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Spring 2021
Unspeakable
The Tulsa Race Massacre
Longlisted for the National Book Award
A Kirkus Prize Finalist
A Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book
“A must-have”—Booklist (starred review)
Celebrated author Carole Boston Weatherford and illustrator Floyd Cooper provide a powerful look at the Tulsa Race Massacre, one of the worst incidents of racial violence in our nation’s history. The book traces the history of African Americans in Tulsa’s Greenwood district and chronicles the devastation that occurred in 1921 when a white mob attacked the Black community.
News of what happened was largely suppressed, and no official investigation occurred for seventy-five years. This picture book sensitively introduces young readers to this tragedy and concludes with a call for a better future.
| Format | Your Price | |
|---|---|---|
|
978-1-5415-8120-3
|
$13.49 | |
|
978-1-7284-1738-7
|
$22.99 |
| Interest Level | Grade 3 - Grade 6 |
|---|---|
| Reading Level | Grade 4 |
| Genre | Nonfiction, Picture Books |
| Category | 5 Kinds of Nonfiction, 5KN: Narrative Nonfiction, Diverse Books: #OwnVoices, Diverse Books: Race & Ethnicity, Diverse Books: Social Justice, Diversity, Social Studies |
| Copyright | 2021 |
| Publisher | Lerner Publishing Group |
| Imprint | Carolrhoda Books ® |
| Language | English |
| Number of Pages | 32 |
| Publication Date | 2021-02-02 |
Awards
- Kirkus Prize for Young Readers' Literature Finalist
- Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Honor Book
- National Book Award for Young People's Literature Longlist
Reviews
The New York Times Book Review
“These sensitively written, beautifully illustrated books restore this often-elided history while explaining the ensuing tragedy in a manner appropriate for children.”—New York Times Book Review
School Library Journal
“This moving account sheds light on shameful events long suppressed or ignored. All collections should consider this title’s value in providing historical context to current conversations about racism and America’s ongoing legacy of white supremacy.”—starred, School Library Journal
BookPage
“Unspeakable deserves to be read by every student of American history.” —starred, BookPage
Publishers Weekly
“[S]ucceeds in teaching the tragedy of the Tulsa Race Massacre and the legacy of Black Wall Street.”—starred, Publishers Weekly
The Horn Book Magazine
“Far from romanticizing history, Weatherford is equally descriptive in explaining how a false accusation of assault brought simmering racial tensions to a violent end . . . Cooper’s illustrations (‘oil and erasure’) are the perfect partner to this history, the sepia-toned images resembling historical photographs. The portraits of Black residents are particularly moving, seeming to break the fourth wall to implore the reader to remember their story.”—starred, The Horn Book Magazine
Booklist
“Ideal for classroom libraries and a deeper study of American history, this title is a must-have for those seeking the painful and complete truth.”—starred, Booklist
Kirkus Reviews
“A somber, well-executed addition to the history as the incident approaches its 100th anniversary.”—starred, Kirkus Reviews
Author: Carole Boston Weatherford
Carole Boston Weatherford is the author of numerous award-winning books including BOX: Henry Brown Mails Himself to Freedom, illustrated by Michele Wood which received a Newbery Honor and R-E-S-P-E-C-T: Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul, illustrated by Frank Morrison which won the 2021 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Book Award. When she's not traveling or visiting museums, Carole is mining the past for family stories, fading traditions, and forgotten struggles. She lives in North Carolina.
Illustrator: Floyd Cooper
Floyd Cooper (1956-2021) was a Coretta Scott King Award winner and illustrator of numerous books for children including Ruth and the Green Book, A Spy Called James, and Unspeakable. He received a degree in fine arts from the University of Oklahoma and went on to develop a distinctive art technique called oil erasure.
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Unspeakable
Longlisted for the National Book Award A Kirkus Prize Finalist A Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book “A must-have”—Booklist (starred review) Celebrated author Carole Boston… View available downloads →