Most Popular Books by VIRGINIA HAMILTON

Retold Afro-American folktales of animals, fantasy, the supernatural, and desire for freedom, born of the sorrow of the slaves, but passed on in hope--Résumé de l''éditeur.

In a gorgeous tale of an unexpected friendship, ten-year-old Dreenie feels both intrigued and frightened when she thinks about the girl nicknamed Bluish, whose leukemia is making her pale and causing her to use a wheelchair.

Hamilton''s classic coming-of-age tale: The National Book Award– and Newbery Award–winning novel about a young man who must choose between supporting his tight-knit family and pursuing his own dreams Mayo Cornelius Higgins perches on top of a homemade forty-foot tower, considering two destinies. Behind him is his family''s beloved house at the foot of a mountain that strip mining has reduced to loose rubble. In front of him, the beautiful Ohio River Valley and the great world beyond. As M.C. weighs whether to stay with the family and home he loves or set off into the world on his own, there appear on the horizon two strangers who will make his decision all the more difficult.

A monumental collection by one of America''s greatest authors of children''s literature — and the launch of a new imprint, ReLIT, that republishes lost classics for a modern readership! Virginia Hamilton (1936-2002) was not only one of the most magnificent writers who ever lived — winning honors such as the Newbery Medal, Newbery Honor, National Book Award, and the Coretta Scott King Award for classics like The House of Dies Drear, The People Could Fly, M. C. Higgins the Great, and Her Stories — she was one of the greatest thinkers we ever had on children''s literature. Born to a family of storytellers, she wove into her books and thoughts a deep concern with memory, tradition, and generational legacy, especially as they helped define the lives of African Americans from the days of slavery onward. Hamilton described her work as ''''liberation literature.'''' This landmark book — since fallen out of print and now lovingly restored and repackaged in this gorgeous edition — brings together her essays, speeches, and interviews into one thought-provoking, incisive, inspiring whole. Presented in a high quality flexibound binding, Liberation Literature also features a foreword by Laura Pegram, founder of Kweli; an introduction by Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop, the "mother of" multicultural children''s literature; and a full-color frontispiece portrait of Virginia Hamilton, illustrated by Caldecott Medalists Leo & Diane Dillon. It is a must-have for anyone interested in writing, the history of African American representation, children''s literature, and literature overall.

An American Library Association Notable Book and a School Library Journal Best Book of the Year:Twelve-year-old Arilla goes on a quest to discover who she is and where she fits into her family—and the world Arilla Adams is tired of being the moon to her older brother’s sun. Sixteen-year-old Jack has rejected being part of an interracial family and identifies only with his Native American heritage. But Arilla, also part African American and part Native American, isn’t so sure where she belongs. She knows there are people who care about her. Old James False Face tells her stories. Her mom, who’s as beautiful as a queen, wants Arilla to learn to dance. And her classmate Angel Diovalad, the star of the girls’ basketball team, tells her secrets about the boy she loves, whom she meets with on the sly. Arilla also has secrets: She sneaks out to the roller rink to practice figure skating. And she’s afraid of horses. But she’s about to discover her inner courage on a daring rescue mission that will transform her relationship with her family and earn her the name Arilla Sun Down.

An illustrated collection of twenty-five myths from various parts of the world explaining the creation of the world.

“THE PEOPLE COULD FLY,” the title story in Virginia Hamilton’s prize-winning American Black folktale collection, is a fantasy tale of the slaves who possessed the ancient magic words that enabled them to literally fly away to freedom. And it is a moving tale of those who did not have the opportunity to “fly” away, who remained slaves with only their imaginations to set them free as they told and retold this tale. Leo and Diane Dillon have created powerful new illustrations in full color for every page of this picture book presentation of Virginia Hamilton’s most beloved tale. The author’s original historical note as well as her previously unpublished notes are included. Awards for The People Could Fly collection: A Coretta Scott King Award A Booklist Children’s Editors’ Choice A School Library Journal Best Books of the Year A Horn Book Fanfare An ALA Notable Book An NCTE Teachers’ Choice A New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Books of the Year

Eleven-year-old Cammy is irritated by her cousin Patty Ann''s seeming perfection until a tragedy forces her to learn about forgiveness and family love.

