Bryan Collier (1)Recensioni

K-Gr 3—A parent conveys a loving message to a Black boy who will be challenged by school, injustice, and more.
Still, as a descendant of kings and queens, he is ready to take on his destiny and grow. Spirited, thoughtful
illustrations depict a luminous journey from past to present.

1. I would recommend this book for early to middle level elementary students.
2.This book goes through the story of a boy who's dad goes to prison and disappears. The father for the longest time was a stay at home father and helped take care of the boy. For a good chunk of him growing up his dad was incarcerated and he didn't understand why his dad wasn't there anymore. Eventually his dad gets out of jail and see's his child again.
3.I will definitly have this book in my future classroom to teach other perspectives.

This is an emotionally resonant book about a boy who loses his father. The reader doesn't know how the boy loses his father. Maybe he died, maybe he went to prison (as the author's father did), or maybe he was forced to leave his family for some other reason. He says, "I'm sorry I will not be coming home," so we can assume it's not a deployment or temporary disruption. But he does write his son a letter encouraging him to be good and be himself, despite the absence of the father. A truly bittersweet story about the love of a parent who's not there.

This was a nice book, but noting stood out, I have heard this story before.

Another prediction is this book is winning a LOT of awards at ALA Midwinter. It's going to be something with the Coretta Scott King awards. But it could possibly be a contender for Newbery or Caldecott.

Collier's illustrations are great. In his words "I started with the shape of a single flower to build a blossoming effect in all backgrounds.....faces appear on those petals, representing the voices of ancestors chanting 'you matter.'" What a story, am I right?

My biggest concern is this book will be awarded partly for its merit....but also because of the hot button issues it talks about. As an author or an illustrator, I would always wonder about my award's validity.

Still, this is an excellent starting point to talk about race across ALL races and creeds. Because face it ALL do matter!

This moving story by multiple-award winning author and illustrator Bryan Collier is about a young boy and how he finds joy in the face of life’s storms. Collier said in an Author’s Note that it was inspired by the life of Quincy Jones, the Robert Frost poem “The Road Not Taken,” and the artist Maya Angelou.

The young African American boy in the story adores his father, but his father is away a lot, off working. He also loves his mother, but she falls ill, and “has to go away for a while.” [When Quincy Jones was young, his mother had a schizophrenic breakdown and was sent to a mental institution.] In the book, the boy’s father would often say to him:

“Son, life is full of holes. You may want to close them up to keep out the storm. But make sure to leave room for that rainbow to find you. Broken is beautiful.”

The boy felt so alone, and the friends he made got him into trouble. But on occasions when the boy heard music, it appeared like the colors of the rainbow to him, and allowed him to relax, and to dream:

“And the music was love. Love like Daddy’s hugs and Momma’s kisses on his forehead.”

One day, when he and his trouble-making friends broke into the rec center, he found a room with a piano. He started to play, and the ability to relax and dream came back to him. And he remembered what his father told him about looking for a rainbow in the dark spaces. He could go the rec center and play whenever he needed to find peace and happiness.

Collier concludes with: “The rainbow had found him. And then that feeling lasted forever.” He adds: “Even if a story starts out so sad that you’ll want to cry a river wetter than tears, God always puts a rainbow in the clouds.”

Collier's artwork was done using watercolors and collage on canvas.

Evaluation: As usual, Collier’s rich illustrations add volumes to the written text through the facial expressions and movement of the characters, with music always shown as a rainbow. Readers aged 5 and over will see that loneliness and negative peer pressure can be overcome by finding an inner light and making choices that illuminate it.

A lyrical, heart-lifting love letter to Black and Brown children everywhere reminds them how much they matter, that they have always mattered and they always will.

All Because You Matter

I Picked Up This Book Because: #BlameItOnLitsy

Media Type: eBook
Source: Clark County Public Library
Dates Read: 2/24/23
Stars: 5

The Story:

This was beautifully written and illustrated.

Goodreads Review:
A love letter to Black and brown children everywhere: reminding them how much they matter, that they have always mattered, and they always will.

Tami Charles pens a text that is part love letter, part anthem, assuring readers that they always have, and always will, matter.

