Tar Beach facts for kids
| Author | Faith Ringgold |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Faith Ringgold |
| Cover artist | Faith Ringgold |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's literature |
| Publisher | Crown Publishers, Inc. |
|
Publication date
|
hardcover 1991; paperback 1996 |
| Pages | 32pp |
| ISBN | 9780517885444 |
Tar Beach, written and illustrated by Faith Ringgold, is a popular children's picture book. It was first published in 1991 by Crown Publishers, Inc.. This book quickly became famous, earning a special honor called the Caldecott Honor Book in 1992. It was Faith Ringgold's very first book.
The Story of Tar Beach
The story of Tar Beach takes place in New York City in 1939. The main character is a young girl named Cassie. Her special place, which she calls "Tar Beach," is actually the roof of her apartment building in Harlem.
Cassie has a big dream: she wants to be able to go anywhere she wishes. One magical night, her dream comes true. The stars seem to help her, and she finds herself flying high above the city.
Awards and Recognition
Tar Beach has won many important awards. For this book, Faith Ringgold received the Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Award. This award celebrates new authors and illustrators.
She also won the Coretta Scott King Award for Illustration. This award honors African American authors and illustrators of children's books. Tar Beach was also a runner-up for the Caldecott Medal. The Caldecott Medal is a top award from the American Library Association for the best picture book illustrations.
The book was also named a New York Times Best Illustrated Book. It also won the Parents' Choice Gold Award. These awards show how special and well-loved Tar Beach is.
Related Art and Media
Faith Ringgold created a special artwork called Tar Beach 2. She calls this piece a "story quilt." Story quilts are a unique way she combines art and storytelling.
The book has also been featured in the media. On October 21, 2016, Faith Ringgold read her book on film for NPR. This allowed many people to hear the story directly from the author.
In a video from May 12, 2012, for the Craft In America series on PBS, Ringgold talked about her art. She explained how she made the illustrations for Tar Beach. These illustrations were originally textile pieces, like fabric art, which were then photographed for the book. She also shared what inspired her to create them.
