Great News – Inspire Me Today Feature
I’m so excited to share some great news with you. Today (April 29, 2017) I am the featured Inspirational Luminary on the international website InspireMeToday sharing my wisdom with the world.
Inspire Me Today features the inspiration of a new Luminary every day. I am delighted to be included in the company of Richard Branson, Seth Godin, and others.
Please visit InspireMeToday and help me inspire the world. If my traffic and comments break records, my essay Decide To Shine Wherever You Are will be shared with millions of additional people too! This is the 3rd time I have been featured.
I hope you’ll check it out, leave a comment and share it with your friends.
Margaree King Mitchell Featured On The Brown Bookshelf
I am delighted to be featured on The Brown Bookshelf website. Below is an excerpt from the article. Please visit The Brown Bookshelf to read the entire feature.
Throwback Thursday: Margaree King Mitchell
The tagline of Margaree King Mitchell’s website is “Creating Stories that Inspire.” Indeed her moving titles, from picture books to YA, touch children and adults and show the potential for greatness that lies within each of us. Her Coretta Scott King Honor Award-winning book, Uncle Jed’s Barbershop, debuted in 1993 and became a classic featured in classrooms and libraries, Reading Rainbow and theaters. Is it any wonder that people eagerly awaited a second collaboration by Margaree and acclaimed illustrator James E. Ransome? We featured Margaree as a 28 Days Later honoree the year that stirring book, When Grandmama Sings, debuted. It was another intergenerational treasure, rooted in black history, that stayed with you long after you put it down.
Enjoy Margaree from February 28, 2012
If you are at all familiar with the picture book genre, you’ve likely heard of Uncle Jed’s Barbershop, the much heralded, 1994 Coretta Scott King Honor Book. Margaree King Mitchell is the author of that still-popular title, as well as Granddaddy’s Gift (1996).
Her latest book, When Grandmama Sings, was released last month to wonderful reviews. As we wind down this year’s campaign, it is an honor to feature the words and work of Margaree King Mitchell.
Visit The Brown Bookshelf to read features on African-American authors and illustrators.
The Buzz
From School Library Journal:
Gr-2-4 – Set in the segregated South of the 1950s, Mitchell’s poignant story features eight-year old Belle and her loving, stalwart African-American family. When Grandmama, who can’t read but whose singing voice captures the hearts of all who hear her, joins a jazz band for a tour of the South, Belle pleads to go along. Thrilled to expand her world beyond Pecan Flats, MS, she experiences firsthand the difficulties her people face: hotels marked “White Only,” diners that refuse them service, police who search their cars and luggage for no reason. Through it all, Grandmama sings to growing crowds, believing in the power of music to bring people together. When, at the story’s end, a recording contract beckons her “up north,” Grandmama tells Belle to believe in herself and “sing her own song.” Ransome’s full-page images, rich in color and feeling, portray the landscape of the South and the individual emotions of the characters with equal aplomb. Placed in the past, the message is still relevant for children today.” (Barbara Elleman, Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, Amherst, MA
From Kirkus Reviews:
Belle joins her beloved grandmother, a jazz singer, on a summer tour of Southern towns and sees that segregation is everywhere—not just at home in Mississippi.
Holding tight to her uncle’s lucky rabbit’s foot, Belle watches as Grandmama and the musicians face the ugliness of Jim Crow in diners and theaters and on the road. In Alabama, the police dump their belongings on the roadside, a state’s welcome. She also listens as her grandmother shares her dreams for an integrated society and thrills to her resounding performance on stage in Atlanta, one that leads to an offer to make recordings for a company up North. It’s a moment that inspires Belle to dream, because “the promise of her song helped me believe in myself.” As in Uncle Jed’s Barbershop (1993), for which Ransome won a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor, Mitchell has crafted another compelling story of an African-American family both strong and determined despite the all-powerful clamp of racism. Ransome uses watercolors in warm tones of yellows and browns to reveal nuances of expression and the warmth of family and community.