A beautiful ghost appears to a troubled teen and shows her the heartbreaking secrets of her family''s past Fifteen-year-old Teresa has fallen in love—with a ghost. The handsome man that she''s passed on the street a few times captures her attention, and she thinks he notices her too. But when the man suddenly appears inside her home, hovering in the air and passing through solid furniture, Teresa realizes this isn''t going to be a typical crush. The ghost is Brother Rush, a man tied to Teresa''s past, who has come to show her the ways her life has special meaning, and that her problems at school and at home are not what they seem.

A black family tries to unravel the secrets of their new home which was once a stop on the Underground Railroad.

Their psychic power brought them to Dustland together. But will that same power tear them apart? Using their psychic abilities, Justice, the Watcher, Dorian, the healer, Thomas, the magician, and Levi, the sufferer, have formed their unit. Together, they mind-travel to a strange future world called Dustland. Together, they can survive anything. But when tensions run high between Thomas and Justice, will Thomas leave them stranded in this desolate land? With the future of their unit uncertain, the children are threatened by an even greater danger: Mal, the evil entity that controls Dustland. Will the unit be restored in time to fight against this new threat? Dustland is the second book of Virginia Hamilton''s dystopian fantasy series, the Justice Trilogy, comprised of Justice and Her Brothers, Dustland, and The Gathering. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Virginia Hamilton including rare photos from the author''s estate.

Elizabeth and her brother live on a farm for a summer—and learn a whole new way of living and dreaming Elizabeth likes to invent stories. When she travels to her uncle''s farm for a summer, she starts by making up new names for herself and her younger brother: "Geeder" and "Toeboy." As "Geeder" explores the farm on her own and with her brother, she encounters mysteries that capture her imagination, among them a tall, proud woman who looks just like an African queen that Elizabeth has read about in a magazine. Elizabeth spins tales about the people and places around her, but she comes to realize that sometimes the truth is more interesting than make-believe.

Nineteen stories focus on the magical lore and wondrous imaginings of African American women.

Junior Brown is a musical prodigy losing touch with reality and everyone around him—except for one important friend Junior Brown is different than the other kids in his eighth-grade class. For one, he weighs three hundred pounds. He''s also a talented musician with a serious future as a professional pianist—if he survives middle school. With an overbearing mom, disappointed teachers, and fellow students who tease him mercilessly, Junior starts to slip away into his own mind. His last hope may be his only friend, Buddy Clark, a boy in his class without a home or family who has already learned some of life''s toughest lessons.

Four young people must master their powers in order to escape from a barren, dangerous land in these three novels by a Newbery Medal winner. The Justice Trilogy includes: Justice and Her Brothers: For Justice and her identical twin brothers Levi and Thomas, the summer begins like any other. But as the slow days pass, Justice begins to notice a strange energy between her brothers, beyond their normal twin connection. Thomas becomes increasingly bossy and irritable, while Levi seems weak and absentminded. And there are changes happening within Justice, as well. Soon she discovers that she possesses a mysterious, extraordinary ability—and she and her brothers must uncover the secrets behind their newfound powers. Dustland: Using their psychic abilities, four children have formed a unit: Justice, the Watcher; Dorian, the healer; Thomas, the magician; and Levi, the sufferer. Together, they mind-travel to a strange future world called Dustland. And together they can survive anything. But when tensions run high between Thomas and Justice, will Thomas leave them stranded in this desolate land? With the future of their unit uncertain, the children are threatened by an even greater danger: Mal, the evil entity that controls Dustland. The Gathering: Justice, Dorian, Thomas, and Levi have unfinished business in the future. Joining together once again and time-traveling to Dustland, they hope to guide the inhabitants out of the dangerous, barren place in the hopes of finding a safer home. But neither they nor the residents of Dustland are truly safe as long as the sinister Mal remains in power. This volume includes all three of these stories filled with fantasy and adventure, by an author who has won many awards, including the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award, the Hans Christian Andersen Award, and the Coretta Scott King Award, as well as the National Book Award for her novel M.C. Higgins, the Great.