Tar Beach
Picture Book Read Aloud
book summary
The setting of Tar Beach is a lively Harlem neighborhood in 1939. The backdrop of 1939 Harlem makes Tar Beach an illustrated masterpiece and a conversation piece about African-American culture. Ironically, Tar Beach is not a beach. It is the name given to the rooftop of the apartment where eight-year-old Cassie Lightfoot and her family live. The rooftop Tar Beach is where Cassie’s family and neighbors would gather to hang out and relax on warm summer afternoons and evenings. Nights on Tar Beach were filled with lots of laughter and food including fried chicken, watermelon, and roasted peanuts. While Cassie’s mom and dad are hanging out with the neighbors, Cassie relaxes on their roof mattress with her little brother. Cassie loved laying on the mattress and gazing up at the stars. It wasn’t uncommon for the stars to reach down and lift Cassie up into the sky, and then she’s flying the New York City sky (in her imagination, course).
