Who does your child look up to? Do they look up to someone close to them now, or as in “Time for Kids: Heroes of Black History,” is it someone much bigger than that?
Born in 1820, Araminta was a slave because her parents and grandparents were slaves. Called by her mother’s name, young “Harriet” worked hard at everything she did, but she was beaten, because she was also “rebellious.” It was that rebellion — and fear of being sold — that made her escape. It was freedom that made Harriet Tubman want to help others to escape, too.
When Jackie Robinson began playing baseball, there were “rules” that told him where he could eat, live, and even get a drink of water. But Robinson wanted to play ball, so he smashed a few rules to be the first African-American major-leaguer.
Even before he was born, “Barry” Obama’s mother believed in him: Barry’s real name is Barack, which means “blessed” in his father’s native language. Barry was a good student, and had a sense of humor, but he was teased because he was the only black kid in his school. That was all just a memory when Barack Obama became President of the United States.
And “On Dec. 1, 1955, Rosa Parks stepped onto a bus — and into history.”
The first thing kids will notice about this book is its easy-to-understand narrative and easy-to-read print; it’s just enough of a challenge, but not overly so. Kids will also like the artwork, including photographs from different eras. The four subjects here are examined with a young audience in mind: each mini-chapter includes a bit about the childhoods of Tubman, Robinson, Parks, and Obama, which keeps the information relevant. Parents will appreciate that there’s a glossary and bios of other black heroes for further learning.
Although it can surely be read by anyone, “Time for Kids: Heroes of Black History” is really meant for kids ages 8 and older, especially those who love history. If you know a child like that, you might as well find it now. It’s a book your kids will want to look up.
“Time for Kids: Heroes of Black History,” by Editors at Time for Kids Magazine [192 pages, 2017, $9.99].
Terri Schlichenmeyer has been reading since she was 3 years old, and she never goes anywhere without a book. She lives on a hill with two dogs and 12,000 books.
