Includes bibliographical references (pages 167-170) and index.

From hand to hand : Hand claps -- Turn about : Jump rope rhymes and games -- Shake yo' body : Circle games and ring shouts -- Follow the drinking gourd : Songs inspired by the underground railroad -- Make a joyful noise : Spirituals, hymns, and gospel music -- Pearls of wisdom : Proverbs, psalms, and parables -- A word to the wise : Superstitions, fables, and mama sayings -- On program : Performance pieces inspired by African American writers -- On the porch or by the fire : Folktales and storytelling.

Parents and grandparents will delight in sharing this exuberant book with the children in their lives. Here is a songbook, a storybook, a poetry collection, and much more, all rolled into one. Find a partner for hand claps such as "Eenie, Meenie, Sassafreeny," or form a circle for games like "Little Sally Walker." Gather as a family to sing well-loved songs like "Amazing Grace" and "Oh, Freedom," or to read aloud the poetry of such African American luminaries as Langston Hughes, James Weldon Johnson, and Paul Laurence Dunbar. And snuggle down to enjoy classic stories retold by the author, including Aesop's fables and tales featuring Br'er Rabbit and Anansi the Spider.