A gentle story that shows the everyday realities of segregation through the observant eye of a child. (Picture book. 5-9)
From Publishers Weekly:
“Mitchell and Ransome, the team behind Coretta Scott King Honor–winner Uncle Jed’s Barbershop, reunite for another story set in the early 20th century, in which intimate family relationships are set against a backdrop of racial segregation. Eight-year-old narrator Belle lives with her parents and Grandmama in the fictional town of Pecan Flats, Miss. Grandmama’s singing voice has earned her local fame, and when a man offers to “book her and a band on a small singing tour of the South,” she agrees, bringing Belle along for the ride. Written in the past tense, Belle’s narration has an elegiac quality, but while the band encounters plenty of discrimination on the road, triumphs outweigh setbacks (and Grandmama doesn’t come to any serious harm). Ransome’s lovely, naturalistic watercolors draw out a wealth of emotions from the characters, particularly Grandmama, whose expressions range from weariness to passion while she’s singing, and determination, such as when she slams money on the counter of a restaurant that won’t serve them. It’s a stirring reminder that it’s never too late to chase one’s dreams, no matter the obstacles. Ages 5–9. (Jan.)”
From The Horn Book:
From the author and the illustrator of Uncle Jed’s Barbershop (rev. 11/93) comes another picture book about life in the segregated South. The narrator recounts her grandmother’s story—she couldn’t read but “always had a song to sing”—which centers on Grandmama’s singing tour with her eight-year-old granddaughter there to keenly observe everything. Grandmama and her musicians initially draw small crowds, and Belle nervously points out the “whites only” signs wherever they go, but Grandmama is undeterred. Gradually word spreads about Grandmama’s talent as the tour continues, but the group still must contend with suspicion from Alabama police. The narration is calm and matter-of-fact, like Grandmama, who remains focused on what’s right, while in contrast Ransome’s paintings show the shame, sadness, and anger the characters feel. Mitchell’s latest picture book gives modern-day children a realistic depiction of the small humiliations and frightening moments African American travelers went through in their daily lives during the Jim Crow era, and it makes an excellent book for discussion. – Susan Dove Lempke
From Elizabeth Bird’s Librarian Preview:
Remember Uncle Jed’s Barbershop by Margaree King Mitchell, and illustrated by James Ransome? I sure as heck do because that book ends up on a lot of school lists of required reading. Well, that book came out in 1993 and is still in print to this day. Now Mitchell and Ransome have reunited at long last in When Grandmama Sings. In this picture book (historical) a girl can read and her grandma can’t. When her grandmother’s singing gives her a chance to go on tour she does so with her granddaughter. The trouble? They’re touring the segregated south. This is a book that covers both a meaningful relationship and history. A good companion to last year’s The Green Book by Calvin Ramsey and Floyd Cooper, don’t you think?
Splinterfire Features Young Adult Book Author
Margaree King Mitchell, author of the YA novel, The People In The Park, is one of four featured authors on Splinterfire for the month of October. Also featured are authors Lee Goldstein, Mary Ellen Donat, and Lee Benning.
The following is an excerpt from Splinterfire – Meet The Authors:
“Margaree King Mitchell was born in Holly Springs, MS. She is a graduate of Brandeis University and now lives in Kansas City. She is the creator of the Everybody Has A Dream program, which empowers students in urban and rural areas to shoot for the stars with aspirations for their lives. In 2002 Margaree received the SCERUS Award at the National Invitational Conference of Educational Research in the Urban South.
Margaree is renowned for her wonderful picture books. The People In The Park is her first foray into young adult fiction.”
Visit Splinterfire to continue reading about each author.
Celebrate African-American Music Appreciation Month with When Grandmama Sings
President Obama has issued a proclamation naming June as African-American Music Appreciation Month. I recently sat down with the Jazz Collaborative to discuss When Grandmama Sings. Following are excerpts from that conversation.
JC: Your book, When Grandmama Sings, intermingles jazz with Southern history. Describe the story.
MM: When Grandmama Sings takes place in the 1940’s. Belle’s grandmother is a local singer in a small town in Mississippi. She gets an opportunity to go on a tour of the South and she takes Belle with her.
When Grandmama Sings shows what life was like for black entertainers who traveled from place to place. Grandmama is protective of Belle but she doesn’t shelter her from the harsh realities of life. They encounter separate hotels for blacks and whites. They can’t eat in a restaurant after a show because of the color of their skin. Grandmama meets with injustice in New Orleans when a club owner wants her to perform without pay. And when she performs in a big venue in Atlanta the audience is segregated: whites sit on the main floor and black people have to sit in the balcony.
