Disclaimer: I received a free advanced copy of Sulwe from the publisher to review and enjoy with our family in exchange for an honest review.  As always, all opinions expressed are my own.

Having lighter skin has long been a status symbol and is still seen as “superior” by many people around the world. However, thanks to the introduction of affirming songs like Beyonce’s “Brown Skin Girl” and books like Lupita Nyong’o’s forthcoming release Sulwe; Black girls and women everywhere are unapologetically adoring themselves for who they are inside and out.

Sulwe, which means “star” in the Kenyan language Luo, introduces readers to a young girl named Sulwe who is the darkest person in her family. Sulwe wished she had light skin like her sister Mich who is the color of high noon. In an effort to try and lighten her skin, Sulwe uses a big eraser to try and rub off layers of her skin and she only eats the lightest, brightest foods like: bananas, white bread, and crackers. As a last effort, Sulwe decides to turn to God and pray for a miracle. She prays to wake up and have light skin and lots of friends just like her sister. When she wakes up the next morning and sees her prayer wasn’t answered she breaks down and tells her mother everything.

Her mother gives her sage advice and reassures her she’s beautiful just the way she is. Later that night, Sulwe is visited by a shooting star who takes her on a quest which helps her learn to love and appreciate herself.

Based on Lupita’s childhood, Sulwe will pull at your heartstrings and make you cheer at the end when Sulwe gains the strength to see the beauty and power in her own dark skin. The book may also spark some excellent conversations about colorism and the pressures women of color face to obtain Eurocentric standards of beauty. In a world where women and young girls still grow up with constant reminders that only light/fair skin is beautiful, I’m so glad books like this exist.

The overall message of inspiring children to see their own unique beauty is powerful. Sulwe will undoubtedly plant seeds of sufficiency and adequacy in little Black girls’ minds and empower them to proudly say, “I Am Enough.” Publishes October 15, 2019 from Simon Kids, but available for pre-orders now.

Your turn: Have you ever felt ashamed of your skin color like Sulwe?  Feel free to share your experiences in the comments.

In honor of Black Breastfeeding Week, I want to introduce you to this forthcoming September 2019 book: The Women Who Caught the Babies by Eloise Greenfield.  The book opens with a beautiful and informative five-page introduction by author Eloise Greenfield.  There are also a series of poems about African American midwives from the days of slavery to the early 2000s. The book closes with a poem about the midwife Miss Rovenia Mayo who caught Eloise Greenfield herself on the evening of May 17, 1929.

The amazing illustrations in the book are done by illustrator Daniel Minter who was also caught by a midwife during his birth.  Minter said in a recent interview with Press Herald, “In those rural areas, you just did not have access to a hospital, for one thing,” Minter said in an interview. “And if there was one, hospitals didn’t accept black patients until recently. You didn’t have that as an easy option, so you had midwives.”

The Women Who Caught the Babies traces the history of Black midwives and the critical role they played in improving the care and outcomes for Black families.  Midwives are prominent members of the community. They do more than just deliver babies, they are spiritual healers, family counselors, nutritionists, and postpartum doulas.  I think it’s wonderful books like this exist to teach readers about this rich tradition of African American midwives.  It has been carried across the Atlantic, kept alive and passed down from healer to healer, continuing through slavery and spread throughout the African diaspora.

I’m so impressed with the attention to detail that was paid to this book to ensure its authenticity.  The archival photographs that appear in this book were digitally captured from a film called All my babies…a midwife’s own story by documentary filmmaker George C. Stoney.  I think this book is a winner for poetry lovers and those wanting to learn more about the important history of Black midwives.  Ages 9-12 and up.

Fun fact: If you scan the QR code on the back cover of the book you can hear Eloise Greenfield read her introduction and poems from the book.  Give it a try…so cool!

Note: For those who may want to support midwives and help spread the word, please consider supporting one of the resources listed below.  All of these organizations are doing incredible work for Black midwives.

