Tar Beach

Bibliographic Information: Ringgold, F. (1991). Tar beach. New York, New York: Crown Publishing.

Annotation: A story of how a young girl uses her imagination to break the restrictions she and her family experience because of the color of their skin.

Genre: Realistic Fiction, named an honor book for both the Caldecott Medal and Coretta Scott King Award. The Criteria for the Coretta Scott King Award is as follows and was retrieved from http://www.ala.org/emiert/cskbookawards/slction

1. Must portray some aspect of the black experience, past, present, or future.
2. Must be written/illustrated by an African American
3. Must be published in the U.S. in the year preceding presentation of the Award.
4. Must be an original work
5. Must meet established standards of quality writing for youth which include:
   • Clear plot
   • Well drawn characters, which portray growth and development during the course of the story.
   • Writing style which is consistent with and suitable to the age intended
   • Accuracy
6. Must be written for a youth audience in one of three categories:
   • Preschool-grade 4
   • Grades 5-8
   • Grades 9-12
7. Particular attention will be paid to titles which seek to motivate readers to develop their own attitudes and behaviors as well as comprehend their personal duty and responsibility as citizens in a pluralistic society.
8. Illustrations should reflect established qualitative standards identified in the statement below:

   Illustrations should... “heighten and extend the readers' awareness of the world around him. They should lead him to an appreciation of beauty. The style and content of the illustrations should be...neither coy nor condescending...Storytelling qualities should enlarge upon the story elements that were hinted in the text and should include details that will awaken and strength the imagination of the reader and permit him to interpret the words and pictures in a manner unique to him”
   --Cianciolo, Illustrations in Children's Books (p. 24-25)

Eligibility and Exclusions

1. Author or illustrator must live in the U.S. or maintain dual residency/citizenship.
2. Book must be published in the year preceding the year the award is given, evidenced by the copyright date printed in the book.
3. Only finished copies will be accepted. Do not send advance reader copies, galleys, etc.
4. Titles submitted for the Coretta Scott King Book Awards will not be returned. Titles received by the OLOS office are donated as part of The Coretta Scott King Review Books Donation Grant

Grade Level: P-I

Readers Who Will Like This Book: Those of African American decent, anyone who has not be allowed to do something or likes to use his or her imagination.

Personal Response and Rating: I rate this book a 3. To me, the reason the young girl was flying through the air was a little abstract, but I think this book could be paired with a study of civil rights and why she might want to do the things she does.

Prereading Question: Have you even wished you could do something you weren't allowed to do?