How Do You Spell Unfair?: MacNolia Cox and the National Spelling Bee
Carole Boston Weatherford
A Coretta Scott King Author Honor BookFrom a multi-award-winning pair comes a deeply affecting portrait of determination against discrimination: the story of young spelling champion MacNolia Cox. MacNolia Cox was no ordinary kid. Her idea of fun was reading the dictionary. more
40 pages, Hardcover
First published Candlewick Press
4.43
Rating
535
Ratings
115
Reviews
Carole Boston Weatherford
89 books 360 followers
Carole Boston Weatherford is a children's book author and poet who mines the past for family stories, traditions, and struggles. A number of CAROLE's books tell the stories of African-American historical figures such as Harriet Tubman, Jesse Owens, and Billie Holiday. Other books recount historical events such as the Greensboro Sit-ins and the bombing of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham. CAROLE's books have received a wide variety of awards, including a Caldecott Honour for “Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People To Freedom”.Community reviews
Carole Boston Weatherford tells the story of MacNolia Cox, a gifted and award winning young speller whose participation in the 1936 Scripps National Spelling Bee revealed the blatant prejudice that was aimed at African Americans in this contest. MacNolia would probably have won the Spelling Bee had she not been asked to spell a word that was not included on the list of words to be used in the Bee. Her elimination allowed a Caucasian student to win. In 2021 the U. S. more
Whew…I love when these two get together and create magic. I picked this up after it was featured in a NYT article about the experience of African Americans competing in the National spelling bee. I competed in spelling bees as a kid and absolutely enjoyed them. I never made it far, but I remember loving hanging out with other kids from different places. I wasn’t familiar with MacNolia Cox so this was a great introduction. more
Family Picture Book Read-Aloud Afternoon: A Nine-Book Pile. An interesting tidbit from history of the first Black American to make it to the final round of the National Spelling Bee in Washington, D. C. in 1936 despite segregation and blatant racism. I'm grateful for the introduction to MacNolia Cox, but the prose is a bit too flat for a picture book, reading more like a book report than a story. more
So sensitively told, I think that this book would be a well-liked read aloud, especially for any young student about to tackle participating in a spelling bee themselves. I helped run the Scripps Howard Bee at my local paper quite a few years (and quite a few years ago) and have always loved spelling bees. It’s hard to believe the discrimination MacNolia and her friends faced. I think it would open a great discussion about this sad aspect of American history with children in a very relatable way. The art looked liked oil painting-just gorgeous and expressive. more
How Do You Spell Unfair. tells the story of MacNolia Cox, who made it to the National Spelling Bee in 1936. I love how Weatherford set MacNolia in her time among other Black luminaries. This would be a great choice for learning about spelling bees as well as Cox and segregation in the US. The illustrations were marvelous, and as a lover of spelling, I enjoyed the "can you spell. more
An inspiring picture book biography about MacNolia Cox who was the first African American to win the Akron, Ohio, spelling bee that allowed her to compete in the National Spelling Bee in Washington, D. C. Weatherford does a wonderful job telling MacNolia's story: the triumphs, obstacles, frustrations, and ultimately MacNolia's poignant legacy. With Morrison's dynamic illustrations, this is a powerful story that will inspire as well as inform. A thoughtful picture book to use when discussing spelling bees and other academic competitions. more
This was a short, awesome picture book. I learned so much. more
Enlightening and infuriating. Along with A Case for Loving and other narrative nonfiction titles, these books present the history of racism in the US in a way young people can see clearly. We need these books in EVERY library for children. Book bans be damned. more
This received a well deserved Coretta Scott King honor award at the ALA media awards. I was interested to learn of 8th grader MacNolia Cox’s achievements, even though racism broke through to prevent her getting higher in the competition. She and one other girl were the first 2 African American girls to compete in 1936, in the Washington DC National Spelling Bee since its founding. The text and illustrations together were magical. It’d be a great book to read out loud to students. more
I think this is a great book for any teachers looking for a story time book related to spelling bees. My school participated in the Scripps Spelling Bee every year and tried to theme readings around spelling bee stories. It's a great way to get kids excited about the event and remind them to study. more
