A History of Me

Author: Theodore, Adrea

Color: Black

Binding: Hardcover

Format: Picture Book

Number Of Pages: 32

Release Date: 18-01-2022

Details: Product Description An uplifting message of hope for the future and pride in your history, inspired by a mother's experience of being the only Black child in her classroom.Who do you see when you look in the mirror? Emphasizing the strength, creativity, and courage passed down through generations, A History of Me offers a joyful new perspective on how we look at history and an uplifting message for the future. Being the only brown girl in a classroom full of white students can be hard. When the teacher talks about slavery and civil rights, she can feel all the other students' eyes on her. In those moments she wants to seep into the ground, wondering, is that all you see when you look at me? Having gone through the same experiences, the girl's mother offers a different, empowering point of view: she is a reflection of the powerful women that have come before her, of the intelligence, resilience, and resourcefulness that have been passed down through the generations.  Her history is a source of pride, a reason to sit up straight and recognize everything beautiful and powerful in herself.  What really matters is what we see when we look in the mirror, and what we want to become.  Inspired by the authors' experiences in school and as a parent, Adrea Theodore’s debut picture book is a powerful testament to the past as well as a benediction for the future.  Erin Robinson's digital illustrations feature a wealth of texture and a bold, saturated palette, bringing this warm message of empowerment to life.   A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection From School Library Journal K-Gr 4-Theodore experienced being "the only brown person in class," which meant having to hear the history of African Americans from enslavement to civil rights and having to shoulder that burden, the stares, whispers, and racist comments from classmates. Now, 30 years later, history is repeating itself as the narrator's daughter is facing the same challenges. By invoking generations of strong female family members, an alternative narrative emerges. This history is hard, but the attributes that rise to the forefront are strength, courage, creativity, and resilience. The importance of education and the opportunities it provides are front and center; a future of possibilities, rooted firmly in the past and the generations that persisted, is presented in an accessible, meaningful way. The book wraps children in the lived experience then and now. Digitally rendered illustrations shine with the love and pride of the book's message, honoring history while also empowering young brown children to seek a dazzling future. VERDICT This title powerfully places history in a light that honors the past, challenges the way history is taught, and looks forward. Inspirational.-John Scottα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. Review ★ "Robinson skillfully illuminates the book’s many strands of history. . . . The narrator is a quietly thoughtful force to be reckoned with. A History of Me is a moving reminder of what we gain when we draw strength and inspiration from the past."—BookPage, Starred Review ★ "The book wraps children in the lived experience then and now. Digitally rendered illustrations shine with the love and pride of the book’s message, honoring history while also empowering young brown children to seek a dazzling future. This title powerfully places history in a light that honors the past, challenges the way history is taught, and looks forward. Inspirational."—School Library Journal, Starred Review "[A] poetic debut informed by Theodore’s own life as well as that of her daughter. . . . Refrains emphasize the child’s isolation and resolve, punctuated by Robinson’s textured digital illustrations, before an affirmative ending."—Publishers Weekly"A child discovers how to rise above isolation at school in a compassionate and rewarding picture book that portrays ho

EAN: 9780823442577

Package Dimensions: 10.3 x 8.3 x 0.5 inches

Languages: English