Christmas Soul: African American Holiday Stories [Hardcover]

Allison Samuels (Author), Michele Wood (Painter)

Book Description

Grade Level: P and up

With original stories by Debbie Allen, Halle Berry, Jamie Foxx, Whitney Houston, D.L. Hughley, Monica, and more. In this collection of poignant and witty original stories, African American celebrities recount their favorite childhood Christmas memories. Accompanied by evocative oil pintings, these stories will illuminate the holidays for years to come. A portion of the proceeds for Christmas Soul will be donated to The United Negro College Fund.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Ages 4-9. The celebrity names will grab kids and their families--Debbie Allen, Whitney Houston, Kobe Bryant, Aretha Franklin, and more--but most of their one-page accounts sound pretty much the same. They are not really stories as much as warm, upbeat childhood memories of African American families exchanging gifts, preparing festivities, and sharing the feast. In the best pieces, the drama is in the personal detail. Denzel Washington remembers tiptoeing downstairs in the middle of the night on Christmas Eve and playing secretly with his new toys. As a child, Ananda Lewis didn't get along with her mom, but a few years ago they healed their relationship and "learned the true meaning of the holiday spirit." For Shaquille O'Neal, the best thing about Christmas was the time he had his father all to himself. Wood's richly colored oil paintings, with elaborately detailed borders, capture the holiday festivities, including black Santas, Barbies, and families together across generations. A portion of the proceeds from this book will go to the United Negro College Fund. Hazel Rochman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About the Author

Allison Samuels is a writer for Newsweek magazine. She lives in Los Angeles, California.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 48 pages
• Publisher: Jump At The Sun; 1st edition (September 2, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786805218
• ISBN-13: 978-0786805211
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 8.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,209,094 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #20 in Books > Children's Books > Holidays & Celebrations > Kwanzaa

More About the Author

Michele Wood is an artist whose work defies all boundaries. As a painter, illustrator, designer, and writer, she has gained wide recognition in the
United States. She has been honored with the prestigious American Book Award for her first book, Going Back Home, and by the American Library Association with the 1999 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award for her book, I See the Rhythm. Her work, which has been exhibited in major venues nationally, reflects an essential sense of history and place. She lives in Indianapolis, Indiana. http://www.michelewood.com email:[e-mail]

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Book Review, January 17, 2010

By 

V. Williams "literate leader" (Springfield, MA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Christmas Soul: African American Holiday Stories (Hardcover)

This is not simply a good book. It is a treasure. Readers will enjoy hearing the stories included in this text by so many famous people.