My Block Looks Like

A love letter to the hustle, the bustle, the joy, and the grit of city life by debut author and Bronx native, Janelle Harper, and two-time Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award winner, Frank Morrison.

"My block looks like
a collision of cultures
a melting pot of cool
a burst of life
my favorite groove

. . .No matter what happens
I’ve seen it for myself
my block looks like
the coolest place
I’ve ever been."

A lyrical and proud picture book that recognizes the beauty of the bodegas, subways, and playgrounds that characterize everyday life in the Bronx and pays homage to the ways that its residents have shaped pop culture through music, visual art, and dance. Perfect for fans of I Am Every Good Thing and Last Stop on Market Street, My Block Looks Like offers kids a reaffirming message to celebrate and uplift their communities in an energetic text that begs to be read aloud.

Janelle Harper is a Bronx native whoproudly carries her New York accent anywhereshe goes. She finds inspiration in city living and the diverse experiences of the African Diaspora.When she is not enjoying the hidden gems of the Bronx, she is traveling and exploring new cultures. She is a proud veteran public school teacher who comes from a long line ofeducators. She is passionate about creating stories that reflect the children in her Bronx classroom and neighborhood. When she’s not thinking about her next book, Janelle can often be found in her dance studio, blasting music, yelling “five-six-seven-eight,” and preparing elaborate student productions. Visit her online at JanelleHarperAuthor.com.

Frank started his journey as a graffiti artist in New Jersey, tagging walls with spray paint. It wasn’t until he visited the Louvre Museum in Paris with his dancing group that he realized painting was his true creative path. His work has been featured at Art Basel, SCOPE Art Show, and Red Dot Miami art fair, and shown at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in New York City and the Mason Fine Art gallery  in Atlanta, Georgia. He is the illustrator of over twenty children’s books, including the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award winners Standing in the Need of Prayer and R-E-S-P-E-C-T, the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award winner Jazzy Miz Mozetta, and the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor books Little Melba and Her Big Trombone and Let the Children March. Frank was a Society of Illustrators’ Original Art Silver Medal Honoree two years in a row, for The Roots of Rap and R-E-S-P-E-C-T. His debut author-illustrated picture book is Kick Push. Visit himonline at MorrisonGraphics.com.