(2) PS Illustrated by Shane W. Evans. In this affirmation of self-love for children of color, an exuberant brown-skinned girl recounts many situations in which she puts her "hands up": playing peek-a-boo, striking a pose in ballet, etc. Evans's textured illustrations effectively evoke a bright mood. An author's note articulates McDaniel's choice to reclaim the titular phrase from its negative associations with police encounters. A book that highlights the joys of black and brown childhood while positioning young children as agents of change.

Reviewer: Michelle H. Martin | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2019

(2) K-3 Illustrated by April Harrison. In this story of giving, James Otis marvels that Mama is contributing to the church's "love box" for a family in need when they have so little themselves. But hearing "what is given from the heart reaches the heart" helps James Otis start thinking differently about what he does have. Detailed, highly textured, strikingly patterned collage illustrations invite readers to linger over the pages and add depth to the characters.

Reviewer: Michelle H. Martin | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2019

(2) K-3 As a little girl and her father make a special birthday cake, Daddy tells her about his own father, Grandpa Cacao, who grew cacao on his farm in the Ivory Coast. When the cake is ready, Mommy announces a surprise visitor: "the best birthday present ever in the world!" Striking patchwork-patterned illustrations point to the importance of traditions to those in the African diaspora. Information about the cacao trade and a recipe are appended.

Reviewer: Michelle H. Martin | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2019

(2) PS Grandma Mimi's large patchwork purse always contains treasures: lipstick, perfume, earrings, hairpins, candy, etc. The unnamed narrator claims that everything in the purse is "how Mimi gets to be Mimi," and once the girl uses each item, she declares, "I can be Mimi, too!" The highly textured images in this heartfelt homage depict the daily-ness of African American girlhood with a grandma who brings the magic.

Reviewer: Michelle H. Martin | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2018

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Ashley Bryan. Bryan's vibrant, colorful, and moving illustrations accompany a selection of Giovanni's poems (new and previously published). Topics range widely (dance, self-reflection, nature, friendship); illustrations affirm the beauty and worth of black and brown children. Several poems recall slavery and the civil rights movement, providing a historical source of strength and courage. It's a combination of poetry and art that will bring readers back again and again.

Reviewer: Michelle H. Martin | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2018

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Don Tate. Greenfield's zany, free-verse picture book will make you think again about what the vegetables in your fridge might do when you go out: "par-tay!" From the piano-playing eggplant to the string bass–thumping basil, this band of crudités knows how to rock out and the fun is infectious. Tate's vibrant illustrations turn run-of-the-mill veggies into vivacious personalities for this joyful story. A "What Is a Vegetable?" discussion is appended. Bib.

Reviewer: Michelle H. Martin | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2018

(1) 4-6 Illustrated by Brian Pinkney. After establishing Martin Luther King Jr.'s characteristics, even in childhood, that would compel him to fight oppression, the poetic narrative jumps to King's thirty-ninth birthday. The remaining poems detail what transpired between February 1968, when sanitation workers went on strike in Memphis, and April 1968, when King was assassinated. Swirling watercolor, gouache, and India-ink illustrations give life and movement to King's story. Timelines. Bib.

Reviewer: Michelle H. Martin | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2018

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Daniel Minter. Schmidt’s hauntingly beautiful, uncompromisingly direct picture-book biography takes larger-than-life figure Sojourner Truth (1797?–1883) from childhood to old age, focusing on her acts of courage at a time when black Americans had few legal rights. Minter’s watercolor and mixed-media art is stunning, often making Truth the largest figure on the page or spread. An essential text for studying Civil War–era American history.

Reviewer: Michelle H. Martin | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2019

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Rafael López. Venezuelan immigrant Rigoberto looks crestfallen when the class laughs at his name; other classmates feel left out when friends make fun of their lunch foods. And the (unnamed) African American protagonist has trouble finding her voice when her classmates recount their summer vacations until she realizes books have afforded her boundless travel. Woodson's story about feeling like an outcast values literacy, reading, and imagination. López's illustrations feature vivid, brilliant colors.

Reviewer: Michelle H. Martin | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2018

(2) K-3 Lila's happy when her visiting city cousins, Rosie and Takeo, do her hair and play with her outside. But Lila starts to feel left out when she sees her cousins using chopsticks better than she can. While the text never mentions it, Lila's ethnic identity appears to be different from that of her cousins. With vibrant mixed-media collages, this is a quiet story of how people from different backgrounds and cultures can learn from each other.