In a Foreword, Weatherford relates that spelling bees have not always been open to Blacks in segregated areas in the US. In 1908, a 14-year-old Black girl from Ohio led her team to victory in a nationwide spelling bee, and whites were angry. Thereafter, Blacks were barred from many local spelling bees, even in the North. She writes: “There would not be another Black finalist at a national spelling bee until 1936. This is her story. more
How Do You Spell Unfair. by Carole Boston Weatherford and illustrated by Frank Morrison is full of lots of opportunities for learning. From Black history to vocabulary to coping with disappointment, this nonfiction children’s book packs a big impact for readers young and old. How Do You Spell Unfair. is the story of 8th grader, MacNolia Cox and her journey to the Scripps National Spelling Bee. more
Richie’s Picks: HOW DO YOU SPELL UNFAIR. MACNOLIA COX AND THE NATIONAL SPELLING BEE by Carole Boston Weatherford and Frank Morrison, ill. , Candlewick, April 2023, 40p. , ISBN: 978-1-5362-1554-0Can you spell p-a-t-h-e-t-i-c. “The first time that Black and white spellers competed nationally, the white grown-ups were sore losers. more
MacNolia Cox was a bookworm. But her book worming was limited to one particular book—the Dictionary. As an eight grader, in 1936, MacNolia wins the school spelling bee. As a result, she advanced to the city-wide bee. She was “Can you spell nervous. more
In 1908, a black girl from Ohio led her team to win against an all-white team at the National Education Association Spelling Bee. Because black children out-spelled whites in competition, it showed that blacks were as smart as whites and were not inferior as racists believed. Unfortunately, it took until 1936 for another black finalist to be a contestant at a national spelling bee. In 1936, eighth-grader MacNolia Cox won her school’s spelling bee. Earning a trip to the state of Ohio’s spelling bee she battled until the final round against a boy and eventually won. more
Weathorford tells the story of how Black children were mistreated in the National Spelling Bee. The Foreword and the Epilogue provide a broader context by detailing the roadblocks and achievements of several African American spellers. For example, in 1908, a Black girl from Ohio "correctly spelled four hundred words in writing and another one hundred words orally. " White people complained that she was distracting white spellers and embarrassing them. Booker T. more
2024 Coretta Scott King Author Honor Book:-How Do You Spell Unfair. : MacNolia Cox and the National Spelling Bee,” written by Carole Boston Weatherford, exquisitely illustrated by Frank Morrison. Multi-award winning author, Carole Boston Weatherford has again brought to the forefront a moment in American History that illustrates its discrimination and racism. When MacNolia Cox, an 8th grade black girl won the Akron, Ohio spelling bee in 1936, she was invited to participate in the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Her city celebrated her win, and raised funds to pay for her trip with her mother, and teacher. more
As a crossword fanatic, I’m intrigued by any book having to do with words: origins, puzzles, spelling. When How Do You Spell Unfair. was named a Coretta Scott King Honor Book at the 2024 ALA Youth Media Awards, I was intrigued. Yes, the story is inspiring and informative. I liked that the text included words she was given as she moved through the spelling bees. more
Do you have fond memories of spelling bees. Or nightmares. What if you had not been allowed to compete because of your race. This book talks about prejudice and discrimination in local, state and the national Spelling Bee. In 1908, a fourteen year old Black girl won which upset many white people. more
African American History Month: book number 13. Awards:Coretta Scott King Book Award for Author (2024)NAACP Image Award for Children (2024)Young MacNolia Cox enjoyed studying the dictionary for fun. The year was 1936 and MacNolia was in the 8th grade. She studied 3 hours every day for the upcoming Scripps National Spelling Bee. She won at the school level, and then the Akron Ohio level, which qualified her to go to the National level. more
This soon-to-be-classic account about talent and injustice will resonate with anyone, school age or adult, who has ever attempted to take part in a spelling bee. Veteran poet/author and illustrator, Carol Boston Weatherford and Frank Morrison respectively, have provided a historically accurate account in How Do You Spell Unfair. : Macnolia Cox and the National Spelling Bee. This important and little-known story rises to the level of classic storytelling in their masterful hands. With each word and visual detail revealing layered aspects of the time, place, events, and emotional power of this, somehow recalling to me the dignity and bravery that resonate on every page of the original picture book on the topic, THE STORY of RUBY BRIDGES, written by poet Robert Coles and illustrated by George Ford. more