• National Black Midwives Alliance
• National Association to Advance Black Birth
• Sista Midwife Productions
• Black Mamas Matter Alliance
• Sister Song

The second board book in the Our Legendary Ladies series, this board book introduces tiny readers (ages birth – 4 and up) to Anandi Gopal Joshi.  Born on March 31, 1865, Anandi Gopal Joshi was one of the first Indian female physicians.

Joshi was married at the age of just nine, which was common in 19^th century India, to a man 20 years older than her.  She gave birth to their first child when she was 14, but her baby son died 10 days later due to a lack of medical care for women.  The death of her son served as her motivation to study medicine.

During a time when it was unthinkable for a woman to get an education, Anandi defied the odds and came to America to study medicine at the Women’s College of Philadelphia.  She later returned to India and received special recognition and congratulations from Queen Victoria.  Anandi dreamed of opening a medical college for women, but due to an early death from tuberculosis on 26 February, 1887, her dream was never realized.  She died at the age of 21.

In 1997, a crater on the planet Venus was named after Anandi by the International Astronomical Union.  She is one of the few notable to receive this honor.

Although Anandi’s life was short lived and she is lesser-known, she was a true inspiration and pioneer of her time.

About the Our Legendary Ladies Book Series
The books are written by Megan Callea and illustrated by Jennifer Howard.  For each featured lady in this book series, a leading historian signs off on the final version of the book.  Each book is well researched and fact checked for accuracy.  In addition, for each book purchased, a portion of the proceeds, and books, will be donated to these non-profits: Bright by Three, Jumpstart and Operation Showers of Appreciation.  Following Anandi Gopal Joshi, future Our Legendary Ladies books will include Sacagawea, Amelia Earhart and Anne Frank.

For more information about Our Legendary Ladies, click here to visit the official website.

Hands Up! by Breanna J. McDaniel, illustrated by Shane W. Evans

If you look up the phrase “hands up” in many dictionaries, you’ll likely see a negative definition written.

For example:

▪️an order given by a person pointing a gun.  Source: Collins dictionary
▪️to admit that something bad is true or that you have made a mistake. Source: Merriam-Webster Dictionary
▪️to deliver (an indictment) to a judge or higher judicial authority.  Source: Merriam-Webster Dictionary (By the way, do you know the history behind raising your right hand to testify in court? Look it up, I found it quite interesting.)

This book shows a little Black girl named Viv putting her hands up in various everyday situations like: greeting the sun, playing peek-a-boo, raising hands in defense during a basketball game, raising hands in class, picking fruit off trees, and raising hands during praise and worship at church. In the end, readers see Viv a little older raising her hands in resistance and strength with a group of friends at a community protest march.

With sparse text and lively illustrations, Hands Up! cleverly shows readers lifting your hands doesn’t always imply negativity. It gently encourages children to feel happy and confident to raise their hands. It also supports reticent kids in speaking up or standing up for what’s right.

It was interesting and refreshing to be reminded of all the times we raise our hands throughout the day from stretching in the morning when we wake to reaching for something high on a shelf like a library book.  My personal favorite page is little Viv raising her hands in church demonstrating joy and praise to God through worship. Viv sets her power aside and praises God by physically and publicly demonstrating to Him that she needs Him which empowers her.

The back matter has notes from the author and illustrator which explain why this book was written.

I worry that this world casts Black kids as victims, villains, or simply adults before they’re grown up. – Breanna J. McDaniel

This brilliant reminder from Breanna helped guide me back to lifting my hands in joy. – Shane W. Evans

Hands Up! is available now online and where books are sold. Ages 4-8 and up.

Your turn: Have you read this book yet?  Feel free to share in the comments.

Disclaimer: I was gifted a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  As always, the opinions expressed her are my own are are not influenced by receiving this book for free.

