Audiobooks Narrated by Kim Staunton

Before the Ships: The Birth of Black Excellence

"Before the Ships is a powerful and poetic celebration of the early roots of Black history. The great achievements and accomplishments across Africa prior to the Transatlantic slave trade are told through melodious words, that culminate into the strength and resilience of modern-day Black people. For so many of us, the first introduction to Black history begins with lessons about slavery. While slavery is a crucial part of African-American history, it is not the beginning. In fact, there is a rich history tied to the continent of Africa that deserves to be told and to be marveled at-- which is exactly what Maisha Oso does in Before the Ships."

Maisha Oso (Author), Kim Staunton (Narrator)

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Those Who Saw the Sun: African American Oral Histories from the Jim Crow South

"The past is not past. We may think something ancient history, or something that doesn’t affect our present day, but we would be wrong. Those Who Saw the Sun is a collection of oral histories told by Black people who grew up in the South during the time of Jim Crow. Jaha Nailah Avery is a lawyer, scholar, and reporter whose family has roots in North Carolina stretching back over 300 years. These interviews have been a personal passion project for years as she’s traveled across the South meeting with elders and hearing their stories. One of the most important things a culture can do is preserve history, truthfully. In Those Who Saw the Sun we have the special privilege of hearing this history as it was experienced by those who were really there. The opportunity to read their stories, their similarities and differences, where they agree and disagree, and where they overcame obstacles and found joy, feels truly like a gift."

Jaha Nailah Avery (Author), Arnell Powell, Jaha Nailah Avery, Kim Staunton (Narrator)

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Evicted!: The Struggle for the Right to Vote

"Black hands in Fayette County, Tennessee, were free to pick cotton and corn but were barred from casting ballots. A whirlwind of change blew through the county when Black landowners like John McFerren and Harpman Jameson organized registration drives to help Black citizens vote—but not without violent attempts to stop it. White farmers evicted Black sharecroppers off their land, leaving families stranded and forced to live in tents. White shopkeepers also refused to sell to them. But the voiceless did finally speak. In 1965 the Voting Rights Act legally ended voter discrimination. Alice Faye Duncan’s powerful words and Charly Palmer’s bold art not only capture the Tent City struggle but also the hope, determination, and unwavering courage of everyday people."

Alice Faye Duncan (Author), Kim Staunton (Narrator)

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Chasing King's Killer: The Hunt for Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Assassin

"An astonishing account of the assassination of America's most beloved and celebrated civil rights leader, Martin Luther King, by NY Times bestselling author, James L. Swanson. NAACP Image Award NomineeChicago Public Library Best Book of the YearKirkus Reviews Best Young Adult Book of the Year* '[James L. Swanson's] masterful work... reveals, in gripping style, how one individual can impact history.' --Booklist, starred reviewIn his meteoric, thirteen-year rise to fame, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. led a mass movement for Civil Rights -- with his relentless peaceful, non-violent protests, public demonstrations, and eloquent speeches. But as violent threats cast a dark shadow over Dr. King's life, Swanson hones in on James Earl Ray, a bizarre, racist, prison escapee who tragically ends King's life.As he did in his bestselling Scholastic MG/YA books Chasing LIncoln's Killer and 'THE PRESIDENT HAS BEEN SHOT!', Swanson transports readers back to one of the most shocking, sad, and terrifying events in American history.Over 80 photographs, captions, bibliography, various source notes, and index included."

James L. Swanson (Author), Kim Staunton (Narrator)

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Thank You, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.!

"Young Mary Elouise is unhappy about who she is, until two African storytellers come to her school and help her to appreciate the value of her heritage. Eleanora E. Tate shares the richness of the contemporary African American experience with themes that speak to young readers of every color: self-acceptance, a healthy pride, and the importance of family and of community."

Eleanora Tate (Author), Kim Staunton (Narrator)

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The Secret of Gumbo Grove

"Eleven-year-old Raisin enjoys doing odd jobs for old Ms. Effie Pfluggins. Ms. Effie is the church secretary, and she has fascinating stories to tell about the African American history and people of Gumbo Grove. When old Miss Pfluggins asks her to help clean up the church cemetery, Raisin discovers a real-life mystery that no one wants to talk about. There's a famous person buried in a forgotten plot, but the townsfolk seem to think that the past is better left buried. Now Raisin's parents are watching her every move and they don't want her nosing around in the cemetery anymore. How can she ignore a mystery that the whole town seems eager to forget? Eleanora E. Tate blends mystery, warmth, and humor into an unforgettable tale set in a small North Carolina town. Children of any age or race will identify with this spirited African-American girl who values truth and stands up for her beliefs."

Eleanora Tate (Author), Kim Staunton (Narrator)

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Ernestine & Amanda

"Ernestine is too fat and acts like she can play the piano better than anyone—at least that's what Amanda thinks. Amanda is stuck-up and has a big mouth—Ernestine knows that's true. And to top it all off, Ernestine has stolen Amanda's best friend. There's no way Ernestine and Amanda will ever be friends. No way. Music lessons, church, the Delta Sigma Theta Jabberwock, a party, a piano competition, and the truly gross fact that Ernestine's brother is dating Amanda's sister keep bringing the two girls together. And somehow they don't end up hating each other as much as they expected. As they go through fifth grade, Ernestine and Amanda find out more and more about each other, and about themselves. They're not friends. But they're not quite enemies either. They're something in-between, and they are growing up together."

Sandra Belton (Author), Kim Staunton (Narrator)

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Jamaica's Find

"Jamaica has a problem. She's found a stuffed dog in the park, all dirty and worn from lots of hugging. Instead of taking it to the lost and found department, she's taken it home. Now, as she sits in her room staring at the dog, she's starting to feel bad. Maybe the toy dog belongs to a little girl just like Jamaica. When she decides to do the right thing and take the dog back to the park, she gets a very happy surprise. Jamaica's moral dilemma will undoubtedly interest young readers, as their consciences begin to grasp the concepts of right and wrong. Kim Staunton's reading supplies the compassion and empathy that children require in those all-too-familiar situations in which the right choice is not necessarily the easy one."

Juanita Havill (Author), Kim Staunton (Narrator)

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