Harlem’s Little Blackbird: The Story of Florence Mills by Renée Watson is a book for children. However, many links for background knowledge are appropriate for mature readers, making this deceptively simple picture book a history lesson. Thank goodness Renée Watson appears at the Young Readers Center at the Library of Congress to talk about this book for the young readers. Christian Robinson’s pictures welcome all ages.
The older reader may appreciate this book when given
historical context. With context, the cakewalk is more than just silly dance. When
a theater denies entrance to Negroes, mature readers will benefit from more
context regarding the time of Jim Crow. Trigger warning: the documentary about
Coney Island listed in the references includes the euthanizing of an elephant
by electrocution. I found most websites about the Harlem Renaissance are for mature
readers.
This book is read aloud online by Andrea Malek , the Oregon Symphony, and by
the author, Renée
Watson.
My Picture Book Talk lesson for this story is here.
