This book of poetry is beautifully illustrated by Floyd Cooper. Told through the voices of African-American children, these twelve poems depict the skin colors of each individual (e.g. cranberry red for a child with Irish ancestors). It is easy to see why this is a CSK Author Honor book and a CSK Illustrator Award winner. Cooper's illustrations realistically portray the varied skin tones ending with a two-page spread of laughing, smiling children.
The final lines in the poem, Cranberry Red reinforce the theme of identity:
When we measure who we are
We don't leave anybody out
We count who we are
And add all who came before us
The way we figure it
We're just great
This title could be used to teach poetry, Black History month, identity, and acceptance.
3/09/2009
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Second! Well done without throwing the subject in your face. It's a quiet tribute to celebrating what makes someone an individual.
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