The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander ill by Kadir Nelson

When times are tough and faith gives only the thinnest glimmer of light, there is hope, there are heroes. Newbery Award-winner Kwame Alexander's poetry pays tribute to Black Americans who with determination, persistence, dignity, courage, and vision have survived and thrived. The Undefeated honors some of the individuals, past and present, who embody the struggle to dream and achieve. Authors, artists, athletes, poets, politicians, Civil Rights leaders, and musicians are among those referenced through soaring verses which capture the dignity and grace of the human spirit.  ​Alexander also pays tribute to those who suffered, sacrificed, and lost their lives.

Be Inspired

Pie in the Sky by Remy Lai

Jingwen, his younger brother Yanghao, and mother venture into the unknown, immigrating to Australia,  Mom works the night shift at a local bakery and Jingwen cares for his outgoing, impulsive younger sibling while she is away. ​It's hard. School is strange. He doesn’t understand what people are saying. Kids at school ignore him.  It’s like moving to Mars. Relocation is exponentially difficult because his father is not with the family. Dad was killed in a car accident fourteen days before Jingwen’s birthday. This ten-year-old carries a heavy pocketful of resentment, guilt, and loneliness.

Strange Territory

Just South of Home by Karen Strong

Just South of Home begins as the story of mismatched cousins who must spend a summer together. Then the narrative takes an unexpected turn. ​Sarah and her brother Ellis live in a small Georgia community. Everyone knows everyone and everyone's business. Sarah’s grandmother, always referred to as Mrs. Greene, is a Church Deaconess Board member. She strictly enforces “the rules” and bakes the best red velvet cake. This summer Ellis and Sarah won’t need to spend their days living under Mrs. Greene’s rigid rules. Mama trusts the two to be on their own while their parents are at work. Then a complication arises. Cousin Jamie comes to stay with them and she's not happy about living in a provincial southern town. Sarah is worried and with good reason. Jamie has "sticky fingers" and a knack for getting into trouble.

Haunted by the Past

Hair Love
by Matthew A. Cherry ill by Vashti Harrison

Zuri is preparing for a special day and wants to have the perfect hairstyle. Daddy is napping. She reasons that he deserves a rest and decides that she can handle styling detail. The task becomes more challenging than she envisioned. ​I have hair that has a mind of its own. Sequestered on a bathroom stool, she searches her tablet for hairstyle inspiration. When the tablet clatters to the tile floor, dad wakes up and comes to investigate. He lovingly offers to help Zuri. "It'll be a piece of cake." Soon it is evident that this project is more difficult than he thought. Readers have the mirror’s perspective, viewing the reflected image of Daddy's repeated attempts at a variety of creative styles.

"You've got to be the prettiest supergirl I have ever seen"

Hello Matthew

While this is his first picture book, Cherry is a well-known personality. He transitioned from career as an NFL wide receiver to director of music videos and filmmaker. Hair Love is based on Cherry's direction of an animated short film.

Daddy and Daughter

We Are the Change: Words of Inspiration from Civil Rights Leaders
introduction by Harry Belefonte

Have you picked up a book and without cracking it open, knew that it was going to be something extraordinary? That was my initial response to We Are the Change: Words of Inspiration from Civil Rights Leaders. ​The case features embossed lettering  and Dan Santat's illustration of a John Lewis quote. We may not have chosen the time, but the time has chosen us.

Sixteen remarkable artists lend their talents to this project. Each illustrator selected a  a Civil Rights leader's inspirational words. Art is reflective of the message and unique to the artist's style.  Each illustrator's personal consideration of the quotation is included.  Images and text are compelling and profoundly moving.  The volume, inspired by the work of the American Civil Liberties Union, echoes a commitment to human rights. Harry Belafonte offers a thoughtful introduction.

Companion Resources

Anthology of poetry, essays, and art reflects and honors the ongoing struggle for justice, equality, and respect.

Barack Obama and "We are the change" Looking for opportunities to be involved in meaningful change? Try this site.

My Papi Has a Motorcycle by Isabel Quintero ill bi Zeke Peña

The powerhouse duo that created the 2018 Boston Globe-Horn Award winning Photographic: The Life of Graciela Iturbide, are back.  Quintero and Peña capture the wonder of childhood, family, and community with this picture book.  Beginning with the cover, readers come along on this joyful ride. Eyes closed, wind-whipped ponytail, hands securely grasping her strong Papi, little unicorn-helmeted Daisy exudes the exhilarating thrill of motorcycle travel.  Papi gives his daughter a tender glance as they ride together.

More Latino Book Love

Lowriders

Mommy Sayang by Rosana Sullivan

Aleeya and her mother live in a small Malaysian village, a kumpung.  Their days were filled with simple joys: chickens, kittens, hanging out laundry, watering the vibrant red hibiscus.  Indoors, there is quiet time for mommy's daily prayers, Aleeya's crayoned drawings, and stories under the mosquito net. They prepare a variety of tempting dishes and enjoy sharing meals with family and friends. Little Aleeya and Mommy sayang, always together. Insh'Allah, I will always be by your side.

