What is this about?
This is a picture book about what Black Lives Matter for young readers, written and illustrated by Maxine Beneba Clark.
What else is this about?
It’s about bringing Black Lives Matter to young readers, and we all know it should be.
Blurb
Little one, when we say Black Lives Matter,
we’re saying black people are wonderful-strong.
That we deserve to be treated with basic respect,
and that history’s done us wrong.From birth to the end of school, in joy and in sorrow, on the trumpet and the djembe, at home and in the community, a black child’s parents remind him why Black Lives Matter.
A gorgeous and essential picture book for children of all ages from bestselling and award-winning author Maxine Beneba Clarke.
In When We Say Black Lives Matter, a black child’s parents explain what the term Black Lives Matter means to them: in protest and song, in joy and in sorrow. I see this picture book as an act of Black Love – I was inspired to write and create it when thinking about how to explain the concept of Black Lives Matter to the young African diaspora kids in my extended family, living in over eight different countries across the world – including America, Australia, Germany, Barbados and England. – Maxine Beneba Clarke, on writing WHEN WE SAY BLACK LIVES MATTER
A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated to the Indigenous Literacy Foundation
I received When We Say Black Lives Matter awhile ago, but haven’t found the words to put together a review of this book — I still feel this is going to be inadequate as it is.
I’ve found with some adults, it’s hard to explain what Black Lives Matter means as it is. But Maxine Beneba Clarke comes to this book from the POV of a Black parent explaining to their children what Black Lives Matter means.
Written in rhyme, this book explains the joy in saying Black Lives Matter, and the sorrow as well, be it past or present. It explains the call for respect in those words, and the power in them when people marching shout them out.
Maxine Beneba Clarke specifically wrote this for the black children in her family, to explain what those words mean. I think though, it could be a book that would help any child understand the power in these words.
In addition to the sharp, evocative writing Clarke’s illustrations fill the book. Vibrant and colourful, they cover the pages showing black men and women celebrating their culture, in chains and most importantly showing that even today, Black people are still fighting.
Please put this on your gift list for the young readers in your life. It should be essential reading for them all.
Books like these, especially for young readers, are so very important!
This sounds wonderful. How sad that those who most protest against BLM, deliberately evade the real meaning.
This is definitely an important book and one that I hope will reach many young readers so they understand the true meaning of those words.
I hadn’t realised this was out already Verushka, it’s one that I’ve wanted to pick up and important to have on every bookshelf. It sounds like one of those books that everyone will take something away from, black children and even adults finding solace and empowerment within the pages, Indigenous communities who have endured colonisation and persecution at the hands of white people and for white people to listen, to amplify voices and in all honesty, pull our damn heads in and stop making every conversation about us. I really hope a copy of this one will be placed in every school and library throughout the country, so we can finally start having these conversations. Brilliant review darling!