CELEBRATE WE GULLAH GEECHEE

Five children invite readers on a series of distinct journeys guided by their experiences growing up in the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor.

Murray imbues her narration with melody and excitement as the youngsters describe the colors, sounds, textures, smells, and rich flavors of this unique region of the southeastern U.S. that they’re proud to be culturally connected to, spanning North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, and Georgia. (Backmatter explains that the Gullah Geechee people descended from enslaved Africans and that their creole language has its roots in the languages of various West African tribes.) Relying on bright, inviting strokes of acrylic paint with oil glaze, Engel depicts vibrant communities of brown-skinned folks and the verdant natural spaces they steward—from joyous faces of a choir and West African drummers to lush beaches and gardens, or a marsh, cool and refreshing after rainfall. The narrators share the parts of their communities most close to their hearts but recognize that there’s much more to the story of a culture that has impacted so much of the world around them, leaving readers with a lot more to explore, even after the author and illustrator notes and the additional resources provided in the back matter.

Colorful and flavorful snapshots of an unmistakable heritage.