchair. Her classmates have nicknamed her “Bluish” because her pale skin is tinted blue from chemotherapy. Dreenie is fascinated by and a bit frightened of Bluish—she watches her from afar and writes about her in her journal. As the school year progresses, Dreenie and her friend Tuli learn to see beyond Bluish’s differences and discover a fiercely independent, spirited girl who isn’t so different from them after all. But it’s not easy being friends with someone who’s sick, and Dreenie doesn’t always know how to act. Hamilton delivers a lesson of compassion and demonstrates the power of friendship to overcome even the most trying of situations.

Already a leader in New York's underground world of homeless children, Buddy Clark takes on the responsibility of protecting the overweight, emotionally disturbed friend with whom he has been playing hooky from eighth grade all semester.

An illustrated collection of twenty-five myths from various parts of the world explaining the creation of the world.

DIVCammy’s only trouble in life is a cousin named Patty Ann who overshadows her in every way—until suddenly, Patty Ann is no longer around/divDIV /div DIVCammy has a happy life and a great family, except for one little problem: a cousin who thinks she’s better than everyone else. It’s true that Patty Ann is beautiful, talented, and bright, but to Cammy she’s also vain, conceited, and mean-spirited. Sometimes Cammy wishes that Patty Ann would disappear, just vanish in a puff of smoke. But when the unthinkable happens and Patty Ann is lost forever, Cammy struggles to atone for her bad feelings toward someone so close./div

Retold Afro-American folktales of animals, fantasy, the supernatural, and desire for freedom, born of the sorrow of the slaves, but passed on in hope.

For use in schools and libraries only. Recounts the journey of slaves to freedom via the Underground Railroad, an extended group of people who helped fugitive slaves in many ways.