Eleanora E. Tate

It's 1921, and when Celeste Lassiter Massey goes to stay with her Aunt Valentina in Harlem, she is not thrilled to trade her friends and comfortable North Carolina surroundings for scary big city life with a famous actress. While Celeste absorbs the excitement of the Harlem Renaissance in full swing, she sees as much grit as glamour. A passionate writer, talented violinist, and aspiring doctor, Celeste eventually faces a choice between ambition and loyalty, roots and horizons. The decision will change her forever.

AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY COMES TO LIFE Discover why young people all over the country are reading the Black Stars biographies of African American heroes. Here is what you want to know about the lives of great black men and women during the fabulous Harlem Renaissance: louis "satchmo" armstrong eubie blake thomas andrew dorsey w. e. b. du bois duke ellington james reese europe jessie redmon fauset marcus garvey w. c. handy fletcher henderson langston hughes zora neale hurston hall johnson henry johnson oscar micheaux philip payton jr. gertrude "ma" rainey paul robeson augusta savage noble sissle bessie smith james van der zee dorothy west carter g. woodson "The books in the Black Stars series are the types of books that would have really captivated me as a kid." –Earl G. Graves, Black Enterprise magazine "Inspiring stories that demonstrate what can happen when ingenuity and tenacity are paired with courage and hard work." –Black Books Galore! Guide to Great African American Children’s Books "Haskins has chosen his subjects well . . . catching a sense of the enormous obstacles they had to overcome. . . . Some names are familiar, but most are little-known whom Haskins elevates to their rightful place in history." –Booklist "The broad coverage makes this an unusual resource–a jumping-off point for deeper studies." –Horn Book