Black-Eyed Peas and Hoghead Cheese: A Story of Food, Family, and Freedom

A little girl helping her grandmother prepare a holiday meal learns about the origins of soul food in this powerful picture book that celebrates African American cuisine and identity from an award-winning author.\nKnow what I like most about Grandma’s kitchen? 
More than jambalaya? More than sweet potato pie? Even more than pralines? 
Grandma’s stories! Every meal Grandma cooks comes with a story. 
What will today’s story be?\nWhile visiting her grandma in Louisiana, nine-year-old Frances is excited to help prepare the New Year’s Day meal. She listens as Grandma tells stories—dating back to the Atlantic Slave Trade—about the food for their feast. Through these stories, Frances learns not only about the ingredients and the dishes they are making but about her ancestors and their history as well.\nA celebration of the stories that connect us, this picture book urges us to think about the foods we eat and why we eat them. This book was inspired by the author's own childhood and includes her family's very own recipe for pralines in the back!\nFrom School Library Journal\nGr 2–4—Frances is in town visiting her family for the New Year's holiday. She gets to spend the whole day in the kitchen with her grandmother helping cook and listening to the stories behind why her family eats the foods that they do. Along with Frances, readers get to learn about black-eyed peas, hogshead cheese, pecan pralines, and other foods that were originally eaten by slaves out of necessity and are now eaten during celebrations to honor and thank their ancestors for their sacrifice. Armand includes sidebars that give factual information about topics talked about in the story, from the Atlantic Slave Trade to definitions for different foods. Creole words are interspersed through the text, but the narrator sounds them out phonetically. The illustrations are detailed and colorful, inviting readers into the space with Frances and showing off the different foods she and her grandmother make. Back matter includes a recipe for pecan pralines, author's note, sources, and a further reading list. VERDICT Excellent for any collection needing to expand the New Year offerings; display it before the December break.—Jennifer Ritzie

Children's Books

Armand, Glenda

Growing Up & Facts of Life

Crown Books for Young Readers

A little girl helping her grandmother prepare a holiday meal learns about the origins of soul food in this powerful picture book that celebrates African American cuisine and identity from an award-winning author. Know what I like most about Grandma's kitchen? More than jambalaya? More than sweet potato pie? Even more than pralines? Grandma's stories! Every meal Grandma cooks comes with a story. What will today's story be? While visiting her grandma in Louisiana, nine-year-old Frances is excited to help prepare the New Year's Day meal. She listens as Grandma tells stories--dating back to the Atlantic Slave Trade--about the food for their feast. Through these stories, Frances learns not only about the ingredients and the dishes they are making but about her ancestors and their history as well.&nbsp; &nbsp; A celebration of the stories that connect us, this picture book urges us to think about the foods we eat and why we eat them.&nbsp;This book was inspired by the author's own childhood and includes her family's very own recipe for pralines in the back!

Ice Cream Man: How Augustus Jackson Made a Sweet Treat Better

Discover the inspiring story of Augustus Jackson, an African American entrepreneur who is known as "the father of ice cream," in this beautifully illustrated picture-book biography.\nAugustus Jackson was born in 1808 in Philadelphia. While most African Americans were enslaved at that time, in Pennsylvania, slavery was against the law. But while Augustus and his family were free, they were poor, and they depended on their garden and their chickens for food. Augustus enjoyed helping his mom prepare meals for their family. He dreamed of becoming a professional cook, and when his mom suggested he may be able to make meals for the president one day, Augustus didn’t waste any time in making that dream a reality. In 1820, when he was only twelve years old, he set off for Washington, DC. He applied to work in the White House, where the head cook offered him a job as a kitchen helper. After five years of working hard, Augustus, or Gus, was promoted to cook. He went on to serve presidents James Monroe, John Quincy Adams, and Andrew Jackson.\nDuring his time at the White House, Augustus became an expert at making a popular egg-based dessert. He soon made an eggless version—known to us today as ice cream—and left the White House determined to make and sell the frozen treat to everyone, not just the wealthy. Gus headed back home to Philadelphia, and in 1830, he opened his very own ice cream parlor. He devised a way to keep the ice cream frozen so that it could be shipped and sold to other businesses. Gus also began adding rock salt to the ice that he used to make his ice cream, which made the mixture freeze more quickly. This allowed him to speed up his production process. He created more ice cream with new flavors, and soon he was shipping product via train to places like New York City, which was 100 miles away. Gus’s dream had come true, and better yet, he had brought smiles to many faces.\nShining a light on a little-known visionary, this inspiring picture-book biography includes an afterword, a list of sources, and an easy-to-follow recipe so readers can make their own delicious ice cream!

