A History of Me
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- $21.99
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- $21.99
Publisher Description
An uplifting message of hope for the future and pride in your history, inspired by a mother's experience of being the only Black child in her classroom.
Who do you see when you look in the mirror?
Emphasizing the strength, creativity, and courage passed down through generations, A History of Me offers a joyful new perspective on how we look at history and an uplifting message for the future.
Being the only brown girl in a classroom full of white students can be hard. When the teacher talks about slavery and civil rights, she can feel all the other students' eyes on her. In those moments she wants to seep into the ground, wondering, is that all you see when you look at me?
Having gone through the same experiences, the girl's mother offers a different, empowering point of view: she is a reflection of the powerful women that have come before her, of the intelligence, resilience, and resourcefulness that have been passed down through the generations. Her history is a source of pride, a reason to sit up straight and recognize everything beautiful and powerful in herself.
What really matters is what we see when we look in the mirror, and what we want to become.
Inspired by the authors' experiences in school and as a parent, Adrea Theodore’s debut picture book is a powerful testament to the past as well as a benediction for the future. Erin Robinson's digital illustrations feature a wealth of texture and a bold, saturated palette, bringing this warm message of empowerment to life.
An American Library Association Notable Children’s Book
An NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
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.