September 7, 2020
In easy-to-read rhymes, this #OwnVoices debut shares a palette of browns that a child sees in his relatives. Describing the varied skin tones of his immediate and extended family, the narrator speaks in an appreciative, age-appropriate tone (“My mama’s brown is chocolate./ It’s clear, dark, and sweet.// My daddy’s brown is an autumn leaf,/ like a field of wheat”). Each comparison is paired with a portrait done in a childlike style, seemingly rendered in kid-friendly mediums such as crayon and watercolor. Some figurative language (“fragrant”) brings in more senses, with varying effects. This book provides a view of skin tone that celebrates a multitude of hues while serving as a subtle, effective refutation of the idea that being family means looking the same. Ages 3–5.
Starred review from July 15, 2020
A colorfully whimsical perspective on just how varied skin tones can be in a single Black family. In this rhyming picture book, the protagonist describes the skin color of the whole family: mama, daddy, brother, sister, auntie, uncle, cousins, and grandparents. Some of these skin tones resemble copper, desert sand, and polished pine, and the narrator likens nearly half of the colors to flavorful foods such as chocolate, cinnamon, and brown sugar. Each double-page spread features two lines of simple verse on one side and a watercolor portrait of one of the family members on the other side, set against a white background. In most of the portraits, the relative looks straight out at readers, providing a direct visual address that invites readers to see and appreciate brown skin of many hues. "Auntie's brown is desert sand, / Moving with the wind. // Uncle's brown like coffee beans, / A dark and fragrant blend." The last page of the story includes an illustrated list of all of the skin colors, and these swatches of color also appear on the cover and title page, surrounding a heart, which encourages appreciation of many shades of pigment, from brown to butterscotch. The variations in characters' facial features also emphasize, like those in Kevin Noble Maillard and Juana Martinez-Neal's Native American story Fry Bread (2019), that immediate family members can look quite different but still belong together. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-15-inch double-page spreads viewed at 50.2% of actual size.) A timely book to combat stereotypes and encourage the celebration of skin colors of Black and brown people. (Picture book. 3-7)
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September 1, 2020
Preschool-G Using narrative poetry, James engages young readers in a wonderfully written story about a brown-skinned family that contains a diversity of skin tones. It is narrated by a school-age boy, who presents the members of his family in individual spreads, with an endearing, childlike portrait of the person appearing on one page, and, on the opposite, an evocative description set against his or her particular shade of brown. One of the catchiest examples is the line, My daddy's brown is an autumn leaf, / or like a field of wheat. Children will love hearing familiar words such as cinnamon, chocolate, gingerbread, and copper to describe the family. As many children engage in tough discussions pertaining to racial differences in the early grades, the inviting language in this work is sure to pique the interest of young readers. Moore uses multicultural crayon colors and inks to bring each portrait to life, and children will enjoy seeing various brown hues employed, not to mention their creative names. A joyous celebration of brown's full spectrum of beauty.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)