" Drylongso, written by Virginia Hamilton and illustrated by Jerry Pinkney, is a bit longer picture book than most. The story of an African-American farm family living through a recent drought, Drylongso evokes old legends and folk heroes and makes history feel like a living, breathing part of our beings. If you've not read any books of Virginia Hamilton, considered by some to be our country's best children's author, this would be a wonderful place to start. Young girls especially will like the winsome character of Lindy. "