It was a party in the sky! Everyone was going to be there. Uncle Bates and Lonnie have to catch a plane to the Harlem Renaissance. When they get there, they begin to meet the Who's Who of African Americans. Pancakes at Jack Johnson's restaurant. W.E.B. DuBois at the NAACP Crisis Magazine headquarters. Madame C.J.Walker in her convertible. Paul Robeson on stage at the Harlem Opera House. Lonnie was on a mission to see one person: Langston Hughes. Hughes was Lonnie's idol. Lonnie himself wanted to be a writer but was not too sure of himself. Langston asked Lonnie, "Do you write, Lonnie?" Lonnie answered yes, but sometimes. According to Langston, to be a writer, all you have to do IS write. Lonnie and Uncle Bates, needless to say, had a once in a lifetime trip, because the likes of Alain Locke, Carter G. Woodson, and Josephine Baker-among so many others in the Harlem Renaissance Era- only come around...once in a lifetime. ( )

Lonnie and his Uncle Bates travel back in time to a Harlem Renaissance Party. There, he mets Langston Hughes, W.E.B DuBois, Josephine Baker, and many more. This book is incredibly informative without overwhelming the reader with information.n ( )

A young boy, Lonnie, and his Uncle Bates see a message written across the sky that is an invitation to come to Harlem to meet the men and women of the Harlem Renaissance. They decide to jump on a plane and attend. Lonnie is most interested in meeting the poet Langston Hughes. They first stop for breakfast where they begin to meet some of the great men and woman of the Harlem Renaissance then they join other at the parade. Jack Johnson, the first black heavyweight boxing champion in the world and Uncle Bates' friend, introduces Lonnie and Uncle Bates to Dr. Du Bois, the founder of the NAACP who hopefully will lead them to Langston. On their search for Langston, the two go into the Africana Art Gallery, which is filled with art by African Americans including William H, .Johnson and Meat Vaux Warrick Fuller. As they continue, they meet Paul Robeson, a famous singer, actor and athlete, in the Harlem Opera House, and Florence Mills and Jo Baker, both famous African American actresses who give them more suggestions as to where to find Mr. Hughes. In the Schomburg Library they meet Zora Neale Hurston, a famous writer and finally Langston Hughes! As excited as to be Lonnie and Uncle Bates then go to the Savoy Ballroom, where they danced to the music of Satchmo, a famous African American musician, with all of their new friends. As they are on their flight back home Lonnie realizes that African Americans fought for their freedom "by creating art, music, literature and dance." Uncle Bates reminds Lonnie that the influence of African American is all around them. That night Lonnie dreams that he is featured at the next Harlem Renaissance party where even Langston Hughes is celebrating him! This is an amazing book for children to be introduced to and learn about all of the contributions of African Americans to the arts. Lonnie and Uncle Bates' journey through the party introduces many famous artists, musicians, and writers whom all children should be introduced to while sharing an amazing message of the freedom African American's fought for. ( )

I think this was my favorite book that I've read for this week. I think it held a lot of really good information to know. I like how Faith Ringgold called the faces of the Harlem Renaissance, the "renaissance giants" and then drew them bigger than Uncle Bates and Lonnie. I think this book could be used to read to the class during Black History Month, by reading this book the students would learn who a lot of influential black people are. My favorite quote in the book is "black people didn't come to America to be free. We fought for our freedom by creating art, music, literature, and dance." I love this quote because it really rings true, there is so much black culture in all of America. The way we dress, the music we listen to, the foods we eat. Living in New Orleans, it is so easy to open your eyes and look at all of the things that Harlem Renaissance changed for us culture wise. I really liked this book, I think I am going to order it for myself. ( )

This book was very educational. I love how it gave so many facts and not just spitting out facts, but it created a party environment to teach great little facts about some important people in our African American History. I found it intriguing that Lonnie was portrayed as Albino. I think that African American Albinos are very underrepresented in the world. I loved how there is a Harlem renaissance Glossary and a further reading list. I haven't seen this in the books I've read so far. What a great read! ( )