Based on historical fact, Light in the Darkness is a dramatic story of the determination of slaves to learn to read and write, despite the dangers from slave patrollers. "Rosa is eager to learn her letters. After the letters come words, and after the words come reading. ... Finally they [Rosa and her Mama] reach their destination: a hole dug in the ground and covered with branches. They climb down and begin making the shapes that Morris teaches them: A...B...C..."

view a demo video about the artwork for this book

The Christmas Tugboat, How the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Came to New York City
by George Matteson and Adele Ursone, paintings by James Ransome

With lyrical language and evocative paintings, this picture book tells the heartwarming story of a real tug trip and the girl who was at the wheel as police and fire boats, helicopters, and tourists welcomed this world-famous tree into New York Harbor.

publisher: Clarion Books
ISBN 9780-618-99215-7

Inspired by the countless teachers I have met throughout the years, My Teacher recounts one teacher's quest to meaningfully touch the lives of the children in her classroom despite the challenges of budget cuts, testing, limited classroom resources and family hardships as she creatively educates and uplifts future generations of doctors, politicians, bus drivers, artists and teachers.

This book is a tribute to all of the teachers who come in early, leave late and give a little something extra to their students.

My hope is that readers leave My Teacher motivated, recharged and ready to take on the tremendous task of dedicating their lives to a greater purpose.

Published by Dial
ISBN 978-0-8037-3259-9

Words Set Me Free: The Story of Young Frederick Douglass
written by Lesa Cline-Ransome

"We started with the letter A and continued from there..." Based on Frederick Douglass's own Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, this is an inspiring story of the power of the individual.

"Drawing from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, the Ransomes...create a powerful biographical account of the anti-slavery crusader, writer and orator's early life."
Starred Review, Publisher's Weekly

Published by Simon & Schuster
ISBN 978-1-4169-5903-8

When Grandmama Sings
written by Margaree King Mitchell

About the gift of love, the beauty of music and its power to bring people together-- even in the segregated South, this is a warmhearted book about Belle's travels with her Grandmama on her singing tour throughout the south. "Belle, tonight was special. I could feel all of those folks with me. I want us to feel this way all the time. I want to sing in a place where black people and white people aren't kept apart...that's the kind of world I want for you."

Published by Harper Collins
ISBN 978-0-688-17563-4

New Red Bike!
Written and illustrated by James E. Ransome

New Red Bike is appropriate for preschoolers and early readers. Dealing with very simple, straightforward concepts of movement: up, down, back, around, under, behind, this might be the first book a child could read. In the midst of these concepts is a story: a little boy named Tom learns to share his New Red Bike with his friend, Sam.

"Every child knows the fine line between a stolen bike and a "borrowed" one. Ransome... writes here about the joys of cycling and the perils of the lost bicycle, and ultimately about the rewards of sharing and riding bikes among friends. With sweet illustrations and simple text, the message will work especially well with the training-wheel set." New York Times Book Review

Published by Holiday House
ISBN: 978-0-8234-2226-5

Before There Was Mozart
by Lesa Cline-Ransome and James E. Ransome

Joseph Boulogne loved music:
the singing of birds, the beat of drums, the peal of church bells- and most of all, the soaring notes of his violin. But as the son of a white plantation owner and a black slave, newly arrived in France from the West Indies, what chance did Joseph have for success with his music? Here is the true story of an extraordinary boy who overcame the prejudices of his peers to become one of the finest classical musicians in all of Europe.

ISBN 978-0-375-83600-8
Publisher Schwartz and Wade Books, a division of Random House

Gunner, Football Hero
by James E. Ransome

So what if Gunner is rounder than most football players? He throws a stellar pass! When he becomes third-string quarterback on his Pee Wee Football team, he fears he won't ever get to take the field. But in the championship game his team's luck runs out, and it is up to Gunner to lead them to victory. Will his awesome arm save the game? James Ransome's illustrations add humor and life to this unusual story about sportsmanship.

Lesson Plans for Teachers

ISBN-10: 0823420531
ISBN-13: 978-0823420537
Publisher: Holiday House

A Joyful Christmas: A Treasury of New and Classic Songs, Poems, and Stories for the Holiday
by James E. Ransome

Filled with new and beloved poems, stories, songs, and more, here is a beautiful collection of prose and verse that celebrates the Christmas season. You'll find the classics here, such as Silent Night, Deck the Halls, and The Twelve Days of Christmas, as well as new stories by the talents of Pam Munoz Ryan, Joseph Bruchac, Katherine Paterson, Nancy Willard, and others. This evocative treasury depicts the holiday season in all its warmth and glory.

ISBN-10: 0805066217
ISBN-13: 978-0805066210
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.