Marilyn Nelson Livres

Recognized as a 2006 Coretta Scott King Honor Book, this title highlights significant themes of resilience and cultural identity. It features compelling characters navigating their experiences within a rich historical context. The narrative delves into the struggles and triumphs of the protagonists, offering readers an insightful exploration of personal and communal challenges. With its engaging storytelling and profound messages, the book serves as an important contribution to literature that reflects the African American experience.

Faster Than Light features a rich tapestry of voices and characters, weaving together diverse experiences across time and geography. Through traditional poetic forms, Marilyn Nelson presents a collection of her new and uncollected poems, alongside selections from her lyric histories that celebrate eighteenth-, nineteenth-, and twentieth-century African American individuals and communities. The work highlights the depth and breadth of African American experiences, showcasing Nelson's unique ability to connect past and present through poetry.

Here, Father Jacques de Foiard Brown, the priest fictionalized in some of Marilyn Nelson's poems as the hermit monk "Abba Jacob," combines his own voice with that of his fictional self to write about how he learned to meditate from a baobab tree which was his boyhood's "best silence teacher." Observing the baobab and the creatures who lived in its trunk and branches taught him about beauty, friendship, generosity, vulnerability, compassion, and the community of living lessons he tells us we can learn ourselves, without having a nearby baobab tree, by going inward in meditation. Listening to silence may help us to see the connection between the natural world and faith. Some of the oldest baobab trees, between 1,000 and 2,500 years old, have died in the last decade. The giant redwoods and sequoias, some over 3,000 years old, are dying off. It's time to listen to the trees.

The collection features three narrative poems that delve into travel through an African American lens, blending vivid imagery and humor. A cab ride leads to a thought-provoking conversation with a driver about space and artistic ambition. A visit to Mauritius prompts reflections on the slave trade's complex legacy. In "The Cachoeira Tales," a diverse group journeys to Bahia, sharing stories in rhymed couplets, creating a vibrant exploration of spirit, community, and cultural heritage, while echoing traditional storytelling forms.

Exploring themes of family and heritage, the story follows Johnnie as she learns about her Papa's past and the significance of his freedom. Discovering that her Papa's birthday is uncertain, she decides to celebrate his journey from childhood in the all-Black town of Boley, Oklahoma. Inspired by his remarkable life, Johnnie organizes a unique party to honor his legacy. This narrative, rooted in true events, highlights the power of storytelling and the bonds between generations, showcasing Marilyn Nelson's talent as a celebrated author and poet.

The narrative centers on Prudence Crandall and her courageous black students who faced severe prejudice while pursuing education in 1830s Connecticut. Despite the hostility from local residents, including legal battles and violent acts against the school, the students recognized their right to learn. The poets Elizabeth Alexander and Marilyn Nelson creatively recount this historical struggle through sonnets, while Floyd Cooper's illustrations capture the emotional resilience of both Crandall and her students, highlighting themes of courage and the quest for knowledge.

The collection of poems offers a lyrical portrayal of George Washington Carver's remarkable journey from slavery to becoming the head of the agricultural department at the Tuskegee Institute. Through evocative language and illustrations, it captures the essence of his contributions and legacy in agriculture and education.

This collection features charming poetry crafted by a team of renowned authors, designed to engage and entertain young children. Each verse is thoughtfully created to resonate with the littlest listeners, fostering a love for language and storytelling through delightful imagery and playful themes. Perfect for reading aloud, this anthology aims to inspire imagination and joy in early childhood.

A quiet girl makes a powerful impression through her artwork in this lyrical story of introversion and peaceful protest--a stirring picture book from Newbery Honor winner Marilyn Nelson and fine artist Philemona Williamson.Lubaya is a quiet girl who doesn't raise her hand in class and who prefers daydreaming to soccer games. She spends most of her time drawing, often behind the sofa while her family watches TV. That's where she is, creating happy pictures on the backs of her parents' old protest posters, when upsetting news shouts into the living room. The next day her family takes part in a march, and there, on one side of the posters being held high, are Lubaya's drawings of kids holding hands and of the sun shining over the globe--rousing visual statements of how the world could be. "Lubaya's roar may not be loud, but a quiet roar can make history."

Set against the backdrop of American history, this novel in verse delves into themes of race and identity as it follows a teenage boy on his journey of self-discovery. Through powerful poetic language, the narrative captures his struggles and triumphs, offering a poignant exploration of what it means to embrace one's heritage. Ideal for readers who appreciate the works of Jacqueline Woodson and Toni Morrison, the book provides a compelling and emotional perspective on contemporary issues.