From all of us at The Pirate Tree to all of you, sincere wishes for a healthy and joyous Thanksgiving and holiday season. May we see and celebrate the kindness of others. May we surprise a friend or stranger with…
Author: nancyboflood
Halloween
Halloween is almost here. A holy evening of remembering the dead, of stopping to pause and reflect. Here on Pirate Tree I would like to remember those who have died because of social injustices and to reflect on books that…
Spirit Seeker: John Coltrane’s Musical Journey
SPIRIT SEEKER: JOHN COLTRANE’S MUSICAL JOURNEY written by Gary Golio and illustrated by Rudy Gutierrez. The illustrations are stunning and disturbing. Each painting is full of strong, powerful, sometimes dark, symbolism. The tone and color of each image reflects the…
Virginia Hamilton, Speeches, Essays, & Conversations
Virginia Hamilton, Speeches, Essays, & Conversations, edited by her husband Arnold Adoff and Kacy Cook. Virginia Hamilton was and still is a major literary figure whose work has been recognized with nearly every possible children’s literary award. Her books for…
THAT MAD GAME, GROWING UP in a WARZONE
THAT MAD GAME, GROWING UP IN A WARZONE, An Anthology of Essays from Around the Globe. Edited by J.L.Powers “Imagine…” If all high school students and their parents would read this book, perhaps they would then yearn for peace, clamor…
The Good Braider
THE GOOD BRAIDER by Terry Farish This is a story written with the power of an elephant – yes, an elephant – her spare words open your heart to grace and beauty. This novel is written in verse and is…
EDDIE’S WAR By Carol Fisher Saller published by namelos, 2011 The story is classic but the characters and situations are as fresh as a home-grown tomato. An older brother enlists and soon leaves for combat, World War II. The younger…
MALI UNDER THE NIGHT SKY
A refugee story, a picture book, a pearl of courage and hope: MALI UNDER THE NIGHT SKY, A LAO STORY OF HOME written and illustrated by Youme Landowne, is the true story of the Laotian-American artist, Malichansouk Kouanchao, who…
PITCH BLACK, DON’T BE SKERD
PITCH BLACK, DON’T BE SKERD by Youme Landowne and Anthony Horton is a dark but realistic account based on a true story. One out of every five children in the US lives in poverty, many are homeless. This book taps…
The House on Dirty Third Street
THE HOUSE ON DIRTY-THIRD STREET by Jo S. Kittinger, illustrated by Thomas Gonzalez, Peachtree, March 2012 A run-down dirty old house is bad enough to have to call your home. When moving in also means “moving away” from everything that…