Little Black Girl: Oh, the Things You Can Do!
Little Black Girl: Oh, the Things You Can Do!
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Publisher's Hardcover ©2022--
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Penguin
Annotation: An empowering and joyous picture book by actress Kirby Howell-Baptiste (The Sandman) that instills confidence and encour... more
 
Reviews: 2
Catalog Number: #350898
Format: Publisher's Hardcover
Common Core/STEAM: STEAM STEAM
Publisher: Penguin
Copyright Date: 2022
Edition Date: 2022 Release Date: 11/15/22
Illustrator: Davey, Paul,
Pages: 1 volume (unpaged)
ISBN: 0-593-40623-0
ISBN 13: 978-0-593-40623-6
Dewey: E
LCCN: 2022011448
Dimensions: 26 cm
Language: English
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews

A Black girl draws on the wisdom of her family to create a road map to her own destiny.The illustrations of this book in verse follow the girl as she attempts to create a science project for an upcoming fair. As the girl goes through the many phases of creation, beginning with a drawing of her invention and ending with an actual prototype (a wheeled robotic vehicle with arms), an unseen narrator shepherds her through the process, reminding her of her greatness ("You have sparks in your brain and fire in your heart. / You can decide where to stop and where to start") and urging her not to listen to the harmful words of others (" ‘Boo!' they may say / but don't let the naysayers get in the way"). The girl feels frustrated as she encounters roadblocks, but supportive Black women in her family reassure her; one moving scene depicts the girl and an adult in a museum looking at images of Black women such as Audre Lorde and Toni Morrison. This inspirational story misses the mark somewhat with its rhyming structure, as the word choices feel clunky in places. However, the painterly illustrations make up for it, with full-page spreads juxtaposed with vignettes. There is a dreamlike quality to the art, with the main character being a clearly defined focal point and the secondary characters fading into the background on some pages. (This book was reviewed digitally.)A stirring story about a Black girl learning to celebrate her own uniqueness. (Picture book. 5-8)

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School Library Journal Starred Review (Tue Feb 07 00:00:00 CST 2023)
Kirkus Reviews
Reading Level: 1.0
Interest Level: K-3
Lexile: AD680L
Guided Reading Level: M
Fountas & Pinnell: M

An empowering and joyous picture book by actress Kirby Howell-Baptiste (The Sandman) that instills confidence and encourages little Black girls to reach for their wildest dreams.

Illustrated by the talented Paul Davey, this inspiring picture book celebrates all little Black girls, the power of community, and the joy and hope of being a child.

In beautiful, lyrical text actress Kirby Howell-Baptiste tells the story of one Black girl and her limitless potential as she pursues her dream of robotics. Determined to have her robot ready for the school fair, getting everything done in time won’t be easy, but this little Black girl knows she is destined to shine and is not going to let anything hold her back from achieving her dream. With bright, bold plans in mind she begins to sketch and build her robot. The joy she has pursuing her passion is infectious and she has a community of strong women around her, encouraging and supporting her as she lives out her dream.

You have sparks in your brain and fire in your heart.
You can decide where to stop and where to start.
You were born unique. None of us are the same.
Your only job: Make them remember your name.


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