Bryan Collier

Not only did John Parker buy his own freedom to escape slavery, he helped as many as 900 other slaves escape on the Underground Railroad. Poetic language and deeply hued illustrations convey this stirring story. Historical notes are included.

A celebration of Pullman porters is the focus of this new picture-book edition of Langston Hughes' classic poem. The collage spreads, blending oil paintings and cut paper, begin with an image of a speeding train before moving on to large portraits of African American porters serving white passengers aboard a luxury train. When the passengers leave, the porters gather left-behind items — newspapers, blues and jazz albums — and toss them from the train. Carried by the wind, the words and music fall into the hands of African Americans across the country.

John Lennon and his music are introduced to a new generation in Lennon's own words, using free verse and lyrics. With Collier's rich collage and watercolor illustrations in a large-sized format (like Martin's Big Words) this memorable presentation becomes a tribute to the music legend and visionary.

The friendship between Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, the abolitionist who was once enslaved, is presented in richly imagined text and collage illustrations.

Martin Luther King Jr. grew up fascinated by big words. He would later go on to use these words to inspire a nation and call people to action. In this award-winning book, powerful portraits of King show how he used words, not weapons, to fight injustice.

Rosa Parks was an ordinary woman who became a hero because she "was not going to give in to that which was wrong." A catalyst for the famous Montgomery Bus boycott in Alabama, she turned the nation's attention to a glaring injustice in our society. Powerful illustrations evoke a time before the Civil Rights era and give the reader a glimpse at a person, her impact, and a period in American history.

A young poet anticipates a visit to Langston Hughes' Harlem home with her father. Told in rhythmic language, this appreciation of the poet in words and image may well encourage young readers to seek out Hughes' poems, or perhaps write some of their own.