SWEET DREAMS, SARAH: From Slavery to Inventor (Creston Books, May 1, 2019)
illustrated by Chris Ewald.
The book received the 2019 Eureka Honor Award from the California Reading Association and was selected as a 2020 Notable Social Studies Trade Book.
Sarah E.Goode was one of the first African-American women to get a U.S. patent. Working in her furniture store, she recognized a need for a multi-use bed and through hard work, ingenuity, and determination, invented her unique cupboard bed. She built more than a piece of furniture. She built a life far away from slavery, a life where her sweet dreams could come true.
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Vivian’s local bookstore (request a signed copy): Bookery Manchester
“Beautifully enhanced with the artwork of Chris Ewald, “Sweet Dreams, Sarah: From Slavery to Inventor” is author Vivian Kirkfield’s exceptional presentation of the remarkable life story of a remarkable woman and is recommended for family, elementary school, and community library picture book biography collections for young readers ages 5-9″ —Midwest Book Review
Ewald illustrates the story’s people and objects elegantly using shadow and light. Kirkfield’s back matter offers a timeline and additional biographical information on this tenacious, innovative inventor. ―Publishers Weekly
VERDICT A great addition to biography and history collections, this title offers a fascinating glimpse into the life of a little-known trailblazer.―School Library Journal
Reviews from teachers and librarians:
VIVIAN KIRKFIELD - Writer for Children 