Tar Beach

by Faith Ringgold

Acclaimed artist Faith Ringgold weaves fiction, autobiography, and African American history into a magical story that resonates with the universal wish for freedom. Book synopsis: Cassie Louise Lightfoot has a dream: to be free to go wherever she wants for the rest of her life. One night, up on “tar beach,” the rooftop of her family’s Harlem apartment building, her dreams come true. The stars lift her up, and she flies over the city, claiming the buildings and the city as her own. Recommended for readers 5-8 years old. 

Hardcover; 32 pages

Dimensions: 9.5 x 12 in. 

Faith Ringgold (October 8, 1930 - April 13, 2024) was an American painter, author, mixed media sculptor, performance artist, and intersectional activist. She was born in Harlem, New York City, and was an art teacher in the NYC public school system. As a multimedia artist, her works explored themes of family, race, class, and gender. Her series of story quilts, designed from the 1980s on, captured the experiences of Black Americans and became her signature art form. During her career, she promoted the work of Black artists and rallied against their marginalization by the art museums. She wrote and illustrated over a dozen children's books.