Hey Black Child - Hardcover

Perkins, Useni Eugene

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0316360309 ISBN 13: 9780316360302

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2017

Synopsis

Six-time Coretta Scott King Award winner and four-time Caldecott Honor recipient Bryan Collier brings this classic, inspirational poem to life, written by poet Useni Eugene Perkins.
Hey black child,Do you know who you are?Who really are?
Do you know you can beWhat you want to beIf you try to beWhat you can be?
This lyrical, empowering poem celebrates black children and seeks to inspire all young people to dream big and achieve their goals.

About this title

About the Author:

Useni Eugene Perkins is a distinguished poet, playwright, and youth worker. He is the author of Harvesting New Generations: The Positive Development of Black Youth; Home is a Dirty Street: The Social Oppression of Black Children; and Black Fairy and Other Plays. He currently lives in Chicago.
Bryan Collier has illustrated more than twenty-five picture books, including the award-winning Trombone Shorty, Dave the Potter, and Knock Knock: My Father's Dream for Me, as well as City Shapes, and Fifty Cents and a Dream, and has received four Caldecott Honors and six Coretta Scott King Awards. He lives with his wife and children in Marlboro, New York.

From School Library Journal:

PreS-Gr 3—Collier's characteristic watercolor-and-collage masterpieces bring joy and gravity to Perkins's inspirational poem. With a compelling rhythm that begs for recitation, the verse (often misattributed to Countee Cullen) celebrates the power and potential of black children. The illustrations pair young black faces with visions of their successful futures as astronauts, artists, politicians, and more and feature some of the artist's favorite motifs, including soaring balloons and rays of light. The visuals also contribute historical heft to the lyrical affirmation, layering images from African civilizations, the civil rights movement, and Black Lives Matter into the spreads, connecting the book's triumphs to African Americans' roots and ongoing struggles against racism and oppression. The poem closes with a reminder of the importance of the contributions of black children and the adults they grow up to be: "Be what you can be/Learn what you must learn/Do what you can do/And tomorrow your nation/Will be what you want it to be." Author and illustrator notes ensure that dedicated readers can appreciate all the fine details in the text and visuals. VERDICT A rousing celebration and call to action, this book is a great choice for every library.—Robbin E. Friedman, Chappaqua Library, NY

About this edition

• Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
• Publication date: 2017
• ISBN 10: 0316360309
• ISBN 13: 9780316360302
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 40
• Illustrator: Collier Bryan