How far would you travel to find a better life for yourself and your family? What if the journey took weeks or maybe even months under difficult conditions? If you answered “Whatever it takes,” you echo the feelings of an estimated three million Eastern European Jewish immigrants who came to America between 1880 and 1924.
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Ellis Island afforded them the opportunity to attain the American dream for themselves and their descendants. Today, Ellis Island is an immigration museum with many exhibits containing photographs, artifacts, oral histories, and other displays. To this day, thousands of people immigrate to America each year in search of a better life and a safe place to call home.
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Based on a true story, Gittel’s Journey takes readers on a journey from “Old Country” (it’s unclear which country “Old Country” is, maybe Russia or Poland) to Ellis Island in New York. Young 9 year-old Gittel and her mother are preparing to immigrate to America. When they arrive at the port to be inspected for approval in order to get on the ship, Gittel’s mother is denied entry by the health inspector due to having some redness in her eye. Gittel is terrified, but her mother tells her to be brave and go to America on her own.

Photo courtesy of abramsbooks.com

Gittel’s mom assured her she’ll be safe and gives her a folded piece of paper, her ticket and some candlesticks. She tells her the piece of paper has her cousin’s name and address on it. Gittel is told to hand the piece of paper to an immigration officer once she gets to America.
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Two weeks later, Gittel arrives safely and is greeted by the Statue of Liberty at Ellis Island. When she pulls out the piece of paper the address information is gone and there is only a “fat blue smear”. How will Gittel find her mother’s cousin now? You’ll have to read it to find out how the story ends.
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A beautifully written and illustrated story with themes of: hope, emotion, determination, family, immigration and bravery. Ages 5-8 and up. Publishes February 5, 2019.

Disclaimer: I was gifted a set of Ana & Andrew books by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  As always, the opinions expressed her are my own are are not influenced by receiving these books for free.

I am BEYOND excited about this new early reader chapter book series entitled Ana & Andrew published by ABDO Books. Have you seen these yet? They are written by a Black female author named Christine Platt also known as @afrominimalist on Instagram.

Here’s the synopsis about the book series from the author’s website:

Ana & Andrew are always on an adventure! They live in Washington, DC with their parents, but with family in Savannah, Georgia and Trinidad, there’s always something exciting and new to learn about African-American history and culture. This series includes A Day at the Museum, Dancing at Carnival, Summer in Savannah, and A Snowy Day. Aligned to Common Core standards and correlated to state standards. Calico Kid is an imprint of Magic Wagon, a division of ABDO.

There are currently four books in the series and we adore each one! I mean where else can you find an early chapter children’s book series about Black kids eating roti, visiting the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington DC, going to Carnival in Trinidad and visiting one of the first Black churches in America? Trust me, these books are great.  Oh, and I love that Ana’s favorite doll, Sissy always has on the same matching outfit as Ana.  So cute!

Each book follows siblings Ana and Andrew going on a different adventure.  In the first book, A Day at the Museum, Ana and Andrew visit the National Museum of African American History and Culture with their grandmother (Papa’s mother who is visiting from Georgia).  At the museum the kids learn about Civil Rights leaders, the fight for equality and the history of African-Americans in the military and sports.

This series of books is perfect for early readers ages 5-8. Each book is only four chapters long which makes them wonderful choices for reading aloud during story time or reading independently by a child.

A Few Other Things to Note About this Series

1. They are published by ABDO, a small, family-owned publisher that solely focuses on educational reading material for schools and public libraries.
2. The author receives no royalties from these books – NONE, NADA!  This was a project of love to ensure that young Black and Brown children saw themselves and their history represented in early readers.
3. They have a higher than normal price tag for most early readers.  Why?  This series was initially intended for public and school libraries (hence the library binding, hardcover and price tag.) Since these books are proving to be quite popular and in high demand (just check my Instagram post to see what others are saying), they may eventually be reprinted and made available in paperback, but that will remain to be seen.
4. The author is currently working on 4 more books in the series…YES!  Ana & Andrew will be visiting Africa, learning about Frederick Douglass and more!
5. There will be a 2019 Ana & Andrew book tour!  Be sure to visit Christine Platt’s website periodically or follow her on social media so you won’t miss the tour date announcement.

About the Author
Christine A. Platt is a historian and author of African and African-American fiction and fantasy. She holds a B.A. in Africana Studies from the University of South Florida, M.A. in African and African American Studies from The Ohio State University, and J.D. from Stetson University College of Law. Christine enjoys writing stories for people of all ages. She currently serves as the Managing Director of The Antiracist Research and Policy Center at American University.

