The Library has an AMAZING collection of books featuring stories and information written by and about people from varied backgrounds, races, ethnicities, life experiences, and viewpoints. We love to share selections that demonstrate the range of our collection all year and we encourage you to explore these books with us!
This month, we are highlighting activities and books in our collection by and about people in the African-American community. Check these out below and join us at one of our programs, which feature information and stories in celebration of African American History Month.
READ: The Green Piano by Roberta Flack
Open this book and see what inspired a five-time Grammy Award winner's journey to stardom. It all started with a green piano. Little Roberta Flack didn't have much, but she had what was important: a family rich with love. And she had a dream -- to live a life filled with music. When her daddy finds a beat-up piano in a junkyard, brings it home, and paints it a grassy green, Roberta is overjoyed! If she practices and practices and practices, will her dream come true?
Use your library card or apply for an ecard here to access our digital library!
Questions to think about while you read:
- Roberta describes music as "My Treasure. My Gold." What do you consider your "treasure?" Why?
- She dreams of one day owning her very own piano. What age was she when this dream finally came true? Do you consider that to be a long time?
- Families often influence what we want to do when we grow up; what does your family do that you'd like to pursue or spend time mastering? In other words, what dream do you have that you hope comes true?
PLAY: Compose a Found Poem
This game is inspired by Amanda Gorman, who is America's first National Youth Poet Laureate and author of "The Hill We Climb," which she read at President Biden's inauguration in 2021. To learn more about her, check out this biography: Amanda Gorman by Artika R. Tyner.
Supplies:
- Newspapers, magazines, any printed material
- Scissors
- Sheets of paper
- Timer
- Pens or pencils (optional)
- Glue sticks or glue (optional)
Instructions:
- Get together with friends and family, and spend about 15-20 minutes cutting out words from newspapers, magazines, or any handy printed material (even old books!). Once there is a supply of cut-out words, put them in the middle of a table, where everyone can reach them. Everyone should have a blank piece of paper on which to arrange words and compose their poems.
- Set a timer for an agreed upon amount of time (start with 5 minutes). All players work on creating a poem with the cut out words on their piece of paper.
- When time is up, players take turns reading their poems. Everyone decides together which is the best poem of that round. If desired, players can write down their poems to preserve them.
- Put all cut-out words back into the middle of the table and continue playing.
- Once play is finished, players can use glue to secure the cut-out words on a piece of paper to make their favorite found poems permanent.
Inspired by: The Library Teacher
EXPLORE: Create Abstract Art
This project is inspired by the art of Alma Woodsey Thomas. She was an art teacher for many years, but it wasn't until she retired that she was able to develop her signature style. She had her first art exhibition when she was 75! Check out this book to learn more about her: Ablaze With Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas by Jeanne Walker Harvey.
Supplies:
- 8 ½ x 11-inch piece of mixed media paper
- Scissors
- Flat paintbrushes
- Tempera, watercolor, or acrylic paint
- Pencil
- Ruler
- Paper towel & cup of water (to clean brushes)
Instructions:
- First, use a ruler to measure and scissors to trim the sheet of paper to be 8 x 8 inches square.
- Find the center of your paper: you can do this by using a ruler and a pencil to lightly mark the 4-inch mark.
- Make your first color a circle of paint in the very center.
- Dip the brush in water and wipe with paper towel to clean it. Dip the brush in a different color of paint and begin making square dash marks around the first circle.
- Continue by changing color for each circle and by making the dashes larger (you can use a larger brush, if desired). You can also create your own custom mixes of color.
- Fill the page with dashes until the circle reaches the edge of the paper.
- Allow to dry and enjoy your creation!
Note: Now that you've learned this technique, sketch out a simple landscape and fill it with dashes of color in the style of Alma Woodsey Thomas!
From: Blowing Rock Museum
JOIN: Attend a program!
View all school age programs and events offered this month.
Registration is required for all programs; if space allows, walk-ins will be admitted. Use the link in the program information to register.
