Showing results by narrator "J.D Jackson" in All Categories

Last year, 10-year-old Junebug desperately wanted to leave the grimy Auburn Street project where he lived with his mother and sister. Now his dream has come true. They have moved to the other side of New Haven into a safe, new apartment complex. His mother takes care of the elderly residents there. Moving means changes, however. And not all of them are good. There is a bully in his new school who won’t leave him alone. Junebug has to take grumpy old Reverend Ashford for a walk every morning. And he worries about the friendship growing between his mother and the Reverend’s son.

CJ just blew the half-mile relay for his track team, but the race on his mind is the one that’s happening off the field in this short story from all-star author Jacqueline Woodson.

In the first full biography of actor Sidney Poitier, Aram Goudsouzian analyzes the life and career of a Hollywood legend, from his childhood in the Bahamas to his 2002 Oscar for lifetime achievement. Poitier is a gifted actor, a great American success story, an intriguing personality, and a political symbol; his life and career illuminate America's racial history.

Washington, D.C., 1972. Derek Strange has left the police department and set up shop as a private investigator. His former partner, Frank "Hound Dog" Vaughn, is still on the force. When a young woman comes to Strange asking for his help recovering a cheap ring she claims has sentimental value, the case leads him onto Vaughn's turf, where a local drug addict's been murdered, shot point-blank in his apartment. Soon both men are on the trail of a ruthless killer: Red Fury, so called for his looks and the car his girlfriend drives, but a name that fits his personality all too well.

Rising from poverty-stricken Louisville in the 1950s, Ali became one of the world's greatest athletes. Beginning life as Cassius Clay, Ali would struggle against opponents both in and out of the ring. Segregation and racism stood as obstacles in his path, but as he climbed the boxing ranks, his social conscience grew. He refused to be pigeonholed as a stereotypical black athlete in the 1960s and changed his name to Muhammad Ali after converting to Islam.

Nichelle Tramble's first novel, The Dying Ground, was named a Best Book of 2001 by the Chicago Tribune and the San Francisco Chronicle. In this follow-up work, Maceo returns home after drifting for two years. He finds his friends tangled up in a murder case, and he must act fast to save them.

On June 17, 2015, Dylann Roof, a young White man, attended the Wednesday evening Bible study at the predominantly Black Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina. An hour later, Roof pulled a concealed weapon and killed nine African Americans as they prayed, including Myra Thompson, the wife of Reverend Anthony Thompson. This audiobook is the account of Reverend Thompson's wife's murder, the grief he experienced, and the radical choice to forgive the killer. But beyond that, Reverend Thompson casts a compelling vision of the power of forgiveness to transform our lives.

Life on the farm with Granddaddy is full of hard work, but despite all the chores, Granddaddy always makes time for play, especially fishing trips. Even when there isn't a bite to catch, he reminds young Michael that it takes patience to get what's coming to you. One morning, when Granddaddy heads into town in his fancy suit, Michael knows that something very special must be happening. For the very first time, Granddaddy is allowed to vote, and he couldn't be more proud. But can Michael be patient when it seems that justice just can't come soon enough?

Meet 44 of America's most impressive heroes in this collective biography of African American figures authored by the team at ESPN's TheUndefeated.com. From visionaries to entrepreneurs, athletes to activists, the Fierce 44 are beacons of brilliance, perseverance, and excellence. Bringing household names like Serena Williams and Harriet Tubman together with lesser-known but highly deserving figures such as Robert Abbott and Dr. Charles Drew, this collection is a celebration of all that African Americans have achieved, despite everything they have had to overcome.

Melanie and Damon are both living in the shadow of loss. For Melanie, it's the loss of her larger-than-life artist mother, taken by cancer well before her time. For Damon, it's the loss of his best friend, Carlos, who took his own life. Trying to hold on to those loved ones, Damon and Melanie take up hobbies that make them feel close to them: Damon takes pictures with Carlos's camera and Melanie begins painting.

Two-time heavyweight champion of the world and record-busting businessman George Foreman has spent his career challenging prevailing conceptions of success and achievement. In this book, he’s stepping into the ring as a coach to teach entrepreneurs the knockout business secrets that lead to extraordinary levels of success. You’ll learn how to focus on smart growth, fearlessly seize opportunities, and build an organization of significance. Knockout Entrepreneur does this by showing what it means to truly live out a new way of doing business.

Zelda is stuck in a dream, a very strange dream where people can fly, bears sneeze money, and her childhood cat, Patches, is somehow alive—despite being run over years ago. Things only get stranger when Zelda meets Langston, a sweet if overly timid guy who feels more real to her than anyone she’s ever met. As Zelda and Langston explore the far reaches of the dreamscape together, they find themselves growing closer and closer. But what they uncover along the way pushes them towards a truth neither of them wants to face.

A beautiful book for fathers and their sons. I Love You, My Beautiful Boy is written from a father's perspective, as he watches his son grow from birth to adulthood. This heartfelt story shows the beautiful connection of a father to his son while sharing the joys of watching him grow up, following the son from birth to adulthood in this heartfelt story.