Customer Reviews

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

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

The Blacker the Berry the Sweeter the Juice is a magnificent collection of poems about all the different shades of skin someone of color can be. Joyce Carol Thomas has an awe-inspiring way with words. When you read this book, you can hear Thomas's tone and rhythm and it add even more beauty to the experience that this book captures. This book would be of great use to any teacher completing a unit in poetry because not only is it outstanding poetry, it adds a multicultural frame of reference to the classroom as well. The illustrations by Floyd Cooper are breathtaking and will take you to a warm place with a cool breeze, leaving you with the most peaceful feeling. A copy of this book should be put in every classroom! No matter what color, any child can take away a powerful lesson from this book. Have pride in who you are and always love yourself and your roots!

The Blacker The Berry is a book composed of poems describing the different shades of black a black person can be. Each poem makes a reference to a different kind of berry, and I think it is very interesting how it is done. This book is a book that is really hard to describe; everyone should just see the greatness for themselves. The illustrations are beautiful, they are so real looking like a photo taken with a camera. I think this book could help with self-esteem issues. The book is great and definitely deserving of its award.

This was a fun book to read, not just because of the simple but educational poetry, but also because the artwork is engaging. It must have taken Cooper a long time to paint them because of their photo-realistic quality. It's also a great book for young African American children to read in order to see the differences in their culture and why some of their own kin may look completely different than they do. I especially liked the line where a girl claims to be "cranberry red" from her father's Irish heritage. I recommend it to learning readers from ages 3 - 8.

-Lindsey Miller, [...]

This is a tender and grace-filled book. Very healing. Beautiful illustrations. A blessing for any child of color.

I've never read anything about the different skin complextion of people, although I have heard people speak of it. I was really impressed with all the poems and I could read them over and over again. And the illustrations were out of this world,just absolutely beautiful. That was a job well done.