Black Girl Magic

January 1, 2018

Gr 6 Up-In this book-length poem, Browne, the cofounder of Brooklyn Slam, chronicles the many injustices, limitations, and stereotypes that Black girls face, leading up to a resounding celebration of Black girlhood and a rejection of all that is harmful. Browne's verse radiates energy and urgency, achieved through patiently building up momentum and then cutting it with voltalike segments: "You ain't 'posed to dream at all/You ain't 'posed to do/Nothing but carry babies/And carry/Weaves/Felons/Families/Confusion/Silence./And carry a nation-/But never an opinion." The rhythm and use of enjambment lends the work a spoken word-like cadence, making this an imminently readable poem. The ending chorus of "You Black girl shine!/You Black girl bloom!..." will stick with readers long after they have closed the book. Snow and Key's striking illustrations keep to a limited color palette of white, black, red, and gold, a choice that is elegant and effective, conveying a raw honesty. Nearly every spread could be framed. While the picture book format may signal younger readers, its often intimate content is more appropriate for tweens and teens. VERDICT Browne celebrates a Black girlhood that is free, unforgettable, and luminous. Middle and high school poetry collections will want to consider.-Melissa Williams, Berwick Academy, ME

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 1, 2017
Wonder why this poet and these words seem so familiar? Readers may have caught her on PBS' "Brief but Spectacular" video series reciting it with the velocity and verve it richly deserves. This book feels like the keepsake one gives to all the black girls and women in one's life who missed the clip. And, much like a lot of spoken-word poetry, it is better recited out loud than read silently on the page. Yet in this rich historical moment in which black women are loudly and proudly claiming more and diversified ownership of their works and the media itself, this is as much a document of that moment as it is an emerging, beloved tome for black girls of all ages to read and share in classrooms and conferences, over brunch, on a lazy Sunday in autumn, or whenever or wherever one needs an assuring word. The illustrator's work adds a sweet--if not a little messy--handmade quality to the book, as if each copy has been crafted as a personal gift, complete with a monotone woodcut look to the depiction of one of the most intimate aspects of black womanhood, hair-braiding. Set in uppercase type that emulates hand-lettering, key words and phrases are picked out in red or ocher type, complementing the spare highlights in the black-on-cream palette.The most optimal way to enjoy this book is reading along with the author's PBS video--that synergy makes this small book sing. (Picture book. 6-adult)

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December 15, 2017
Grades 7-12 This book is for you, Browne tells her audience in the dedication before directly addressing them in the opening lines of the poem, Black girl / They say you ain't 'posed to be here. Browne's words cut and bleed as they identify the low and oppressive expectations of young black girls and women in the U.S. Selected words are crimson with fury, and still others are scarlet with tenderness. The persuasive, powerful, and lyrical delivery with which Browne imbues the originally spoken-word poem translate to the page in bold, blocky, yet quivering text, displaying the vulnerability and hopefulness of Browne's message. Snow creates beautiful black, white, and red art, skillfully adapting Browne's vivid word pictures into an ode to black girlhood, specifically focusing on natural hair styles. Ropelike braids are everywhere, sometimes binding, sometimes being skipped joyfully, and sometimes forming a chaotic mass of identity politics. The woodcut images perfectly support the pointed observations about what black girls are supposed be and how they still manage to rise above these limiting, erroneous beliefs.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)