WHEN WE SAY BLACK LIVES MATTER, by Maxine Beneba Clarke, Candlewick, Sept. 7, 2021, Hardcover, $16.99 (ages 6-9)
Celebrate the meaning behind the words Black Lives Matter in author-illustrator Maxine Beneba Clarke’s When We Say Black Lives Matter.
Little one, when we say Black Lives Matter,
we’re saying Black people are wonderful-strong.
That we deserve to be treated with basic respect,
and that history’s done us wrong. . . .
Darling, when we sing that Black Lives Matter,
and we’re dancing through the streets,
we’re saying: fear will not destroy our joy,
defiance in our feet.
A loving narrator relays to a young Black child the strength and resonance behind the words Black Lives Matter. In family life, through school and beyond, the refrains echo and gain in power, among vignettes of protests and scenes of ancestors creating music on djembe drums. —Synopsis provided by Candlewick
When We Say Black Lives Matter is a WOW book. The wow comes in its simplicity. It comes in the imagery. It comes in the poetic prose. It comes in the whole package.
When We Say Black Lives Matter is a book that should be read as a family — at least initially. Though the text is clear, children will need some context. Maxine Beneba Clarke’s watercolor pencil and collage illustrations further her message of strength and unity among historical and present wrongs.
When We Say Black Lives Matter is helps explain some of the inequities among Americans. Beyond being a moving read, it’s an excellent starting point for discussion.
