An exciting and creatively illustrated compilation of noteworthy quotes attributed to 50 Black women across time.
Powerful and unforgettable words spoken by politicians, actresses, musicians, athletes, activists, writers, supermodels, businesswomen, philanthropists, dancers, one astronaut, one first lady, and one U.S. vice president grace the pages. Some entries capture the characteristics for which the subject is best known, such as anthropologist and writer Zora Neale Hurston’s memorable and poetic assertion of her elemental optimism: “No, I do not weep at the world—I’m too busy sharpening my oyster knife.” Others capture the speaker’s sense of humor, as in high priestess of neo-soul Erykah Badu’s admission that “I’m pretty mutable as a human being, period—if you put me on Pluto, I can figure it out.” Still others emphasize the vital importance of Black women’s radical self-care; Audre Lorde notes: “Caring for myself is not self-indulgence. It is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.” Each quote appears next to a bold portrait illustration of its utterer. Ahanonu’s artwork, executed digitally, draws from pop-art aesthetics with eye-catching color blocking and fragmented shapes used to embellish and visually unify the entries. The text on each page includes a brief biographical note and a few lines of text elucidating the quote.
Honest, inspirational, and unapologetic declarations of the trials and triumphs of Black womanhood. (Nonfiction. 10-adult)Pub Date: Jan. 11, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-5344-6394-3
Page Count: 112
Publisher: Denene Millner Books/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Dec. 16, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2022
Categories: CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES
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BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Essential.
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A guidebook for taking action against racism.
The clear title and bold, colorful illustrations will immediately draw attention to this book, designed to guide each reader on a personal journey to work to dismantle racism. In the author’s note, Jewell begins with explanations about word choice, including the use of the terms “folx,” because it is gender neutral, and “global majority,” noting that marginalized communities of color are actually the majority in the world. She also chooses to capitalize Black, Brown, and Indigenous as a way of centering these communities’ voices; "white" is not capitalized. Organized in four sections—identity, history, taking action, and working in solidarity—each chapter builds on the lessons of the previous section. Underlined words are defined in the glossary, but Jewell unpacks concepts around race in an accessible way, bringing attention to common misunderstandings. Activities are included at the end of each chapter; they are effective, prompting both self-reflection and action steps from readers. The activities are designed to not be written inside the actual book; instead Jewell invites readers to find a special notebook and favorite pen and use that throughout. Combining the disruption of common fallacies, spotlights on change makers, the author’s personal reflections, and a call to action, this powerful book has something for all young people no matter what stage they are at in terms of awareness or activism.
Essential. (author’s note, further reading, glossary, select bibliography) (Nonfiction. 10-18)Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-7112-4521-1
Page Count: 160
Publisher: Frances Lincoln
Review Posted Online: Sept. 15, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2019
Categories: CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL SCIENCES
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PROFILES
Young Raina is 9 when she throws up for the first time that she remembers, due to a stomach bug. Even a year later, when she is in fifth grade, she fears getting sick.
Raina begins having regular stomachaches that keep her home from school. She worries about sharing food with her friends and eating certain kinds of foods, afraid of getting sick or food poisoning. Raina’s mother enrolls her in therapy. At first Raina isn’t sure about seeing a therapist, but over time she develops healthy coping mechanisms to deal with her stress and anxiety. Her therapist helps her learn to ground herself and relax, and in turn she teaches her classmates for a school project. Amping up the green, wavy lines to evoke Raina’s nausea, Telgemeier brilliantly produces extremely accurate visual representations of stress and anxiety. Thought bubbles surround Raina in some panels, crowding her with anxious “what if”s, while in others her negative self-talk appears to be literally crushing her. Even as she copes with anxiety disorder and what is eventually diagnosed as mild irritable bowel syndrome, she experiences the typical stresses of school life, going from cheer to panic in the blink of an eye. Raina is white, and her classmates are diverse; one best friend is Korean American.
With young readers diagnosed with anxiety in ever increasing numbers, this book offers a necessary mirror to many. (Graphic memoir. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 17, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-545-85251-7
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Graphix/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 12, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2019
Categories: CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | GENERAL GRAPHIC NOVELS & COMICS
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