Meet the Author/Illustrator

Rosana Sullivan is a storyboard artist with Pixar Animation Studios. She worked on several Pixar movies including The Good Dinosaur, Coco, and Incredibles 2. Her picture book is part of Pixar's Artist Showcase series.

The Gift of Ramadan by Rabiah York Lumbard ill by Laura K. Horton

It's time for Ramadan, a month-long religious holiday honoring the revelation of the first verses in the Quran to the Prophet Muhammad. It is a time for prayer and refection, study of the Quran, and helping the poor. It may be best known as a period of fasting, going without food and drink from sunup to sundown.  Sophia is excited as her family prepares to begin observing Ramadan and decides that she will observe the traditional fast. "Count me in!"  she joyfully exclaims.  She quickly discovers that what sounds wonderful in theory is difficult in practice. She must awake and eat a meal before sunrise, ignore her rumbling tummy, and resist her brother's chocolate chip cookies.

Alexis York Lumbard aka Rabiah York Lumbard is an American Muslim living in Qatar with her husband and three daughters. The author of several picture books, she is currently pursuing an advanced degree in creative writing.

Laura K. Horton is a freelance illustrator with a degree in illustration & animation from the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design. She is currently residing in Finland, working on an advanced degree in game design and production.

Black Enough: Stories of Being Young & Black in America
edited by Ibi Zobio read by Bahni Turpin and Ron Butler

Short stories by Justina Ireland, Varian Johnson, Rita Williams-Garcia, Dhonielle Clayton, Kekla Magoon, Leah Henderson, Tochi Onyebuchi, Jason Reynolds, Nic Stone Liara Tamani, Renée Watson, Tracey Baptiste, Coe Booth, Brandy Colbert, Jay Coles, Ibi Zoboi, and Lamar Giles explore what it means to be a contemporary teen as experienced through the lens of racial identity: self acceptance, coming out, parental expectations, friendships, dating, loss. Bahni Turpin and Ron Butler alternately narrate these seventeen obsidian gems. Their nuanced performances in Black Enough: Stories of Being Young and Black in America give added meaning to the term #ownvoices.

Listen Up

Butler reads a portion of Black Enough by Varian Johnson. You can hear the voice of a young man raised in an affluent white community, trying to fit into a very different culture in South Carolina. ​Note the exchange between the high school debater and his Nigerian mother in Tochi Onybuchi's "Samson and the Delilahs." Listen to Bahni Turpin read Ibi Zobio's introduction to the anthology  and a brief snippet of Renée Watson's "Half a Moon​."

Forward Me Back to You by Mitali Perkins

Kat, skilled in the art of Brazilian jujitsu, is brutally assaulted in her school’s stairwell by a popular member of the basketball team. She escapes, but the incident has scarred her, leaving her wary of men and emotionally shattered. When she reports the assault, her attacker pleads a convincing defense, denying her accusation. School becomes unbearable due to the constant presence of her assailant as well as the questioning looks and snide remarks from fellow students. A family friend arranges for her to leave her California home and live with an understanding friend in Boston. Robin, the adopted son of wealthy, well-connected Boston parents, is completing his high school senior year. His father plans his life trajectory beginning with a college education. Robin feels unsure and unsettled, with questions regarding his birth and subsequent adoption. Guess everyone has a backstory. ​They make us real, even if they make us cry.

Piece of Cake

There is a lovely scene where the Asha House residents surprise one of the volunteers with a birthday cake. In turn, each girl feeds the honoree a piece of cake, while telling her something they admire about her. I like this tradition and will continue it by sharing some virtual bites of cake with Ms. Perkins.

A Personal Perspective

​“People who are adoptive parents know that they aren’t a hero or a villain. They are just a parent.” Mitali Perkins, mother of adopted twin brothers, shares her perspective on adoption and the adoption triad: birth mother, child, and adoptive parents. Read her Huffpost opinion piece and her recent interview with Lakshmi Gandhi in an NBC news report.

Brave Ballerina: The Story of Janet Collins
by Michelle Meadows ill Ebony Glenn

​Echoing the rhythmic quality of dance, Meadows uses rhyming couplets to tell the story of Janet Collins.  The cumulative syntax traces her story from early beginnings to prima ballerina with the Metropolitan Opera House. Born in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1917 and raised in Los Angeles, California, Janet displayed not only talent, but a love for dance. ​ In a time when dance opportunities were limited for a youngster of color, Collins found ways to realize her dream. Whether it was finding teachers or studying and performing other forms of dance including Spanish, Caribbean, and African, she continued to pursue her passion.

Young Ballerinas