Nikki Grimes honours and inspires all Black girls and woman in this gorgeous compendium. I am inspired and honoured to be able to review it. I've preordered my own copy. You will want to do the same.
This swoon-worthy anthology is a celebration of Black womanhood. It is pure pleasure to be introduced to women poets of the Harlem Renaissance and modern Black woman painters through it.
The compilation is organized into four sections. Part 1, Heritage, includes poems that reflect Black women's history. Part 2, Earth Mother, references poets' connections to their environment. Part 2, Taking Notice, deals with the social and political reality of today. Part 4, The Resources section includes short biographies of the poets and illustrators whose work is included in this anthology. There is also a bibliography and an index.
The first three sections are formatted into numerous vignettes composed of three parts. An original poem is presented by one of these poets with a small part highlighted. Grimes uses these highlighted sections to create golden shovel poems. Each poetic pairing is accompanied by a painting that reflects the substance of the paired poems and ties it all together. Each little vignette creates a space of beauty to lose yourself in.
See for yourself in this example from the second section:
I envision all kinds of uses for this book in schools and wish I was still teaching so I could use it as mentor text for part of a poetry unit.
Like a child in a candy shop, I highlighted and bookmarked almost too many sections to pick just one to share with you. There are lines like Grimes' Make each stanza strut in response to Gwendolyn Bennett's poem, Advice. I dare you to read the book yourself and try and pick just one best part.
I leave you with these final words from Journey's End, her poem of thankfulness,
They lift me
from the smallness
of other's
expectations,
reminding me
that I am more
than anyone
gives me credit for.
Purchase at least one copy for your school library.
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