Goodreads Review:
A celebration of the gospel anthem and Civil Rights protest song "We Shall Overcome", masterfully brought to life by Caldecott Honor recipient and a nine-time Coretta Scott King Award winner Bryan Collier.
"We Shall Overcome" is one of the most recognizable anthems of the Civil Rights movement, widely performed at protests and rallies to promote nonviolent civil rights activism. Now, these inspirational, empowering, legendary lyrics are brought to life with the stirring, evocative, and breathtaking illustrations from multi-award winning talent Bryan Collier. Powerfully imagined for the present moment, Collier's illustrations meld the most emblematic moments of the twentieth century Civil Rights movement with the present day, depicting the movements, protests, and demonstrations-big and small-as the fight for justice continues. With illustrations full of depth, tenderness, and expression, and offering historical context while remaining powerfully relevant to the present-day, this impactful picture book is a must-have for every home, classroom, and bookshelf.

On each page of this picture book, Bryan Collier illustrates a stanza from the civil rights protest anthem “We Shall Overcome.” The pictures juxtapose images of present-day scenes with those of significant events in civil rights history. One of the final images shows the street being painted in bright yellow with the slogan “Black Lives Matter.” As Collier says in his end notes:

“The work of the Civil Rights Movement helped pave the way for the Black Lives Matter Movement. This is why the song ‘We Shall Overcome’ remains so important. It acts as a rallying cry for people to stand up and speak out against injustices so that there may finally be a day when we are all equal.”

This book, with its beautiful powerful and vivid images, is appropriate for ages 3 and over.

"Two accomplished creators invite Black children to take up their spaces in the world.

Charles’ lyrical text addresses “you, dear child,” in the voice of a loving caregiver, recounting how the world anticipated and prepared for the child’s existence. The child was “dreamed of, / like a knapsack / full of wishes / carried on the backs / of your ancestors,” who worked and built, “because to them, / you always mattered.” The word “matter” is used in both ways: as a noun, as the child is made up of the same stuff that makes up the universe, and as a verb, because “strength, power and beauty / lie within,” even though the world will sometimes make the child question whether “they, / or you, / will ever matter.” The universe made room for “you, / your people, / their dreams, / your future,” Charles assures the child. The protesters (“take a breath, / take a stand, / take a knee”) and victims of racist violence (“Trayvon, / Tamir, / Philando”) are mentioned explicitly without becoming the focus; the journey from beginning to end of the book sends a message that is nurturing, nourishing, loving, and reassuring, expanding and deepening the words of the movement it echoes. Collier’s trademark paint-and-collage illustrations use petal shapes with patterns and faces, blue and brown hues, and family scenes and close-ups to embody the child’s growth within affectionate circles of family, community, and universe.

A gem for every household. (author's note, illustrator's note) (Picture book. 5-10)" www.kirkusreviews.com, a kirkus starred review

"Award-winning illustrator Collier sets images of the present and the past against the text of a beloved song.

Lyrics of “We Shall Overcome,” a song associated with the 1960s-era civil rights movement, are printed in orange capital letters against a strip of brown background along the bottom of each spread. The pictures tell stories, juxtaposing present-day scenes and children in full color against significant events and sites of past struggle in black and white. Endmatter explains the significance of said sites and scenes for those who may not know: the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, Rosa Parks sitting down on a bus, children integrating schools. The opening spreads feature a school-age Black child rising and getting ready for the day with a smile; the middle spreads show the child arriving at school and learning with a multiracial group of peers, a Black teacher at the head of the class. Final spreads show the child walking by a street being painted with Black Lives Matter in yellow, then small crowds standing together and painting a mural together. Collier uses collage with a multitude of faces and layers to place the times and movements in relationship, creating a powerful opportunity for comparison, reflection, and discussion about the past and present. The opening and closing spreads with the smiling child offer the hopeful message Collier reinforces in his note.

This thoughtful work of art comes together with beauty and meaning. (historical note, illustrator's note) (Picture book. 3-10)" www.kirkusreviews.com, A Kirkus Starred Review

Reading Level: 2nd-3rd grade
Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award

A jumble of shoes in a girl's closet all hope to be chosen for "Daddy-and-me" day...but, bafflingly, the girl chooses one flip-flop and one boot! The left-behind flip-flop and boot go off in pursuit, hoping to remedy the apparent mistake before Daddy arrives...but when he does, he's wearing mis-matched shoes also! Collier is equally adept at expressive cartoon shoes and the Black dad and daughter (and there's even a secret Pigeon, p. 50-51).

Beautiful Message!

A boy struggles with the sudden absence of his father. He refuses to be comforted until a note helps him to grow past the pain and move forward

This picture book for young readers (age 4 and up) is addressed to “you, dear child”: a young African American boy confronting the world around him.

