Every day, Hosea Taylor takes the Number 42 bus into the city to play his shiny brass saxophone – and, hopefully, to earn some money. Setting up in his favourite place, Hosea makes sweet music as people greet him with a smile, a little girl dances and crowds surround him. A surprise ending reveals what the money is really for. Kathleen Blasi’s delightful text and Shane Evan’s colourful images capture the real-life closeness between the much-loved Hosea - who shared his passion for music and life with everyone - and his community. This heartwarming picture book (based on a true story) depicts a day in the life of Hosea Taylor, a musician who, with his charm, talent and generosity, brought joy to everyone he met. An author's note explains how Blasi learned about Hosea Taylor (1948-2016) and what compelled her to write his story.

A beautiful journey into African American history: Discover the true meaning of being brave in this tender and whimsical picture book from Daniel Bernstrom (One Day in the Eucalyptus, Eucalyptus Tree; Gator, Gator, Gator) and Shane Evans (Chocolate Me!) that follows a grandfather and grandson traveling through time and discovering their own African American history. When a little boy is feeling afraid to go to school one day, his grandfather, Big Papa, takes him away in his time machine--a 1952 Ford--back to all of the times when he was scared of something life was handing him. That's called being brave, Big Papa says over and over. Full of heartfelt moments and thrilling magical realism, Big Papa and the Time Machine speaks to the African American experience in a touching dialogue between two family members from different generations and emerges as a voice that shares history and asks questions about one family's experience in 20th-century black America. "Wasn't you scared?" "Oh, I was scared," Big Papa said. "Sometimes you gotta walk with giants if you ever gonna know what you made of. That's called being brave."

The boy is teased for looking different than the other kids. His skin is darker, his hair curlier. He tells his mother he wishes he could be more like everyone else. And she helps him to see how beautiful he really, truly is. For years before they both achieved acclaim in their respective professions, good friends Taye Diggs and Shane W. Evans wanted to collaborate on Chocolate Me!, a book based on experiences of feeling different and trying to fit in as kids. Now, both men are fathers and see more than ever the need for a picture book that encourages all people, especially kids, to love themselves.

Share this Kwanzaa story with your family or in the classroom. Very bright, playful, textured pictures capture the spirit of community that is the essence of the holiday. The two final pages about 'The Nguzo Saba--The Seven Principles of Kwanzaa' will take kids back to the story to find the holiday message in action.*

The story of Li'l Rabbit captures the true meaning of Kwanzaa--coming together to help others. Donna L. Washington's story, with art from Shane W. Evans (Chocolate Me!), provides a fun introduction to the holiday.

Li'l Rabbit is not having a very good Kwanzaa. Granna Rabbit is sick, and so his family won't celebrate his favorite part of Kwanzaa this year: a big feast called Karamu.

Li'l Rabbit knows what to do! He'll find Granna Rabbit a special treat for Karamu so she can celebrate anyway.

He looks under a pile of logs, in the field, and in the pond and along the way meets Groundhog, Momma Field Mouse, and the frogs--but he doesn't find anything for Granna Rabbit.

Maybe I'm just too little to help Granna Rabbit celebrate Kwanzaa, Li'l Rabbit thinks. Or maybe he just needs a little help from his family and friends.

Mum and Dad say I'm a blend of dark and light: 'We mixed you perfectly, and got you just right.' Here, finally, is an upbeat, honest look at the experience of a mixed-race child, based on the author's and artist's experiences. Kids love to touch Mike's hair. They sometimes ask him to choose 'sides' between hanging out with black kids or white kids. But Mike just wants to be . . . Mike!

Li'l Rabbit is not having a very good Kwanzaa. Granna Rabbit is sick, and so his family won't celebrate his favorite part of Kwanzaa this year: a big feast called Karamu.

Li'l Rabbit knows what to do He'll find Granna Rabbit a special treat for Karamu so she can celebrate anyway.

He looks under a pile of logs, in the field, and in the pond and along the way meets Groundhog, Momma Field Mouse, and the frogs--but he doesn't find anything for Granna Rabbit.

Maybe I'm just too little to help Granna Rabbit celebrate Kwanzaa, Li'l Rabbit thinks. Or maybe he just needs a little help from his family and friends.

Inspired by Brer Rabbit, a trickster character from the African-American folklore tradition, the story of Li'l Rabbit captures the true meaning of Kwanzaa--coming together to help others.

A young black girl lifts her baby hands up to greet the sun, reaches her hands up for a book on a high shelf, and raises her hands up in praise at a church service. She stretches her hands up high like a plane's wings and whizzes down a hill so fast on her bike with her hands way up. As she grows, she lives through everyday moments of joy, love, and sadness. And when she gets a little older, she joins together with her family and her community in a protest march, where they lift their hands up together in resistance and strength.