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An American Story (Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award Winner)

by Kwame Alexander

A teacher’s voice frames a history of slavery

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Awards & Recognition

  • Editorial selection

    2023 New York Times Best Children's Book

    Named a 2023 Best Children's Book.

  • Author recognition

    #1 New York Times bestselling author

    Described as a #1 New York Times bestselling author. This is an author-level recognition, not a bestseller claim...

AlbakiReads Editorial

A teacher’s voice frames a history of slavery

Kwame Alexander presents the history of American slavery through a teacher trying to help students understand its harrowing past. The account moves from life in an African village to the forced passage across the Atlantic and enslaved labor in the American South, connecting these experiences to themes of struggle, strength, horror, and hope. Dare Coulter’s mixed-media illustrations accompany the text. The book also places this history in a present-day learning context, making teaching and understanding the past part of its subject. Its focus on both the violence of slavery and African American resilience gives the narrative a clear historical and communal frame.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • Children ages 4–8 encountering the history of American slavery with adult guidance.
  • Families and educators seeking a picture book to support discussion of slavery and African American resilience.

Themes

American slaveryAfrican American resilienceHistorical memoryTeaching and understanding the past

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

A Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award Book
A 2023 New York Times Best Children's Book
A 2023 Publisher's Weekly Best Picture Book
An NPR Best Book of the Year

#1 New York Times Bestselling and award-winning author of The Undefeated, Kwame Alexander, pens a powerful picture book that tells the story of American slavery through the voice of a teacher struggling to help her students understand its harrowing history.

From the fireside tales in an African village, through the unspeakable passage across the Atlantic, to the backbreaking work in the fields of the South, this is a story of a people's struggle and strength, horror and hope. This is the story of American slavery, a story that needs to be told and understood by all of us. A testament to the resilience of the African American community, this book honors what has been and envisions what is to be.

With stunning mixed-media illustrations by Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award winning artist Dare Coulter, this is a potent book for those who want to speak the truth. Perfect for family sharing, the classroom, and homeschooling.
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