JC: But after the tour great things happen for Grandmama.
MM: Absolutely. I love happy endings. I want students to know that life isn’t fair or equal at times. Regardless of how you are treated, if you remain focused on the gift you have inside of you, no one act or person can put your light out.
JC: What defines the relationship between Belle and her grandmother?
Trust defines their relationship. Bell travels with her grandmother and helps her read signs, menus, newspapers, etc. Even though she is a child, Belle is providing a valuable service to her grandmother. Grandmama trusts Belle to read everything to her. And Belle trusts her grandmother to take care of her.
JC: I love the relationship between Belle and her grandmother. Tell us about your relationship with your grandmother.
MM: My grandmother and I were very close. When she visited her sisters in other cities, she took me with her. My earliest memories are of me sitting in a chair beside my grandmother and she is teaching me how to read. When I was older my grandmother taught me how to cook. I will always cherish those moments in the kitchen with her teaching me her secret recipes. I wanted to show the same closeness between Belle and her grandmother.
JC: Why is it important for children to read books like When Grandmama Sings during African-American Music Appreciation Month?
MM: With budget decreases in schools and arts programs being cut, students are not being exposed to music and art programs. It is important that students learn to appreciate different types of music. They should know that certain types of music were born out of struggle. If students hear music and can read about the challenges the artist faced, they will have a better appreciation of what it takes to build a career.
JC: Students loved your program on When Grandmama Sings where you introduced female blues and jazz singers. Why is it important that they actually hear the music from that era?
MM: Students are familiar with music of today: rap, hip hop, and pop songs. It isn’t every day that they hear a different type of music. By introducing them to blues and jazz singers, I hope the music will speak to something inside of them. They will see that stories can be told through music.
JC: When Grandmama Sings is a recipient of the Living The Dream Award. What does this honor mean to you?
MM: It is extra special because students voted on the books. I am honored that When Grandmama Sings touches the hearts and minds of students.
JC: What does African-American Music Appreciation Month mean to you?
MM: It means that adults and children can learn about the rich heritage of African American music. African-Americans played an integral role in all types of music: blues, jazz, soul, rock & roll, musical theater, opera, classical, and choral music. This month is a great time to learn about their contributions.
JC: Any final thoughts about music?
MM: There is strength in music. The songs of the Civil Rights Movement provided strength and hope during the entire struggle for equal rights. There is joy in music. A song has the ability to lift people to a higher realm. That’s joy! There is power in music. Music has the power to change moods. Music, in all of its styles, is part of our lives. It is like the different color strands in fabric that when woven together creates a beautiful garment.
JC: Thanks so much for talking to us. If people want to learn more about your books, where can they reach you?
MM: http://margareekmitchell.com
Book information, as well as contact information, is there.
Uncle Jed’s Barbershop Speaks To A New Generation
Recently I visited Schertz Elementary School near San Antonio to talk about Uncle Jed’s Barbershop. My main goal when visiting with students is to inspire them to dream big dreams for their lives. Students were excited to share their dreams. My heart is filled with joy because Uncle Jed’s story is just as relevant today as it was when it was first published.
Uncle Jed’s Barbershop tells the story of Uncle Jed who goes house to house cutting hair in the 1920’s and 1930’s. His dream is to open his own barbershop. However he meets with setback after setback. But he doesn’t give up on his dream. He finally opens his barbershop when he is 79 years old.
When I ask students to share their dreams of what they want to be when they grow up, I find that students fall into three categories: those who are eager to share, those who are shy and don’t want to voice their dreams, and those who have no dreams at all.
I try to draw out the shy, reticent ones to let them know that their dreams matter. And even if their friends laugh at them, it doesn’t matter. You see, my friends laughed at me too when I said I wanted to get my books published. But I didn’t listen to them and set about pursuing my dream.
When I encounter students who have no dreams I try to get them to think about what they like to do. As they think about the things they like soon the light comes on and there is a secret dream that they have but they don’t think they can accomplish it.
So I tell them my story, complete with the heartaches that made me want to quit and the successes that came because I didn’t give up on my dream.
Then we discuss Uncle Jed’s Barbershop and the setbacks Uncle Jed encountered on the way to achieving his dream.