Freeman, Kim

Biographies

This moving picture book tells the story of Juneteenth with all the care and reverence such a holiday deserves. The rhyming text and stunning illustrations will teach children about this historic day in history. 'Twas the night before freedom, and all through the South, long-whispered rumors had, spread word of mouth. "It's coming! It's coming!" I heard people say. "Emancipation is coming our way." Eight-year-old David and his family gather at Grandma's house in Galveston, Texas, for a cherished family tradition: Grandma's annual retelling of the story of Juneteenth, the holiday that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. The signing of the Emancipation Proclamation by President Abraham Lincoln meant that&nbsp;all enslaved persons within the rebellious states would be free as of January 1, 1863. However, people in Texas did not receive the news of their emancipation until two and a half years later--on June 19, 1865.&nbsp; Grandma tells the story of anticipation, emancipation, and jubilation just as it was told to her many years before by her own grandmother, Mom Bess. As a six-year-old, Bess had experienced the very first Juneteenth. Before that day, she could only imagine what liberty would look like. But once freedom arrived,&nbsp;would it live up to a little girl's dreams? The story is written in the same meter as Clement C. Moore's The Night Before Christmas, making it a perfect book for parents and kids to read together.

The Night Before Freedom: A Juneteenth Story

Literature & Fiction

Cooking with the Birthday Bird (Step into Reading)

The Birthday Bird--star of the beloved Dr. Seuss classic Happy Birthday to You!--bakes a cake in this simple, rhymed easy reader ideal for inspiring young cooks, especially on their birthdays! In this sweet, easy-to-read story, the Birthday Bird arrives at a child's house to bake and decorate a birthday cake. An ideal choice for children learning to read, baking enthusiasts, and of course, Dr. Seuss fans; it's perfect for encouraging young children to help in the kitchen! Step 1 Readers feature big type and easy words for children who know the alphabet and are eager to begin reading. Rhyme and rhythmic text paired with picture clues help children decode the story.

Random House Books for Young Readers

Born blind into a life of slavery, Thomas Wiggins was dismissed as a "useless burden." But through the loving protection of his family, he went on to become one of the greatest musicians of his time. From Tom's childhood on a plantation to his performances in the concert halls of Europe, Glenda Armand shares the beautiful and at times heartbreaking story of a long-overlooked musical great, the love that supported him, and the struggle for freedom.

Song in a Rainstorm: The Story of Musical Prodigy Thomas "Blind Tom" Wiggins

Albert Whitman & Company

“Schooltrain! Schooltrain! Don’t be late! The school bell rings at half past eight!” 
This tender family story, inspired by the author’s own, illuminates a dynamic chapter in American history known as the Great Migration ― and the many trains people rode toward freedom.\n***3 STARRED REVIEWS*** 
* “A vivid evocation of place and era rolling solidly on a bed of timeless values.” ― Kirkus Reviews, starred review 
* “A child-friendly picture book introducing the Great Migration.” ― Booklist, starred review 
* “Lends the meandering feel of family stories to this portrait of a historical moment.” ― Publishers Weekly, starred review 
Thelma loves to watch the Sunset Limited chug through her little town of Vacherie, Louisiana. And she dreams of one day riding a real train! For now, she has her beloved schooltrain. Every morning, she and her friends walk to school, single file, chanting all the way: 
“Schooltrain! Schooltrain! Don’t be late! The school bell rings at half past eight!” 
Then it’s on to great adventures with her teacher’s books ― and her own imagination! 
But lately, someone named Jim Crow has been making trouble for folks in Vacherie. Aunt Bea and Uncle Ed have already moved away. When Thelma’s best friend also has to leave, Thelma wonders, who is Jim Crow and why does he have to be so mean? Will he make trouble for Pop, too?

All Aboard the Schooltrain: A Little Story from the Great Migration

Scholastic Press

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Armand, Glenda. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Armand, Glenda

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Armand, Glenda. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Black-Eyed Peas and Hoghead Cheese: A Story of Food, Family, and Freedom

Black-Eyed Peas and Hoghead Cheese: A Story of Food, Family, and Freedom

Ice Cream Man: How Augustus Jackson Made a Sweet Treat Better

Ice Cream Man: How Augustus Jackson Made a Sweet Treat Better

The Night Before Freedom: A Juneteenth Story

Cooking with the Birthday Bird (Step into Reading)

Cooking with the Birthday Bird (Step into Reading)

The Night Before Freedom: A Juneteenth Story

Song in a Rainstorm: The Story of Musical Prodigy Thomas "Blind Tom" Wiggins

All Aboard the Schooltrain: A Little Story from the Great Migration