Another Look AT JOY!

Here's a brief post with a review to follow-up my previous post about summer fun, currently and in "the good old days", as recalled by Jacqueline Woodson. In that post I praise the recent THE WORLD BELONGED TO US and, slightly older, THE HULA-HOOPIN' QUEEN. Within those books and my notes are celebrations of PLAY and JOY. The circumstances in each are location- and time-specific, with both, in fact, set in densely urban city streets. The images are universal while  anchored in those specifics. Text and images effectively speak to Black-American audiences, and yet the aspirations and challenges apply to ANY child in any culture, (at least to those  living with the human right to play and grow naturally, not dealing with trauma, war, poverty and other disruptions in development.)

Candlewick, 2022

Follow those titles with an even MORE universal, affirming, and necessary picture book. This one presents illustrations and authors,  text to inspire and demonstrate the potential of every child, but specifically a girl child. In fact, a Black girl child. BLACK GIRL RISING is written by Brynne Barnes and illustrated by Tatyana Fazlalizadeh.

From the glowing cover art and expression, a lyrical, rhyming text embeds single name references to Black female icons in many fields. Lines issue challenges to the "girl" being addressed. A half-mocking voice mirrors phrasing that would have been used across centuries, confrontations directly issued to intimidate and belittle anyone who was getting "uppity", acting as if they were/might be talented, capable, beautiful, and in so many ways valuable! A sort of "Who do you think you are?" attack. As the names roll across the pages, so do the images, the every-Black-girl possibilities, including a variety of skin and hair tones and types, features, body shapes, and cultural dress. Expressions, too, are wide-ranging, not simply dreamy-eyed and positive. The illustrations and color pallet provide effective showcases for these variations, including the less-often seen images of "blue-purple, black-ruby-sapphire tones". 

Throughout all stanzas and double-page spreads there is strength, rhythm, and musicality that uplift while firmly anchoring the characters in sure-footed confidence. Various lines also blend Black-culture vocabulary in powerful patterns and unexpected ways:

"from your skin, your lips, your freckles, you're fade,

your fro, your naps, your dreads, your braids,

your  blowout, your kinks, your twists, your waves, 

your coils, so free and unafraid.

Who gave you a CROWN so wonderfully made?"

As I so often say, (many) picture books will find purpose and appeal across a wide range of ages. This would make an ideal gift book for a young girl about to enter school, or having a recital or performance of some kind, celebrating a landmark birthday, or even graduating. Just imagine the many generations of Black youth who received the time-honored SEUSS book for graduation instead of this. It's about time, I say. As for upper grade literature classes, use this to identify the remarkable array of authors mentioned and locate the words or references to iconic lines or titles or themes. For this lovely picture book my only suggestion would have been to provide that reference list in a single page back matter, citing full names and titles referenced

Please check it out and share it. And PLEASE DO not think it is "only" for Black audiences. 

Please. All children need diverse books, and diverse images about others.