SPECS

Spectacles—“sweet sight-givers”—have never been snazzier.

The big day has arrived; it’s time for a young Black child to select a new pair of glasses. But this is no simple chore. In fact, the weight of the choice is immeasurable. Garrett emphasizes that though the wearer may make the pick, so, too, does the pick make the wearer. The stakes are high, the occasion a heavy endeavor, but the message, delivered in effervescent second-person verse, couldn’t be clearer: You’ve got this. Sure, thoughtful decision-making, deep self-knowledge, and a heaping helping of cool confidence are all qualities you’ll need to make the right choice, but dig deep, and the specs you ultimately select will only forge a you-er you, just a smidge more “SPEC-tacular” than before. A follow-up to 2022’s Kicks, this is an empowering adventure in self-expression, a celebratory slant on an aesthetic addition that, for some readers, may otherwise elicit insecurity. Garrett’s masterfully measured text flows like beat poetry, pulsing with the kind of rhythm that invites rapturous snaps in lieu of applause; ophthalmological puns and 10-cent terms abound, too, to aurally pleasing ends. Brown’s illustrative work proves the perfect complement, each playful spread teeming with delightful thematic detail. From soup to nuts, this piece oozes style. Secondary characters are diverse.

A far-out read for the far- (or near-) sighted.