Review and Friday Quotes: We Rise, We Resist, We Raise Our Voices

Book Beginnings on Friday is hosted by Rose City Reader. Share the opening quote from the book.
The Friday 56 is hosted at Freda's Voice.  Find a quote from page 56.

This is the book I'm reading right now---

Title: We Rise, We Resist, We Raise Our Voices edited by Wade Hudson and Cheryl Willis Hudson

Book Beginning: Excerpt from: "The Golden Rule" by Carole Boston Weatherford

Some form of the Golden Rule exists in every major world religion.In what may be the earliest version, the ancient Egyptians commanded: Do for one who may do for you, that you may cause him thus to do.

Friday 56: Excerpt from "Where Are the Good People?" by Tameka Fryer Brown

Life's not always fair and sometimes it's scary. When safe spaces aren't safe, when protectors harm us, when leaders try to lead us toward fear and hate, there's nothing fair or reassuring about that.

Review: In the forward by Ashley Bryan we are assured if we touch this book it will lift our spirits. And "if you flip through all the creative gems put unto your hands and hearts by the gifts of people of color, we will hear your voices chanting praises." Bryan assures us that this book is not designed to be read just once and then put away, but a resource from any pitfalls of the day, one that should be read and reread as needed.

And boy did I need this book, a collection of 50+ poems, essays, letters, and illustrations by people of color aimed at young people, this past week. The week with all the political rancor and people lining up on one side or the other. I was so torn and upset, then I picked up this book with its colorful and hopeful illustrations and poems to soothe and to savor, letters to ponder and share, and essays that explain a lot. Each of the submissions are no longer than one page and the contributors are all YA/Junior authors or illustrators "Within this collection, there is a letter from a parent to her children on kindness; there's advice on how to become confident and mindful; there are words of wisdom about finding and keeping friends;...and how young people can change the world."

I devoured the book in one sitting and then had to go back and look more closely at the illustrations and try to match the art up with the written words. What a joy. Just the salve I needed for a nasty week. My only criticism is really a question. Who should the book be marketed to? If it is marketed to elementary and middle school librarians to add to their collection, I'm afraid the book will sit quietly unread on the library shelves. But if the book is marketed to teachers of middle grade/upper elementary students or to parents of kids in this age range, I think the poems will find their way to the targeted audience, pre-adolescent children. In fact, a friend told me she ordered the book after reading my tiny blurb about the book on my Sunday Salon post. She has a young girl who should enjoy the content, especially if she and her mom read it aloud together. The editors say that the book was designed to inspire, motivate, and encourage the readers to make a difference in the world.

I recommend it!