K-Gr 4 Theodore experienced being "the only brown person in class," which meant having to hear the history of African Americans from enslavement to civil rights and having to shoulder that burden, the stares, whispers, and racist comments from classmates. Now, 30 years later, history is repeating itself as the narrator's daughter is facing the same challenges. By invoking generations of strong female family members, an alternative narrative emerges. This history is hard, but the attributes that rise to the forefront are strength, courage, creativity, and resilience. The importance of education and the opportunities it provides are front and center; a future of possibilities, rooted firmly in the past and the generations that persisted, is presented in an accessible, meaningful way. The book wraps children in the lived experience then and now. Digitally rendered illustrations shine with the love and pride of the book's message, honoring history while also empowering young brown children to seek a dazzling future. VERDICT This title powerfully places history in a light that honors the past, challenges the way history is taught, and looks forward. Inspirational. John Scott

"What do I see when I look at me?" asks the daughter of the narrator in Theodore's picture book addressing pride and identity among brown children in mostly white environments. Tackling an issue that isn't easily talked about, the book opens a way toward meaningful conversations about race and how children view themselves when others around them are learning about a difficult history, including slavery and the fight for civil rights. The author/narrator confronts her mixed feelings of shame for being different from her classmates, along with pride in her ancestors. She comforts her daughter with positive thoughts and subsequently comforts readers, too. Bright backgrounds highlight the warm, earth-colored skin of the girls and women representing Theodore, her daughter, and their ancestors. Robinson opts for clean lines and simplified settings, allowing the people portrayed to clearly stand out as individuals who study, learn, and finally celebrate the freedom to be anything they want to be. An uplifting pep talk of a book, especially of interest for children of color who might find themselves in settings where they are in the minority.

This picture book is a love letter of recognition to children of color who have been "othered" in their school experiences ("I was the only brown person in class...") and singled out to bear the brunt of a history that has been so cruel ("...so when we talked about slavery, I could feel every eye staring at me"). The protagonist's mother's stories about the struggles of their ancestors reminds the child, "I should be grateful," and she is grateful, but also filled with shame for how she is unfairly perceived by her white classmates. The story progresses, and as she grows into adulthood, she guides her own daughter who is walking the same path -- this time with pride and empowerment. Robinson's illustrations, "created using digital techniques and abundant love," depict cottony puffs of hair and timid glances (at the start) from the main character, contrasting with the strong, dark-skinned, softly featured ancestors beckoning her to move forward. The colors go from subdued to vibrant, with the protagonist's daughter shown on one page as an almost literal beam of light as she starts to "sit up straight and fly high into the sky." Per an appended note, the author drew from her experiences growing up as the only brown child in her classes, and this story line will resonate with readers who have also been there. Maija Meadows Hasegawa

An empowering picture book seeks to instill pride in the descendants of enslaved people.A dark-skinned young girl is the only brown person in her class. When her teacher talks about slavery, she feels ashamed and scrutinized by her peers. After a lesson about civil rights, some kids on the school playground whisper behind her back, and one boy even makes a racist comment. Feeling like she has been reduced to her race ("Is that all you see when you look at me?"), the girl finds perspective and strength in the stories her mother has told her about their female ancestors. Recalling that she has privileges and opportunities her foremothers didn't have reminds the girl to be grateful. The narrative skips forward in time as the girl grows up and has a daughter who also finds herself the only brown-skinned child in her class. Now a woman, the protagonist teaches her daughter how to break out of the boxes that people put her in and exhorts her to "sit up straight / and / fly high into the sky." A double-page spread shows a proud Black girl holding her fists in the air, braids flying outward, with her face skyward and a dazzling sunburst behind her. This emotionally honest look at the challenges of processing historical injustice and racial trauma provides a much-needed mirror for Black students, but anyone who has ever felt trapped by other people's definitions of who they are can relate to the story on some level. Robinson's digital illustrations exude a gentle dignity.An uplifting story that rightfully asserts the multidimensionality of Black identity. (author's note, illustrator's note) (Picture book. 4-8)

In this poetic debut informed by Theodore-s own life as well as that of her daughter, the author traces the alienation that one Black third grader, -the only brown person in class,- experiences while their white teacher instructs the otherwise all-white students on topics including slavery and the civil rights movement. The narrative ties the protagonist-s lessons back to their family history, wherein their relatives display resilience and persistence when faced with racism and oppression: after being subjected to pointing and laughing on the playground, the child recalls, -My mom had told me before/ that her grandmother... only got to go to school for a little while.- Refrains emphasize the child-s isolation and resolve, punctuated by Robinson-s textured digital illustrations, before an affirmative ending. Back matter includes notes from the author and illustrator. Ages 4-8. (Jan.)