Reviewer: Michelle H. Martin | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2018

(1) K-3 Illustrated by Loren Long. The daily snapshots of families represented in this poetic, life-affirming paean to love subtly touch on aging, poverty, domestic violence, national tragedies, homelessness, disability, self-acceptance, sacrifice, and loss. Vibrant acrylic and pencil illustrations portray people from a variety of ethnic, racial, cultural, and religious backgrounds. It's an exquisitely written and illustrated picture book that speaks of how love can percolate up through the most common circumstances.

Reviewer: Michelle H. Martin | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2018

(1) K-3 Illustrated by Gordon C. James. The unnamed black protagonist tells of his barbershop haircut from start to finish, narrating most of it in the second person. James's color-saturated illustrations capture the boy's bravado, swagger, and even his humility, which he needs in accepting a post-cut kiss from his admiring mother. Alternately precise, metaphorical, and culturally specific, Barnes's descriptions make each page a serendipity. A not-to-be-missed portrayal of the beauty of black boyhood.

Reviewer: Michelle H. Martin | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2017

(2) PS Illustrated by Priscilla Burris. The young brown-skinned narrator describes a joyous gathering at Grandma's house. The party includes one grandma, two turkeys, three neighbors (who come bearing "FOUR pots of hot greens and ham hocks")...all the way to fifteen grandkids. When Grandma's house becomes too full, the narrator suggests a solution. Lively, cheerful illustrations convey the energy of the gathering as well as Grandma's determination to make everyone welcome.

Reviewer: Michelle H. Martin | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2017

(2) K-3 Illustrated by James E. Ransome. The Ransomes have crafted an evocative life story of Harriet Tubman, framed by her travels. In free verse, the text tells of Tubman's roles (in reverse chronological order) as suffragist, abolitionist, Union spy, nurse, conductor on the Underground Railroad, and slave. James Ransome's arresting watercolors highlight Tubman's face from different angles, always emphasizing her undaunted determination. Visual details will also enhance readers' knowledge of American history.

Reviewer: Michelle H. Martin | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2018

(4) YA African American Taja Brown struggles to live up to her parents' expectations of her. While they dismiss her brother's promiscuity, they invite Taja's boyfriend over for dinner and hand them both a purity pledge to sign. Despite some inconsistencies in Taja's characterization, the novel effectively captures the difficulties of growing up with conservative Christian values that social pressures (and cute boys) may challenge.

Reviewer: Michelle H. Martin

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Eric Velasquez. In free verse, Weatherford tells of Arturo Schomburg's (1874–1938) widespread impact on literature, art, and music as book collector, avid reader, and prominent figure among New York's black literati. Velasquez's richly detailed oil paintings aptly capture Schomburg's zeal for learning and for teaching others. Framed images imbedded in the narrative focus on important black historical figures. A must-read about a bibliophile extraordinaire. Timeline. Bib.

Reviewer: Michelle H. Martin | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2017

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Ana Ramírez. This story, inspired by the Disney/Pixar film Coco, is narrated by music itself in the form of a fairy-like figure. The narrator encourages little boy Miguel, whose practical-minded abuelita discourages music-making, to teach himself to play a discarded guitar. Steeped in Latino culture, this picture book affirms the importance of family, ethnic traditions, and immersive musical experiences. Lively, colorful, culturally rich illustrations give young readers plenty to discover.

Reviewer: Michelle H. Martin | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2018

(4) YA This sequel to Naughts & Crosses picks up after the execution of Liberation Militia activist Callum McGregor. It follows the drama faced by Sephy (the mother of Callum's child) and of Callum's vindictive brother, Jude. The writing is trite and the characters inconsistent, vacillating between extremes. But Blackman's provocative re-visioning of contemporary social issues continues to be of interest.

Reviewer: Michelle H. Martin | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2007

(2) PS Jomar struts through his urban, multiethnic neighborhood, hailing one neighbor after another--"Look who's zoomin'!" "Hey! Whassup!" When Grandpa asks, "How are you?" Jomar forgets to code-shift out of street speak and responds, "Yo! Chillin'!" Isadora creates a feast for the eyes through wonderful collages and multicolored torn-newspaper confetti that reflect Jomar's high energy and complement the spare but ebullient text.

Reviewer: Michelle H. Martin | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2007

(1) K-3 Illustrated by Kadir Nelson. Weatherford's poetic telling and Nelson's atmospheric paintings of Tubman's role in the Underground Railroad portray the spiritual life of the African American visionary. From her days as a slave to her life as a free person, three narrative voices (a third-person narrator, Harriet herself, and God's words to Harriet) make clear that it was Tubman's faith that sustained her on the freedom journeys.

Reviewer: Michelle H. Martin | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2006