ALA Booklist (Fri Dec 01 00:00:00 CST 2017)

"This book is for you," Browne tells her audience in the dedication before directly addressing them in the opening lines of the poem, "Black girl / They say you ain't 'posed to be here." Browne's words cut and bleed as they identify the low and oppressive expectations of young black girls and women in the U.S. Selected words are crimson with fury, and still others are scarlet with tenderness. The persuasive, powerful, and lyrical delivery with which Browne imbues the originally spoken-word poem translate to the page in bold, blocky, yet quivering text, displaying the vulnerability and hopefulness of Browne's message. Snow creates beautiful black, white, and red art, skillfully adapting Browne's vivid word pictures into an ode to black girlhood, specifically focusing on natural hair styles. Ropelike braids are everywhere, sometimes binding, sometimes being skipped joyfully, and sometimes forming a chaotic mass of identity politics. The woodcut images perfectly support the pointed observations about what black girls are supposed be and how they still manage to rise above these limiting, erroneous beliefs.

Horn Book (Wed Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2018)

The literal and visual boldness in both verse and illustration delivers a powerful affirmation to African American girls. Offering an antidote to common stereotypes, Browne infuses her mature poem, best suited to reading aloud, with confidence and empowerment as she points black girls in the direction of their dreams. Snow's striking illustrations convey a message of unconditional self-love that is, indeed, magical.

School Library Journal (Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 CST 2018)

Gr 6 Up-In this book-length poem, Browne, the cofounder of Brooklyn Slam, chronicles the many injustices, limitations, and stereotypes that Black girls face, leading up to a resounding celebration of Black girlhood and a rejection of all that is harmful. Browne's verse radiates energy and urgency, achieved through patiently building up momentum and then cutting it with voltalike segments: "You ain't 'posed to dream at all/You ain't 'posed to do/Nothing but carry babies/And carry/Weaves/Felons/Families/Confusion/Silence./And carry a nation/But never an opinion." The rhythm and use of enjambment lends the work a spoken wordlike cadence, making this an imminently readable poem. The ending chorus of "You Black girl shine!/You Black girl bloom!" will stick with readers long after they have closed the book. Snow and Key's striking illustrations keep to a limited color palette of white, black, red, and gold, a choice that is elegant and effective, conveying a raw honesty. Nearly every spread could be framed. While the picture book format may signal younger readers, its often intimate content is more appropriate for tweens and teens. VERDICT Browne celebrates a Black girlhood that is free, unforgettable, and luminous. Middle and high school poetry collections will want to consider. Melissa Williams, Berwick Academy, ME