Coinciding with the fortieth anniversary of the Coretta Scott King Award, this one-of-a-kind volume gathers together the best of the best in African American children's literature with: comprehensive coverage of the award winning books; biographical profiles that introduce the creative artists and illustrators; color plates that give a vital sense of the story and art; and, a new subject index ideal for curriculum planning. In honor of the special anniversary, celebrated poet Arnold Adoff has written a commemorative poem, 'of course', included in this book.