The boy learns:

“Long before you took
your place in this world,
you were dreamed of,
like a knapsack
full of wishes
carried on the backs
of your ancestors . . .

. . . to them, you always mattered.”

Similarly, he is told, no matter what happens, he always has, and always will, matter to his family.

Nevertheless, the author says to the little boy, “there will be times when you … will question your place in the universe.” She gives examples of those times, such as:

“. . . . when your Pop Pop turns on the news, and you see people everywhere take a breath, take a stand, take a knee. And you hear Pop Pop’s whispered prayers, as another name is called: Trayvon, Tamir, Philando, and you wonder, if they, or you, will ever matter."

The author writes:

"But did you know that you do?

Did you know that you were born from queens, chiefs, legends?

Did you know that you are the earth?
That strength, power, and beauty lie within you?"

“Since the beginning of time,” she concludes, “you mattered. They mattered. We matter. . . . and always will.”

In an Author’s Note, Tami Charles explained that when her son began to ask questions, she knew she needed to have “The Big Talk” with her son:

“The one where I tell him that while there are many nice people in the world, not everyone is. And that sometimes people will treat others unfairly because of their skin color, race, or religion.”

She explains that she wrote this book to provide parents with a starting point for those conversations, and to remind all children that no matter where they come from, they matter.

Bryan Collier has won a number of Caldecott Honors, in addition to other awards, for his illustrations. Here he employs paint and collage images in a rich palette to show the young boy surrounded by all the influences in his life. He adeptly conveys the emotions of the boy as he reacts to his world with wonder, fear, love, and joy. In his Illustrator’s Note, Collier writes that his grandmother, who raised him, was a quilt maker, and explains how her influence is reflected in his artwork in this story. The use of collage to suggest quilts is evident throughout the story, and adds to the meaning of the words about ancestry, inheritance, and cultural influences.

Evaluation: The words and illustrations combine to create a caring, reassuring message, and perhaps more importantly, an empowering message. Children of all backgrounds will find something to take away from this story.

This book is a lyrical letter to black and brown children everywhere. This book is about reminding children of color that they have a purpose and that they matter. I recommend this book to every child to see difference of color and that no matter what you look like, we all have a purpose.

Black Lives Matter is an international group advocating against violence, oppression, and racism toward Black people. Originating in the African-American community, this movement has sparked demonstration around the world.

Read the recently published picture book for youth, then learn more at the website:

ALL BECAUSE YOU MATTER by Tami Charles with illustrations by Bryan Collier is a visually stunning picture book celebrating the life of a black child. The timely and powerful message focuses on struggle, hope, and love.

HELPING KIDS UNDERSTAND THE BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT is a project of the popular educational group BrainPOP. In addition to providing access to an animated, educational video that explains the movement, the page provides suggestions for educators and links to additional resources.

To learn more, go to https://bit.ly/2Ys2w6N.

To hear from the author and illustrator, go to https://youtu.be/zWQhFhunqh0.

ARC courtesy of Orchard Books, an imprint of Scholastic.

I really enjoyed this book and the illustrations! It follows a young boy describing what his home looks like, sounds like, and feels like, and how he loves where he comes from. It is a beautiful story of self acceptance as he explains why he loves his home and the people and places around him. I think primary students could easily read this book and use it to see into another culture or see their own culture properly represented.

This book was very sad to read and was quite a window into the world of a child and what they see when a parent never comes home. It is about a close father and son relationship that one day comes to an end when the father no longer comes home. The son is confused and scared as he loves his father so much and still has so much to learn from him. It ends with the son receiving a letter from the father telling him he is going to have to knock down doors for himself and stay strong as he will not be coming home. It is a pretty easy read so I set it for primary reading but I think it would require some adult explanation as it is a pretty intense/complex topic that some students may not understand.

This primary book gives insights as to what uptown is for the main character. It is full of bright colors and interesting pictures and would be great in the classroom.

This book takes you through 'Uptown' and through the eyes of a young boy who loved there. I would recommend this book for younger elementary because it is a great way to learn about where someone grew up, what the culture was like, where people went, and had so many visuals to follow. along with.

This picture book was short but impactful. This story told about a young boy of color who had a game with his father called "knock knock." One day, he didn't hear his knocks anymore and was hurt by the disappearance of his father. He leaves his father a note in case he came home, and the father wrote back with his dreams for his son. I would recommend this book for any elementary students because the words are easy to read, but the concept is deep.