Shades of Black: A Celebration of Our Children [Hardcover]

Sandra L. Pinkney (Author), Myles C. Pinkney (Photographer)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

The bestselling picture book is now available as a board book! "The beauty of African-American children is celebrated in this joyous picture book. Wonderful, clear, full-color photographs of youngsters illustrate a poetic, vivid text that describes a range of skin and eye colors and hair textures.... An affirmative message for children of all races." - School Library Journal

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 1-The beauty of African-American children is celebrated in this joyous picture book. Wonderful, clear, full-color photographs of youngsters illustrate a poetic, vivid text that describes a range of skin and eye colors and hair textures. ("I am the midnight blue in a licorice stick/and the golden brown in sugar/I am the velvety orange in a peach/and the coppery brown in a pretzel.") Both the photographs and text with its refrain of "I am Black/I am Unique" impart a sense of pride and well-being. An affirmative message for children of all races.
Tammy K. Baggett, Atlanta-Fulton County Public Library, GA
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Ages 3-7. Indeed, there are many shades of black, and they are beautifully exemplified in this photo album that depicts the varied palette that makes up black skin. These gorgeous children are "gingery brown like a cookie," "brassy yellow like popcorn," and "midnight blue like a licorice stick." And yes, "black" can be creamy white like vanilla ice cream. But the author and illustrator don't stop there. They also look at eyes and hair, showing the beauty and uniqueness of eyes with hints of tiger-eye yellow and sturdy, coiling, woollike hair. All of it is black. All of it is beautiful. This may be just the kind of book that black children don't see enough of, but it can certainly be appreciated by children of any color. Denise Wilms
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic Inc. (November 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0439148928
• ISBN-13: 978-0439148924
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 10 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #264,362 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For my granddaughter, November 7, 2000

By 

S. Llanes "book lover" (Poughkeepsie, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Shades of Black: A Celebration of Our Children (Hardcover)

This is essentially a picture book; but oh what wonderful pictures. The author and photographer, wife and husband, have celebrated the variety of black children by comparing their skin, eyes and hair to positive everyday images---peaches, brown sugar, chocolate, ebony, tiger's eye etc. It is a playful and imaginative way of adressing a serious subject---the self-worth of our children. I purchased this book for a brand new granddaughter---she is a delicious mixture of African, Italian and Irish American. She will grow up being proud of her heritage. BTW, I am the Italian grandmother who grew up with a extremely prejudiced parent-----there is hope

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What a beautiful book!, August 5, 2001

By 

Gayle Jackson Sloan "Author" (Philadelphia, PA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shades of Black: A Celebration of Our Children (Hardcover)

I LOVE this book. I bought it for my grandchildren who are 8,4, and 2. All are different shades of brown with the same mother and father. I wanted to give them something that will teach them that no matter how light, dark or in-between they may be, they are ALL beautiful. Not only to me, but to each other. This book is so beautifully laid out and encompasses all the wonderful shades and hues we come in. The authors are to be commended for including EVERYBODY's color. While books celebrating our beautiful brown babies are to be commended, are our lighter-skinned ones to be forgotten? I don't think so, and obviously, neither did these authors. Thank you so much! Here is a book all three of my grandchildren can read together and all identify with.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Simple Celebration Of Your Child of Color's Identity, January 5, 2001

By 

C. J. (New York City, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shades of Black: A Celebration of Our Children (Hardcover)

On an outing to a bookstore in New York my 8 year old nephew and I came across this book. My nephew prefers not to read books as much as he looks to like at pictures. So, I insisted that we look at the book together as he read the words to me. Well worth the purchase price. Will assist in providing self-image and self worth for children who may be in an identity crisis due to the negative imagery of children of color in the mass media. The book is filled with children of color (african-american/black) of several different complexions from dark to light and all shades in between..The book uses simple but positive words to compare children and their complexions to beautiful and natural things such as stones, minerals, ice cream, the book also compares natural and familiar items to show variations in hair color and eye color. I found the book to be quite a beautiful and powerful display in its simplicity. My nephew even asked if we could take it home.