Oil and spray paint. I'm now paying more attention to the art style of picture books because there are just some that blow me away and THIS was one of them. The color palette and approach to the story about the injustice of MacNolia Cox when it came to being a part of the Scripp's Spelling Bee is a necessary book to have about how far we've come but also how much we still need to work on things. I loved that MacNolia was feted and talked about just as much as the musicians and athletes at the time as she made a name for herself spelling words before taking off to Washington DC on a train. Though it was apparent from the start that things would be different. more
If you want to read a short picture book that lays out the history of racism after the Civil War, read this book. Although Black people were freed, Jim Crow laws set in place in southern states kept them segregated and left out of many, many things. This particular story of MacNolia Cox's journey and the Scripps National Spelling Bee makes one's heart hurt. It starts with her journey but continues on until finally, in the early 1960's, local spelling bees opened to African Americans. Weatherford tells of MacNolia, who went to the National Bee and was well supported by her community, yet she had to stay with a Black doctor because the hotel that housed the other "white" contestants didn't allow Blacks. more
Rounded up because I like learning about history that wasn't taught and I like history that features children included in juvenile picture book biographies. (I think children can see themselves and the injustice of racism. )Loved the repeated question "Can you spell . With the word spelled out in bold below. This includes a forward of how embarrassed white grown-ups were sore losers and segregated local spelling bees after Marie Bolden, a black girl from Ohio, led her team to victory over all white teams in 1908. more
I located this book in the Wakelet and listened to it on Youtube. I would say this book is for young readers ages 7 to 10 years old. This is a story about a young African American girl named MacNolia who made history by being the first African American to win the Akron spelling bee. She experienced discrimination when she went to compete in The National Spelling Bee. You will have to read the story to find out how it ends. more
First sentence: MacNolia Cox was no ordinary kid. Her idea of fun was reading the dictionary. From A to Z, she learned words' meanings and spellings. She loved to read, study, and spell. In 1936, the eighth grader won her school spelling bee. more
There are so many ways people have found to discriminate against African Americans and others over the years in the United States, but young readers may not realize how incredibly pervasive these things were. They may know about separate water fountains, where people could and couldn't sit on buses, or how difficult it could be to be able to vote, but might know that discrimination was baked into so many other areas of life. Here we see how there were many young people, including MacNolia Cox, who faced this unfairness with much effort, determination, and the support of family and community. The use of unique and interesting words throughout the text support the context of the spelling bee and provide challenges for readers if they want to practice or learn that vocabulary. The illustrations are rich and add depth to the story without distracting from it. more
I thought that this book was a really interesting and inspirational read. It told the story of a young, 8th grade girl, who was the first African American to win the Akron, Ohio spelling bee. After MacNolia Cox won the spelling bee in Ohio she went on to the National Spelling Bee in Washing DC. Although everyone was very proud of MacNolia, it was in fact 1936, so when she crossed over to Maryland on her way to the National Spelling Bee, people were not very happy to see an African American. At the competition, MacNolia and another African American girl were treated very poorly and discriminated against. more
I love spelling bees. I love them so much that we have one for adults on an annual basis. It's fun. There is a great deal of laughter. But in our own adult way, we do take it seriously. more
Spectacular idea for a non-fiction picture book and a smart, offbeat way to depict racism in action. The art is super-great. I don’t think the text is entirely successful (“Due to an error, the judges brought her back” after MacNolia was eliminated from one bee — wait, why. what happened. Either answer the questions that line raises or cut it. more