The Blacker the Berry (Ala Notable Children's Books. Middle Readers) [Hardcover]

Joyce Carol Thomas (Author), Floyd Cooper (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up | Series: Ala Notable Children's Books. Middle Readers

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.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1–4—The varieties of African-American ethnic heritage are often rendered invisible by the rigid construction of racial identity that insists on polarities. This collection of 12 poems makes the complexities of a layered heritage visible and the many skin shades celebrated. Read-aloud-sized spreads offer luminous artwork that complements the verses in which children speak of their various hues: "I am midnight and berries…" a child says in the title poem. In another selection, a boy recalls his Seminole grandmother who has given him the color of "red raspberries stirred into blackberries." In "Cranberry Red," a child asserts that "it's my Irish ancestors/Who reddened the Africa in my face," understanding that "When we measure who we are/We don't leave anybody out." The large illustrations match the lyrical poetry's emotional range. Cooper's method includes "pulling" the drawing out from a background of oil paint and glazes. With his subtractive method, he captures the joy of these children—the sparkle of an eye, the width of a grin, the lovely depths of their skin, and the light that radiates from within. This book complements titles that explore identity, such as Katie Kissinger's All the Colors We Are (Redleaf, 1994).—Teresa Pfeifer, Alfred Zanetti Montessori Magnet School, Springfield, MA
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From Booklist

Black comes in all shades from dark to light, and each is rich and beautiful in this collection of simple, joyful poems and glowing portraits that show African American diversity and connections. In the title poem, a smiling girl says, “Because I am dark, the moon and stars shine brighter.” Other pages have fun with terms, such as skin deep and night shade. A grandma turns “Coffee will make you black”  from a warning into something great. A boy is proud to be raspberry black as he reads his great-great-grandmother’s journal about her love for her Seminole Indian husband. A girl says she is “cranberry red” from her father’s Irish ancestry. In the final, joyful double-page spread, the kids celebrate their individual identities and laugh together. Many families will want to talk about this and their own family roots: “We count who we are / And add to all who came before us.” Preschool-Grade 2. --Hazel Rochman

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Amistad (July 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060253754
• ISBN-13: 978-0060253752
• Product Dimensions: 11.6 x 7.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #664,851 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Award-winning author of more than 30 books and several plays, including the acclaimed musical "Abyssinia", internationally-renowned and best-selling African-American writer Joyce Carol Thomas was born in Ponca City, Oklahoma and now resides in Berkeley, California. A professor and teacher for over twenty years at some of the nation's most prestigious colleges, including the University of Tennessee and Purdue University, she received her Master of Arts degree from Stanford University. Joyce is a highly sought-after motivational speaker who delivers empowering speaking presentations that engage the heart, mind, and soul. In addition to speaking at colleges and universities in the United States, she has presented lectures, seminars, and workshops on creative writing and cultural studies in Nigeria, Haiti, Ecuador, Australia, Samoa, and the Mariana Islands.

Fraternities, students, administrators, alumni, and advisors schedule appearances by this eloquent and articulate Black woman when they want to ignite their campus student body and community groups about the joys of learning. How do you honor and respect your heritage while acknowledging people of all races, cultures, and backgrounds? Want proven ways to garner your best grades? Need help choosing your campus friends wisely? Ask Joyce! She fills all of her engagements with a uniquely warm, personal, and insightful sense of learning, laughter, and love.

Joyce's numerous honors and awards include the National Book Award, the American Book Award, the New York Times Outstanding Book of the Year Award, Outstanding Woman of the 20th Century Award, three Coretta Scott King Honor Awards, the Center for Poets and Writers' Poet Laureate Award, Kirkus Reviews Editors' Choice, the American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults, Book of the Month Club Selection, and many more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Affirming Collection of Poems, March 24, 2011

By 

V. King (Portland, OR USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Blacker the Berry (Ala Notable Children's Books. Middle Readers) (Hardcover)

I found this book while searching for more children's books with African-American protagonists to include in my classroom library and immediately bought myself a copy. However, the book is so good that I didn't keep it long and had to pass it along to my best friend and her husband who, as an interracial couple, have biracial children. They loved seeing their kids represented within the pages and given a voice. The small details in each poem--from the child with red hair to the little girl who still loves her "one drop" despite people thinking she's not black enough--provide a window into the diversity of the African-American community while creating a sense of inclusion.
"The Blacker the Berry" gives voice to the experience of so many children and affirms the value and preciousness of the reader through each of the poems. Floyd Cooper's illustrations are incredible and provide an added weight to each poem. The children come alive and off the page.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Just Could Not BE Any Better!, November 7, 2010

By 

Portianay "portianay" (KY, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Blacker the Berry (Ala Notable Children's Books. Middle Readers) (Hardcover)

I love, love, love this book. As I read these evocative poems, I got a lump in my throat; don't we all want the children around us to feel this great about themselves? The words are perfect, and the illustrations--well, I think they should win an award, yes, still, two years after publication. The tie-ins of self-image, self-esteem and nature are just impeccable.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful!, July 17, 2008

By 

bookworm (Colorado) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Blacker the Berry (Ala Notable Children's Books. Middle Readers) (Hardcover)

This is a wonderful collection of poems about being different shades of black--all compared to different berries. I didn't even know some of these berries existed! Each poem comes in the first person narration of a child and they all have a great voice. A wonderful resource in the classroom, a great book for parents.