Our Children Can Soar: A Celebration of Rosa, Barack, and the Pioneers of Change [Hardcover]

Michelle Cook (Author), A.G. Ford (Illustrator), Bryan Collier (Illustrator), Charlotte Riley-Webb (Illustrator), Cozbi Cabrera (Illustrator), Diane Dillon (Illustrator), E.B. Lewis (Illustrator), Eric Velasquez (Illustrator), Frank Morrison (Illustrator), James Ransome (Illustrator), Leo Dillon (Illustrator), Pat Cummings (Illustrator), R. Gregory Christie (Illustrator), Shadra Strickland (Illustrator), AG Ford (Illustrator), E. B. Lewis (Illustrator), Marian Wright Edelman (Introduction)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 14, 2009 | Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up

Rosa sat so

Martin could march.

Martin marched so

Barack could run.

Barack ran so

Our children can soar.

 

This is the seed of a unique picture book that is part historical, part poetry, and entirely inspirational. It takes the reader through the cumulative story of the US Civil Rights Movement, expanding the popular slogan beyond these three heroes to include more key players in the struggle for equality. Spare prose and vivid imagery make this a truly moving and accessible picture book to be savored by readers of all ages.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

This gorgeous picture book takes young readers through the cumulative story of the U.S. Civil Rights Movement in poetry and pictures (click on any image to enlarge). The illustrations introduce icons like Jesse Owens and Rosa Parks, as well as lesser-known figures in the struggle for equality. Spare prose and vivid imagery make this a truly moving and accessible book that readers of all ages will treasure.

Take a Look Inside

Jesse sprinted...

so Rosa could sit. Rosa sat...

so Martin could march. Martin marched...

so Barack could run. Barack ran... so our children can soar

---

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 6—Similar in approach to Ntozake Shange's Ellington Was Not a Street (S & S, 2004), this book spotlights a historical African-American figure on each spread. Cook's brief words introduce 11 key individuals, beginning with "Our ancestors fought…/so George [Washington Carver] could invent./George invented…so Jesse [Owens] could sprint./Jesse sprinted…." Each stunning spread features full-bleed artwork done by a different children's book illustrator, such as James Ransome, Leo and Diane Dillon, Pat Cummings, E. B. Lewis, and Bryan Collier. Sports greats Jesse Owens and Jackie Robinson verily leap from the pages. Ruby Bridges steps innocently into her school building, guarded by two federal marshals. An unknown Civil War soldier reminds readers of nameless heroes who struggled for freedom. These images will motivate students to seek further information about the people depicted here. Paragraph-length profiles of these "pioneers of change" are appended as are the artists' biographies, which will lead students to discover a rich body of work by contemporary illustrators. A perfect read-aloud to introduce a lesson on biographies or African-American studies.—Catherine Trinkle, Hickory Elementary, Avon, IN
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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens (April 14, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1599904187
• ISBN-13: 978-1599904184
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 9.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #767,475 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #24 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > People, A-Z > ( C ) > Cook, James

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great book for young children, June 21, 2009

By 

L. Jones (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Our Children Can Soar: A Celebration of Rosa, Barack, and the Pioneers of Change (Hardcover)

I bought this book for my son's fourth birthday. The illustrations are fantastic. I love the connection between history (Jesse Owens, George Washington Carver, Rosa Parks) and the future of our children. It includes a biography of each person mentioned in the book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Our Children Can Soar, August 22, 2010

By 

Steven C. Thedford "Author: The Kwanzaa Colo... (Atlanta) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Our Children Can Soar: A Celebration of Rosa, Barack, and the Pioneers of Change (Hardcover)

Many African American children might not know that president being African American is a big deal. In other words, they do not know that African Americans had to sacrifice so that he could reach this achievement. However, Our Children Can Soar provides young people with a historical overview that can be beneficial to their understanding of the historic figures that allowed Barrack Obama to become president, the book gives a brief biography of each person featured in the book, therefore, it teaches children to respect the past and honor the present.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is a phenomenal book about some of the greatest pathmakers in American history!, July 19, 2009

By 

D. Fowler "Dragonfly77" (Vermont) - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Our Children Can Soar: A Celebration of Rosa, Barack, and the Pioneers of Change (Hardcover)

A soldier proudly stood ready to defend his family and envisioned those unfortunates who tried to escape with their families through swamps in an effort to evade being caught by a brutal slave catcher. This young soldier paved the way for the likes of George Washington Carver so he could revitalize southern agricultural crops. In turn, George paved the way so Jesse Owens could fly like the wind and make his people proud. Next Hattie McDaniel would hold her head up high and raise an Oscar in her hand. She was a winner!

Ella Fitzgerald would sing from her heart and soul and pave the way for Jackie Robinson who would effortlessly glide into home plate. Rosa Parks, one of America's most precious treasures, did nothing but sit. It was an unsurpassed act of courage, seldom seen before or after. Ruby Bridges learned to be brave from those who came before her and marched up those school steps and endured countless jeers and threats. And then came Martin Luther King, Jr., Thurgood Marshall and Barack Obama. And so it is now said that "Rosa sat so Martin could march. Martin marched so Barack could run. Barack ran so our children can soar!" Watch out ... here they come!

I loved this story. The text uses a "minimalist" approach with few words, but joined with the art work provides a very powerful message to all people. In the back of the book there are brief portrayals of all the people in the book, short notes on the professional lives of the illustrators and a quotation as to how they feel about the person they so beautifully captured in this book. Everyone has a purpose in life and, as illustrated in this book, unknowingly can pave the path for someone else to succeed.