The Coretta Scott King award was launched in order to honor the accomplishments of African American authors and illustrators. This prestigious award has been presented at the annual meeting of the ALA since 1972.Tar Beach won the Illustrator Award in 1992. This book speaks of a young girl, Cassie Lightfoot who has a dream to be free to go wherever she wants for the rest of her life and create a better life for her family. One night while sitting on Tar Beach, also known as the rooftop of her parent's apartment building in Harlem, this dream becomes a realization at least in her imagination. The stars lift her up and she begins to claim buildings and bridges as her own, including the Union building. This part of the story is symbolic because her father can't go into that building because he is a colored man and her grandfather was not a member of the Union. The message of this story is so touching that by the end of the book, you feel as though you are free and flying above the stars too!
The illustrations in this book are bright, vivid, and colorful. The bottom of each illustration has an outline of different fabric patches which remind you of a quilt. Most of the pictures have a background of a night sky with Cassie flying high above. My favorite illustration is of Cassie flying above the George Washington Bridge claiming it as her own to wear like a diamond necklace. The historic references to African American culture make this a must read for all! I was highly impressed with both the message and illustrations.
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