In the Time of the Drums

By Kim L. Siegelson, Brian Pinkney

Mentu, an enslaved child, learns about the culture of his people from his grandmother, Twi in this Gullah folk tale of an insurrection at Teakettle Creek.

Description

It used to be that huge ships often landed near Teakettle Creek bringing African people to work on the island’s plantations. Some of the Africans who live on the island made goatskin drums and play music to remind themselves of home. Young Mentu was island born, but grandmother Twi had come from Africa, and she longs for home. Thanks to Twi, Mentu learns to play the drums and to respect the strength of the music.

One day a new ship carrying Africans docked at Teakettle Creek sends out the beat of drums–a roar from the Africans inside the ship who are pounding for their homeland. The beat calls to Twi, urging her to seek freedom. But the only place for freedom is in the murky waters of Teakettle Creek. Now Grandmother Twi must choose between the drum’s lure and the island that young Mentu calls home.

The recipient of the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award in 2000, this spellbinding story is now back in print. In the Time of the Drums is an extraordinary Gullah tale of mysticism, intrigue, strength, and courage that will leave readers of all ages spellbound.

About the Creators

Kim L. Siegelson
Kim L. Siegelson

Kim L. Siegelson is the author of several picture books, as well as a popular speaker at conferences, writing workshops, and school visits. She grew up hearing the unforgettable account of Africans walking into the water near Georgia’s Sapelo Island, and this story became the inspiration for In the Time of the Drums. Siegelson lives with her family in Atlanta, Georgia.

Brian Pinkney
Brian Pinkney

Brian Pinkney is the acclaimed illustrator of numerous award-winning books. In addition to the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award for In the Time of the Drums, he has been honored with two Caldecott Medal Honors, four Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award Honors, and the Boston Globe/Horn Book Award. Pinkney lives in Brooklyn, New York, with his wife and frequent collaborator, Andrea Davis Pinkney, and their two children.

Awards

  • Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award

    American Library Association (ALA)

  • CCBC Choices

    Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)

  • Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People

    National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS)

Paperback

  • ISBN 9781620143094
  • Publication Date Oct 15, 2016
  • Trim Size 11.25 × 8.75 in
  • Weight 0.375 lbs
  • Page Count 32
  • Interests

  • Audience Children
  • BISAC Category 1 JUV / Historical / United States / Colonial & Revolutionary Periods
  • BISAC Category 2 JUV / People & Places / United States / African American
  • BISAC Category 3 JUV / Family / Multigenerational
  • Themes African / African American / Black, Courage, Families, Fiction, Folktale / Folklore / Traditional Literature, Grandparents, Heroism, History & Civics, Multiple Ethnicities Represented, Music, Persistence / Grit, Religion / Spiritual, Slavery, United States History
  • Reading Levels

  • Age Range Ages 6 - 10
  • Grade Range Grades 1 - 5
  • Guided Reading W
  • ATOS Book Level 4.6
  • DRA 60
  • Interest Level Grades 1 - 5
  • Lexile Code AD
  • Lexile Level 570
  • Reading Level Grades 3 - 4
  • Bebop Reading Fluent
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