Publishers Weekly Review
| Thompkins-Bigelow (Abdul's Story) pens a stirring free verse love letter to Black children and community, carrying readers through a range of experiences to be held tight or dismissed: "When happy things come to you,/ hold them close and never let go." A lyrically wrought litany of things to retain includes "that one time when you just/ knew you had slam-dunked the sun," the eyes of children and of elders, and moments of freedom and joy: "the stories the grown folks tell of your greatness... of changemakers and truth-tellers and the first ones to break through." Shabazz (Back in the Days, for adults) provides contemporary photographs to which fine artist Dougher contributes intricate mixed-media collage, gold leaf crowns, and portrayals of Black individuals across time; in one spread, Assata Shakur, Sojourner Truth, and Malcolm X appear in the windows of a Black Wall Street building. The resulting images--of contemporary community and historical figures united by a single painted white ribbon that soars from spread to spread--simultaneously emphasize a painful past, a tumultuous present, and a hopeful future, making for a tribute both sobering and jubilant. Back matter includes author's and illustrator's notes. Ages 4--8. Author's agent: Essie White, Storm Literary. (Oct.) |
School Library Journal Review
| Gr 1--4--In this love letter to black children, the author encourages them to hold on to the good things, to not look away from the bad things, and to never forget their story. Dougher's mixed media collage includes black-and-white photographs by Jamel Shabazz, patterned paper, and paint. Together the images create the homey chaotic feel of a Brooklyn neighborhood, where both illustrator and photographer grew up. Through the illustrations, readers follow a boy and girl into their world and family, where they see the love that carries them through real life: dinner tables and school friends, family members who were incarcerated, and those who were enslaved or experienced violence. No subject is out of reach. While the verse may be too abstract for younger readers, this book is an uplifting family story as much as it is a beautifully fearless introduction to much of Black history and why learning about it is essential for understanding the modern world. Back matter gives context and depth to images and names of historical figures and victims of violence that are worked into the collage. VERDICT This is an important book for any collection that serves older picture book readers, but especially good for classroom use.--Hillary Perelyubskiy |
Booklist Review
| Hold Them Close is a true work of art. "Hold on," the poet urges, to the moments of life: the ones that might feel insignificant in the grand scheme of things (a dunked basketball), the ones that shake you to your core (the release of an incarcerated loved one), and everything in between. Thompkins-Bigelow's poem has universal appeal but must be appreciated for the specificity of its address to Black children. Vibrant, textured collage illustrations made of patterned papers and photographs (by Shabazz) mirror the text in both literal and abstract ways, varying from depictions of intimate family-dinner scenes and portraits of notable Black Americans to stylized renditions of slavery, lynching, and anti-Black police violence. The beauty of the illustrations and the tenderness of the text do not mitigate the impact of these harsh realities, which are balanced with scenes of deep love and a message about the robust, resilient, and ubiquitous participation of Black Americans in all aspects of our country's past, present, and future. This is a book to be savored and reread in classrooms and homes. The artistry of Hold Them Close demands that readers also pay attention to the author's and illustrator's notes (and websites, for even more). |
Kirkus Review
| "When happy things come to you / hold them close and never let go." Verse and mixed-media artwork blend for a work that aims to guide young Black readers to build resilience in a world that is too often violent and grossly unforgiving toward Black people. Thompkins-Bigelow goes on to encourage readers to hold on--"to the smile of that loved one / who just got free," "to good tastes and good laughs on your tongue," and "to the stories the grown / folks tell of your greatness." Making inspired use of textures in the backgrounds, this comforting book has the look and feel of a quilt. Photographs of Black children taken by Shabazz as well as images of historical figures incorporated into the collage illustrations give the book the feeling of a family album. This celebration of Black culture covers the impact of racism honestly yet in an age-appropriate way; one especially noteworthy spread includes the photo of a child with head bowed opposite the names of the victims of racist violence, such as Trayvon Martin and Michelle Cusseaux, set against the wall of a building. Backmatter includes author's and illustrator's notes and additional information on people and topics alluded to in the book, among them Black Lives Matter, Jim Crow, lynching, and Ida B. Wells-Barnett. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A love poem to Black children that both educates and bolsters. (selected sources) (Picture book. 6-9) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission. |
