5 stars
A stunning book that celebrates black identity and culture. Lyrical and rhythmic, this picture book has wonderful layers that readers can build upon. References to black history, literature, and music are woven into the each line. Works wonderfully for entertainment, inspiration, and education.
At the back of the book is additional information that builds out the book wonderfully. Joy includes a note on her inspiration for the book, a playlist of recommended songs, brief descriptions of some of the references in the book, three poems that are referenced, a breakdown of black ethnonyms in America, and a bibliography of sources. Taken as a whole, this serves as a great starting lesson plan for Black History Month or any introduction into black history and culture.
The artwork is lovely. In a stained-glass-style, Holmes layers illustration and color over materials that pair with the text such as sheet music, maps, newspaper articles, and lines of poetry. Her artwork also references additional moments in black history not specifically mentioned in the text, such as the Memphis Sanitation Strike and the Black Lives Matter movement, adding an additional element to pull from when using it as an educational resource.
A beautiful and powerful read.