A celebration of the gospel anthem and Civil Rights protest song "We Shall Overcome," masterfully brought to life by Caldecott Honor recipient and a nine-time Coretta Scott King Award winner Bryan Collier.
"We Shall Overcome" is one of the most recognizable anthems of the Civil Rights movement, widely performed at protests and rallies to promote nonviolent civil rights activism. Now, these inspirational, empowering, legendary lyrics are brought to life with the stirring, evocative, and breathtaking illustrations from multi-award-winning talent Bryan Collier. Powerfully imagined for the present moment, Collier's illustrations meld the most emblematic moments of the twentieth-century Civil Rights movement with the present day, depicting the movements, protests, and demonstrations -- big and small -- as the fight for justice continues.
With illustrations full of depth, tenderness, and expression, and offering historical context while remaining powerfully relevant to the present-day, this impactful picture book is a must-have for every home, classroom, and bookshelf.
Further information about “We Shall Overcome” and scenes depicted in book. Illustrator’s note. Full-color watercolor and collage illustrations.
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Gr 1-2-Civil rights history comes alive through these historically laden and visually arresting illustrations. The text of the beloved song that has been encouraging activists for over 100 years appears across page after page; gray-toned illustrations with the look of old photographs represent true events while the protagonist, a young Black girl, makes her way to school. Walking, taking a bus, joining up with a young group of interethnic friends to the school on a street with Black Lives Matter printed across it-all these demonstrate to onlookers that the journey is not over and the need to overcome racial injustice continues today. In the back matter are "Did you notice?" questions posed by Collier to engage the audience with the images captured throughout the book, almost creating a conversation artist and reader. "Did you notice the church on pages 12 and 13?" is followed by details of the significance of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, AL, and the statue of Dr. King that the protagonist walks past. VERDICT Powerful scenes, outstanding for all that they capture and urgently convey, will challenge all readers to find their place in the march to a more racially just future.-John Scott, Baltimore County P.S.