This book is about how African Americans have used children’s literature to represent, explore, and interpret both the real and imagined lives of Black people. Through an historical examination of writing and art dating back to the 1920-1921 publication of The Brownie’s Book magazine up through books of the late eighties, Telling Tales invites readers to look at the knowledge, ideologies, and messages that African American writers choose to pass on to young people. Most of all, Telling Tales is a celebration of the richness and promise of African American children’s literature.