There is a glow to this book. That glow is very powerful. It says this book isn't like all the other books - this one is special. When I opened it up I got goosebumps when I turned the pages. I shared it with a friend and she got goosebumps too. There is an energy here, a presence, that will reach deeply into children who are lucky enough to hear and see this story.
It begins with all the messages that Black girls hear and take in as they grow up. Yep, we know those..and that is old news. It's time for this book - this book tells all the old messages that can keep you from believing in yourself and then explodes into the new true messages that can empower you, inspire you to love yourself, cherish who you are, and bring your best self to the world every day.
Inspiration in a book. Read it once in the morning and once at night - that's a recipe for hope and self reliance and unconditional self love - and the rest is up to you.
40 pages 978-1452164878 Ages 5-8
Keywords: self image, self esteem, self reliance, self confidence, understanding yourself, believing in yourself, African American and Black stories, Black Girl books, 5 year old, 6 year old, 7 year old, 8 year old, Social Emotional Learning SEL, empowerment, inspiration
Recommended by: Barb Langridge, abookandahug.com
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“With nods to poets who have celebrated Black womanhood, Black Girl Rising is modern ballad steeped in metaphor, music, and magic. From its gold-dusted jacket to its melodic verses, this is the song Black girls need now.”-Carole Boston Weatherford, Newbery Honor winning, New York Times bestselling author
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This enduring anthem for Black girls celebrates their power, potential, and brilliance—for themselves and for the world.
You are a thousand curls unfurling in your hair. You are a thousand fists standing proudly in air.
You are the song of swallows, lifting sun as they sing— breaking light with their beaks, breaking sky with their wings . . .
Black girlhood is beautiful! In this deeply moving celebration and rallying cry, and in the face of the many messages that still work to convince Black girls that they should shrink themselves, hide their light, know their place, Brynne Barnes and Tatyana Fazlalizadeh reclaim that narrative: A Black girl's place is everywhere, and her selfhood is everything she can dream it to be.
With poignant, poetic prose and striking, color-drenched illustrations, this empowering picture book centers the inherent worthiness and radiance of Black girls that is still far too often denied. A love letter to and for Black girls everywhere, Black Girl Rising alchemizes the sorrow and strength of the past into the brilliant gold of the future, sweeping young readers of all backgrounds into a lyrical exploration of what it means to be Black, female, and glorious.
EMPOWERS AND INSPIRES SELF-LOVE: This uplifting anthem of Black brilliance shuts out invalidating messages and replaces them with unconditional assertions of Black girls' rights to be loved, to be inspired, and to exist fully in their power. Everything about Black girls deserves to be seen and celebrated—and this picture book provides a welcome opportunity for readers of all ages to do so!
MAKES A GREAT GIFT: From graduation to birthdays to other key milestones, this book makes a perfect present for consumers looking to celebrate, empower, and inspire the women in their lives—whether daughters, granddaughters, nieces, cousins, or friends.
EXCELLENT READ-ALOUD: Warm, loving sentiments paired with poetic prose and a light rhyme make this picture book a great choice to read aloud together at story time, bedtime, or any time. It's sure to become a fast favorite and inspire countless moments of parent-child connection.---from the publisher
Perfect for:
• Parents, grandparents, and caregivers • Teachers and librarians • Readers who loved Hair Love and Little Leaders • The vast #WeNeedDiverseBooks community • Anyone seeking books about Black joy, female empowerment, or Black history • Gift-givers looking for a unique and inspiring book for the girls (or women) in their lives