Your turn: Have you read any of the books in this series yet?  Feel free to share in the comments.

Mary Fields, also known as Stagecoach Mary and Black Mary, was the first African-American female star route mail carrier in the United States.  Two other women, Susanna A. Brunner in New York and Minnie Westman in Oregon, were known to be White mail carriers in the 1880s.

Born as a slave in Tennessee during the administration of Andrew Jackson, Mary was sixty years old in 1895 when she became the second woman and first Black person to ever work for the U.S. Post Office. Over the next six years, Mary and her pet eagle rode her stagecoach all over Montana and never missed a day of work, never failed to deliver mail and was never late once.

This story is so inspirational and empowering for readers of all ages.  America was built in part by mail carriers and truckers, the people who move goods and products from place to place. Writer Tami Charles brilliantly explores the history of a woman whose contributions to the mail carrier industry was overlooked for years.  I’m so grateful for historical picture book biographies like Fearless Mary that expose hidden figures like Mary Fields to ensure their stories are told to younger generations.  It’s great for reading during Black History Month, Women’s History Month, or anytime of the year. Recommended age range: 5-7 years and up.

Your turn: Have you read this book yet with your little readers?  Feel free to share in the comments.

The Roots of Rap: 16 Bars on the 4 Pillars of Hip-Hop by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Frank Morrison

Publisher: Little Bee Books
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 48
Age Range: 4 – 8
Grade Level: Pre-K – 3

Synopsis
The roots of rap and the history of hip-hop have origins that precede DJ Kool Herc and Grandmaster Flash. Kids will learn about how it evolved from folktales, spirituals, and poetry, to the showmanship of James Brown, to the culture of graffiti art and break dancing that formed around the art form and gave birth to the musical artists we know today. Written in lyrical rhythm by award-winning author and poet Carole Boston Weatherford and complete with flowing, vibrant illustrations by Frank Morrison, this book beautifully illustrates how hip-hop is a language spoken the whole world ’round, it and features a foreward by Swizz Beatz, a Grammy Award winning American hip-hop rapper, DJ, and record producer.

Reflection
Nostalgic. That’s the first word that came to mind the first time I read this book. I was immediately transported back to my childhood in the 1980’s when hip-hop reigned and was blasted on the radio and in the streets at every block party.

Hip-hop’s foundations were being laid in the 1970s, but it was DJ Kool Herc, a.k.a. Clive Campbell, who laid the first building block of hip-hop down in 1973.

The thing I love most about hip-hop music is it’s another form of storytelling. Just as the sound of the movement was created by re-purposing music that already existed, the success of hip-hop’s MCs was based on their willingness to shatter old forms of music and create a new style of self-expression. Enter hip-hop.

The Roots of Rap is a lyrical rhyming book accompanied by captivating illustrations by Frank Morrison. The book also features a foreward by Swizz Beatz and mentions both male and female rappers. Some of the artists mentioned are: DJ Kool Herc, The Sugarhill Gang, James Brown, Run-DMC, LL Cool J, 50 Cent, Tupac, Biggie, and more. All of these artists used rap music as a form of wordplay, repetition and extended metaphor to relate real-life experiences that were sometimes dark, violent, romantic, hopeful or funny.

When I was younger I remember feeling elated when female rappers started coming onto the scene unapologetically detailing their interpretations and experiences of the world they lived in. They all had distinct variations in style, flow and lyrical content, but what each woman had in common was a fiercely independent voice and the power to remain consistently and resoundingly herself. Little girls and older females will be thrilled to see female rappers like: Queen Latifah, Salt-N-Pepa and Lauryn Hill mentioned in this book too!

The Roots of Rap teaches readers about the history, creativity and diversity of hip-hop and how it has become a major genre of popular music in the 21st century. Recommended for ages 4-8 and up. Music lovers and lovers of hip-hop are likely to enjoy this one!

Your turn: Have you read this book yet?  What are some of your favorite memories of hip-hop music?  Feel free to share in the comments.