By the end of the visit students realize that they can dream of accomplishing a goal. And they can achieve it, regardless of the challenges they encounter.
I know because of the many letters I receive from students. I also hear stories from people who met me at their schools years ago and are pursuing their dreams because of my encouragement.
I am overjoyed that a new generation of students is now hearing the Uncle Jed’s Barbershop story in a variety of ways: literature textbooks, required reading lists, social studies textbooks, financial planning lessons, entrepreneurship lessons, studying about relationships with older people, philanthropy education, lessons on the Great Depression, etc.
Because of the many lessons that have been developed from Uncle Jed’s Barbershop I am getting invitations to schools to tell students the story behind the story. If you would ask a student what they remember most about my visit, they will tell you that I encourage them to dream and to believe those dreams can come true, whether they are saving to buy a video game, or planning to go to college, or dreaming of becoming a scientist.
Students in other countries are also reading Uncle Jed’s Barbershop. The book has been translated into many languages. Students in China, South Korea, Israel, Japan, and other countries are hearing about Uncle Jed and his dream. I recently received an email from a father in Israel who told me how much the book impacted him and his daughter and the discussion that ensued because of it. Regardless of where they live, students are learning to dream big dreams for their lives. And in the process, they are learning something about the history of the American South.
The team of David Wohl, Kenneth Grimes, and Susan Einhorn has adapted Uncle Jed’s Barbershop into an award-winning musical featuring Broadway veterans. Students and their families can now see the story come to life on the stage when it comes to their cities.
TeenSpeak Memphis – A Special Place
I had a wonderful visit with teens in Memphis this week. We discussed having a special place to go when life turns upside down.
In my YA novel The People In The Park, Lauren seeks refuge in the park. This is how she describes her special place.
River Landing. A small but beautiful, scenic park with huge sprawling trees that stood guard over the playground and gazebo and lined the winding walking path was tucked into a natural preserve off downtown Fairfield. One side of the v-shaped three-mile walking trail meandered along the Missouri River. The other side bordered the railroad tracks.
The special places Memphis teens mentioned that they go to think about their lives were also in nature. Parks, hiking trails, lakes – Each had the ability to calm and provide serenity.
Stephanie says, “I like to draw. So any place I can sit and draw is a place I can get lost in and take me away from my troubles. My favorite place is a flower garden.”
Arie’s grandparents have a farm close to Memphis. She says, “I can go there and escape from life. The wide open spaces make me realize that there is more to life than petty problems.”
![Mingus_Park_(Coos_County,_Oregon_scenic_images)_(cooDA0031)[1]](https://i2.wp.com/margareekmitchell.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Mingus_Park_Coos_County_Oregon_scenic_images_cooDA00311.jpg)
Caryn says, “I like to go to the lake. Any lake. And just sit and stare out at the water. When I leave I feel refreshed.” She adds, “I could identify with Lauren because her special park has a river. There is something about water that soothes your soul.”
When life gets hard nature beckons Memphis teens. It is a place to be alone with their thoughts. A place to renew & refresh.
TeenSpeak Atlanta – Allowances
Teens in Fayetteville, a south suburb of Atlanta, are reading The People In The Park and talking allowances. Their reaction to Lauren’s father being arrested, his bank accounts being frozen, placing his daughter on a $100 a week spending budget, and taking away her credit cards is sparking lively conversation.
Most teens in Fayetteville do not receive an allowance. They got one when they were younger and just learning about money. As they grew into their pre-teen years there wasn’t a need for allowances because their needs varied from week to week.
By the time they reached their teens it was understood that their needs would be met.
Teens thought that Lauren was being unreasonable and complaining about having to get by on $100 a week. “Lauren needs to learn that family is more important than money,” says Christina.
Dani says she could spread $100 over 3 weeks if she had to cut back. She goes on to say, “It was great Lauren’s father got in trouble because Lauren needed to learn how to exhibit discipline in how she spends money.”
Leslie considers herself a really smart shopper. She actually makes her own clothes. Therefore Leslie says, “I wouldn’t spend $100 a week. I would keep it in my bank account because I wouldn’t know how long it would be before things returned to normal.” Leslie thinks if she had to cut back she could get by on $10 a week. “If someone needs $100 a week to get by, they are really using it on stuff they don’t need.”
