Tar Beach by Faith Ringgold

Ringgold, Faith. Tar Beach. New York: Crown Publishers, 1991. 

"Anyone can fly. All you need is somewhere to go that you can't get to any other way. The next thing you know, you're flying among the stars."

-Cassie Louise Lightfoot

Tar Beach is a fascinating and imaginative children's book in which Faith Ringgold ties her own childhood memories as well as African American history into her fictional story. 

It takes place in the late 1930's on the top of eight year old, African-American, Cassie Louise Lightfoot's city apartment, called Tar Beach. here, Cassie take her dreams to new heights- literally. Cassie explains that she can own anything that she flies over. She glides past Daddy's Union so she can give it to him. Ringgold touches on the fact that "colored or half breed Indian like they say" couldn't join the Union. Ringgold characterizes Cassie as a strong, heroic, black, female child who strive to give her family a better life. 

Interestingly, Tar Beach was actually a story quilt before it became a children's book. Incorporating Faith Ringgold's quilt into the story, she place the quilt as the border on each page with the beautifully painted illustrations as the center focus. Ringgold uses many vibrant and colorful hues that stay constant as you turn the page. Her are emphasizes the African culture by using many browns, oranges, and reds. The night sky, where Cassie flies, is a deep and peaceful blue, symbolizing freedom. She has no worried in the sky, and works to free her family of the hardships that they face. 

This book is suitable for third grade and above. It is important for the children to have a basic idea of the time period in order to understand this story.