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Ntozake Shange, We Troubled the Waters (New York: Amistad, 2009). Age Level: 6-10 Publisher Description: From slavery to the separation of "colored" and "white" and from horrifying oppression to inspiring courage, there are countless stories-both forgotten and immortalized-of everyday and extraordinary people who acted for justice during the civil rights movement that changed our nation. Award-winning poet Ntozake Shange and illustrator Rod Brown give voice to all those who fought for their unalienable rights in a triumphant book about the power of the human spirit.

Larry Dane Brimmer, Birmingham Sunday (Pennsylvania: Boyds Mills Press, 2010). Age Level: 10 and up Publisher Description: Racial bombings were so frequent in Birmingham that it became known as ''Bombingham.'' Until September 15, 1963, these attacks had been threatening but not deadly. On that Sunday morning, however, a blast in the 16th Street Baptist Church ripped through the exterior wall and claimed the lives of four girls. The church was the ideal target for segregationists, as it was the rallying place for Birmingham's African American community, Martin Luther King, Jr., using it as his ''headquarters'' when he was in town to further the cause of desegregation and equal rights. Rather than triggering paralyzing fear, the bombing was the definitive act that guaranteed passage of the landmark 1964 civil rights legislation. Birmingham Sunday centers on this fateful day and places it in historical context.

Angela Johnson, A Sweet Smell of Roses (New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2007). Age Level: 5 and up Publisher Description: There's a sweet, sweet smell in the air as two young girls sneak out of their house, down the street, and across town to where men and women are gathered, ready to march for freedom and justice. Inspired by countless children and young adults who took a stand, two Coretta Scott King honorees offer a heart-lifting glimpse of children's roles in the civil rights movement.

Elizabeth Partridge, Marching For Freedom: Walk Together Children and Don't You Grow Weary (New York: Viking Juvenile, 2009). Age Level: 10 and up Publisher Description: An inspiring look at the fight for the vote, by an award-winning author only 44 years ago in the U.S., Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was leading a fight to win blacks the right to vote. Ground zero for the movement became Selma, Alabama. Award-winning author Elizabeth Partridge leads you straight into the chaotic, passionate, and deadly three months of protests that culminated in the landmark march from Selma to Montgomery in 1965. Focusing on the courageous children who faced terrifying violence in order to march alongside King, this is an inspiring look at their fight for the vote. Stunningly emotional black-and-white photos accompany the text.

Gina Capaldi, A Boy Named Beckoning: The True Story of Dr. Carlos Montezuma, Native American Hero (Minnesota: Carolrhoda Books, 2008). Grade Level: 2-4 Publisher Description: This story reveals the remarkable life of a Native American boy named Wassaja, or "Beckoning," who was kidnapped from his Yavapai tribe and sold as a slave. Adopted by an Italian photographer in 1871 and renamed Carlos Montezuma, the young boy traveled throughout the Old West, bearing witness to the prejudice against and poor treatment of Native Americans. Carlos eventually became a doctor and leader for his people, calling out for their rights. Gina Capaldi's exquisite paintings bring to life excerpts from Dr. Carlos Montezuma's own letters describing his childhood experiences. The culminating portrait provides an inventive look back into history through the eyes of a Native American hero.

Kathleen Krull and Yuyi Morales, Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez (Boston: Harcourt Children's Books, 2003). Age Level:6 and up Grade Level: 1 and up Publisher Description: Cesar Chavez is known as one of America's greatest civil rights leaders. When he led a 340-mile peaceful protest march through California, he ignited a cause and improved the lives of thousands of migrant farmworkers. But Cesar wasn't always a leader. As a boy, he was shy and teased at school. His family slaved in the fields for barely enough money to survive. Cesar knew things had to change, and he thought that maybe he could help change them. So he took charge. He spoke up. And an entire country listened.