TeenSpeak Atlanta – SCANDAL & SHAME
Teens in the Atlanta area are weighing in on Scandal & Shame as it relates to Lauren in The People In The Park.
In the book Lauren arrives home from school and sees her mother crying. The TV is tuned to a news channel. Lauren says:
I sat there mesmerized as the news anchor said, “Peter Williams, Founder of Williams Ortiz L.L.P., was arrested this morning. He is accused of bilking clients out of millions of dollars. An early estimate puts the figure at $300 million. Arrested along with him were other top officials of the law firm, including Samuel Ortiz, Chief Financial Officer, and Roger Moffit, Managing director. It is not clear the role they played in the fraud, what is known…” the anchor continued.
But my mind stopped when the reporter said Roger Moffit. My Dad. Roger Moffit. It couldn’t be. There had to be some mistake.
Roger Moffit, who always taught me right from wrong. Roger Moffit, who always told me that stealing is wrong. Not that Roger Moffit. It must be somebody else.
Later Lauren continues:
How could I hold my head up at school tomorrow knowing my daddy’s picture was broadcast all over the world as being a crook? There’s no way I could go back to school. But my friends were there. What would they think?
TeenSpeak Atlanta reporter Christina reports that Lauren’s reaction to her father’s arrest is spot on.
Most teens said they would be highly embarrassed if the same thing happened to their father. They didn’t know if the scandal or the shame they felt would be worse. Sabrina even went so far as to say that the shame would be so great that she would not even go back to school.
Another teen said she could not bear facing her friends and teachers. The shame of the situation would make her get on a plane and go to a place where no one knew her.
Christina said her reaction would depend on which relative was on the news and what crime they were accused of. If it was something really, really bad like murder or cheating people out of millions of dollars, she wouldn’t be able to show her face ever again.
Christina sums up by saying, “Family members can make teens embarrassed to know them. We are always told to be on our best behavior. But how are we supposed to feel if a parent engages in criminal activity?
“I think parents should set the example and display the high standards that they want us to display.”
3 Ways To Inspire Students On School Visits
My chief mission on school visits is to inspire students to dream big and believe their dreams can come true. When I volunteered in schools, I discovered that many students had no dreams beyond going to school every day. They didn’t connect the present to the future. They didn’t realize that doing well in school now could make possible a great life in the future. In the process of working with the students I learned that first and foremost they needed someone to believe in them. Someone to tell them they were smart. Someone to encourage them to believe that they could do great things in life.
Now when I visit with students to talk about my books, regardless of whether they are in elementary, middle, or high school, I try to connect with them before I even mention my books. I do this by:
1) Telling My Story – I let them know that on the way to achieving dreams there will be setbacks. But they shouldn’t let those challenges deter them from their dreams. They should keep their dreams in sight and forge ahead regardless of the difficulties they encounter. I share with them the rejections I received and all the great things that have happened because I didn’t give up when I received rejection letters.
2) Engaging Them – I actually try to talk to students individually. I love talking to small groups of students. In small settings I can ask questions and get feedback on how they think. I also ask about their dreams for the future. In small groups students feel free to share their hopes and dreams. In large groups it never fails that some students will laugh at a particular student’s dream that has been shared. I let students know that they matter. And I encourage them to dream big dreams for their lives.
3) Talking About The Story Behind My Books – In my books I tell stories about ordinary people who achieved extraordinary things for the time period in which they lived. I do this to let students know that they too can make a difference in the world.
By the time I read one of my books or an excerpt from one, I have captured their attention and hopefully inspired a few to see beyond their present circumstances and dream of a better life.
I recently saw the following comment that a college student had written online about my first book, Uncle Jed’s Barbershop.
“When I first read this book way back in elementary school I loved it and still do. I am a college sophomore now. The first day I got this book I met Margaree King Mitchell and she was so nice. She had come to our school to have a book signing and she wrote ‘Never Give Up On Your Dreams’ in my book. I’m following that dream by going to college.”
Needless to say, this made my day. And it makes what I’m doing worthwhile. If I can just touch a few students (although I hope to touch all) and convince them that they can be and do anything they desire in life, then I am fulfilling my mission.
