We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom and Michaela Goade

 

We Are Water Protectors

written by Carole Lindstrom and illustrated by Michaela Goade

Caledcott Medal 

Summary:

        This stunning picture book follows an indigenous girl (Ojibwe) as she recalls her grandmother telling her about a "black snake" that will come to poison their water supply. The book focuses on the sanctity and importance of nature and remaining steadfast in our efforts to preserve the natural supply.

Justification:

        A library should add this book to its collection because it is a beautifully illustrated book that highlights a part of indigenous people's history that kids may not be familiar with. The book received the Caldecott Medal, making the author the first indigenous author to win the award. 

Illustrations:

        This is an absolutely gorgeous book. The colors are vibrant, and the brush strokes sweep off the page. Even if a young child did not quite understand the purpose of the book, I think they would find the artwork mesmerizing. There is no doubt why this book won the Caldecott Medal - it is a visually stunning and groundbreaking book. 

Accuracy:

        Since this book is directly told by a descendant of the Ojibwe tribe, it is safe to say that this is an accurate retelling of the event. I have no doubt that the author's family passed down this narrative as is told in the book.

Style and language:

        This book uses very few words, but the ones that are used pack a lot of meaning. This is a very simply written tale that even the youngest elementary kids could understand. The words on the page are mostly spoken words between the main character and her grandmother, giving younger students something to relate to, even if they may be unfamiliar with the indigenous experience.

Lindstrom, C., & Goade, M. (2023). We are water protectors. Findaway World, LLC. 

Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre by Carole Boston Weatherford and Floyd Cooper

 

Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre

by Carole Boston Weatherford and Floyd Cooper

Coretta Scott King Award

Summary:

        This picture book tells the story of a massacre that occurred in Tulsa, Oklahoma, that has been lost to time. Many people are not familiar with the terrible acts that happened there. This book narrates the story in an easily digestible format, approachable for all ages. 

Justification:

        This is an incredible book to add to a library's collection. First, it won the Coretta Scott King Medal, recognizing outstanding books for children and young adults written by African American authors. It also won the Carter G. Woodson Award and was placed on the honor list for the Caldecott Award. Aside from the awards and accolated it received, it accurately and sensitively tells about an important time in history. 

Illustrations:

        The illustrations in this book are beautifully and purposefully crafted. Many of the pictures have a fuzzy quality to them, evoking the same feeling as an old photograph. Some of the prominent faces in the book almost look like they are old photographs, superimposed onto the image. The Black characters in the book have much more detail than the white characters, which makes sense given the subject matter.

Accuracy:

        Admittedly, I did not know much about this topic before reading the book. Though it was a picture book and only gave a brief overview of the historical event, the information was accurate, as far as I can tell, and well-told for the age group. This would be an excellent book to read to a class that is learning about slavery and the civil rights movement. I can imagine that this would spark some excellent conversations among students. 

Style and language:

        The language used within this book is very appropriate for younger age groups, even though the subject matter is difficult. Several of the first few pages begin with "Once upon a time..." which I imagine would be very comforting for children to see. Even though the subject matter may be unfamiliar, the use of this term grounds kids in something that is familiar. 

Weatherford, C. B., & Cooper, F. (2021). Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre. Carolrhoda Books. 

Holding Her Own: The Exceptional Life of Jackie Ormes by Traci N. Todd and Shannon Wright

 

Holding Her Own: The Exceptional Life of Jackie Ormes

written by Traci N. Todd and illustrated by Shannon Wright

Informational Text

Summary:

        This is a vibrant picture book that details the life of Jackie Ormes, an important figure in the world of journalism who was the first to publish political cartoons with a positive depiction of Black women. Her work had a lasting impact on journalism and the cartoon industry.

Justification:

        An honor recipient of the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award and the Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal Honor, this book is an easy one to justify adding to a collection. Informational picture books are an important way to reach young kids, and this one will surely capture their attention with the colorful and eclectic art style.

Illustrations:

        Wright did a great job illustrating this book. The art style is very colorful and almost looks like different pieces of scrap paper glued into the book. The result is a series of images that look like they are bouncing off the page. 

Characters:

        Though this book is informational, we still get an idea of who Jackie Ormes was and what kind of person she wanted to be. The book paints (or draws) a picture of a woman who won't take no for an answer and is constantly trying to seek ways to improve society around her. She is a big dreamer and role model for kids of all ages. 

Accuracy:

        Though, admittedly, I didn't know anything about Jackie Ormes before reading this book, I did some quick research, and everything in this book appears to be legitimate and accurate. Though surely there are some details left out, this book gives a sweeping overview of Ormes' life in a bite-sized chunk that is palatable to younger children.

Todd, T. N., & Wright, S. (2023). Holding her own: The exceptional life of Jackie Ormes. Orchard Books, an imprint of Scholastic Inc.