Black Girl Rising

In this ode to Black girls’ inherent worth, the creators hold up a mirror to the ways that Black girls are silenced and second-guessed, building to an invitation to “Take wing—// and ignite.” Employing references to notable Black figures (Maya Angelou and Langston Hughes) through-out, Barnes (Books Do Not Have Wings) begins with conversational lines that speak to oppressive societal messages: “Now don’t you dare climb, climb, climb/ Langston’s crystal stair./ You ain’t gonna make it, girl./ Come, get down from there.” These eventually give way to powerful refuting lines: “You are a thousand curls unfurling in your hair./ You are a thousand fists standing proudly in air.// You are the song of swallows, lifting sun as they sing—/ breaking light with their beaks.” Fazlalizadeh (Libba) combines acrylic and oil paint to create tableaux of Black girls of varying shades, hair textures, and abilities, showing ballerinas, poets, musicians, and tennis players against saturated backdrops featuring a motif of swallows taking flight. Though initial lines may prove confusing without context (“Who do you think you are now, girl”; “You’re supposed to run and hide”), the creators offer a passionate, legacy-focused celebration. Ages 5–8. Author’s agent: Deborah Warren, East West Literary. Illustrator’s agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (June)