Papa's Free Day Party

<p>Johnnie wants to celebrate her Papa's birthday but Papa doesn't know exactly when that special day is. Johnnie doesn't understand how that could be. Then she learns about Papa's childhood--how he built a new life in the all-Black town of Boley Oklahoma. Inspired by her father's incredible story Johnnie decides to throw Papa a different kind of party--one to recognize her Father's Day of freedom. Based on a true story about the author's grandfather Papa's Free Day Party is a powerful celebration of storytelling strength and the importance of family. Th book's author Marilyn Nelson is the author of the memoir How I Discovered Poetry written in a series of 50 poems. It is a Coretta Scott King Honor Book and was named on of NPR's Best Books of 2014. She was Poet Laureate of Connecticut from 2001 to 2006.</p>