The Blacker The Berry by Joyce Carol

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The Blacker The Berry was written by Joyce Carol Thomas and illustrated by Floyd Cooper. This book was published in July 1st, 2008 by HarperCollins. This $16.99 book was 32 pages long and this is a nonfictional book. [1] Joyce Carol Thomas is an internationally renowned author who received the National Book Award for her first novel, Marked By Fire, and a Coretta Scott King Honor for The Blacker the Berry and for her first picture book, Brown Honey in Broomwheat Tea. [2]

Summary

"We are color struck

The way an artist strikes

His canvas with his brush of many hues

Look closely at these mirrors

these palettes of skin

Each color is rich

in its own right”

Black is dazzling and distinctive, like toasted wheat berry bread; snowberries in the fall, rich, red cranberries; and the bronzed last leaves of summer. In this lyrical and luminous collection, Coretta Scott King honorees Joyce Carol Thomas and Floyd Cooper celebrate these many shades of black beautifully. Be proud of your skin color.[1]

Pros

A reader named Donna rated this book five stars, the reason was it took a second look at this book for her to truly understand what the writer and illustrator were saying. What a lovely demonstration of the many different hues of African Americans and how we deal with our differences. She regretted it that she did not find this book earlier when she was growing up. So often she was called 'black' and felt ashamed of it. So often she wished that her skin was a little lighter so that she could feel better about herself and be accepted by more privileged people. The poetry in this book makes every shade of black feel special in their own way. Times have changed now and being black is not wack and Floyd Cooper and Joyce Carol Thomas do their part by showing just how beautiful black was. This book is a must read for young students, especially those who are under privileged and suffer from low self-esteem. [3]

This is composed of various poems about berries that are describing different shades of races, particularly African American. This was a beautiful book because it brings a sweet tone to a touchy subject. Not only does it tell readers that all colors are beautiful, but it also reinforces family generation ties. The illustrations are big, bold, and very expressive. The favorite picture is the two-page picture of all the children standing happily together as a whole. This book would be a good read for fourth or fifth grade. [4]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 The Blacker The Berry by Joyce Carol Thomas, Illustrated by Floyd Coope. Retrieved January 16th, 2021
  2. Joyce Carol Thomas. Retrieved January 16th, 2021
  3. The Blacker the Berry. March 7th, 2010. Retrieved January 16th, 2021
  4. The Blacker the Berry (Ala Notable Children's Books. Middle Readers). Retrieved January 16th, 2021