We Shall Overcome - by Brian Collier (Hardcover)

Dimensions (Overall): 9.2 Inches (H) x .6 Inches (W) x 8.2 Inches (D)
Weight: 1 Pounds
Number of Pages: 40
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
Sub-Genre: People & Places
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: Orchard Books
Author: Brian Collier
Age Range: 4-8 Years
Book theme: African American, United States
Language: English

Book Synopsis

A celebration of the gospel anthem and Civil Rights protest song We Shall Overcome, masterfully brought to life by Caldecott Honor recipient and a nine-time Coretta Scott King Award winner Bryan Collier.

We Shall Overcome is one of the most recognizable anthems of the Civil Rights movement, widely performed at protests and rallies to promote nonviolent civil rights activism. Now, these inspirational, empowering, legendary lyrics are brought to life with the stirring, evocative, and breathtaking illustrations from multi-award-winning talent Bryan Collier. Powerfully imagined for the present moment, Collier's illustrations meld the most emblematic moments of the twentieth-century Civil Rights movement with the present day, depicting the movements, protests, and demonstrations -- big and small -- as the fight for justice continues. With illustrations full of depth, tenderness, and expression, and offering historical context while remaining powerfully relevant to the present-day, this impactful picture book is a must-have for every home, classroom, and bookshelf.

Review Quotes

Praise for All Because You Matter, illustrated by Bryan Collier:

* Two accomplished creators invite Black children to take up their spaces in the world... the journey from beginning to end of the book sends a message that is nurturing, nourishing, loving, and reassuring, expanding and deepening the words of the movement it echoes. Collier's trademark paint-and-collage illustrations use petal shapes with patterns and faces, blue and brown hues, and family scenes and close-ups to embody the child's growth within affectionate circles of family, community, and universe. A gem for every household. -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review

* Caldecott Honoree Collier's (Trombone Shorty) tender, close-up watercolor portraits of a growing Black boy give visual power to this celebration of young Black lives. In an author's note, Charles (Freedom Soup) writes about 'The Big Talk- -- words that every Black parent must speak to their child about discrimination and violence. Lyrical verse that aims to offer 'a starting point for conversations about the racial climate in our country' underlines an important message: 'you, dear child, matter'... As a schoolchild in a green T-shirt, he faces hurdles: academic efforts go unrewarded, classmates jeer, another name is called: / Trayvon, / Tamir, / Philando. Alongside these realities, Charles delivers a ringing affirmation of his life's meaning -- 'Did you know that... strength, power, and/ beauty lie within you?' -- as Collier shows the boy straight on, surrounded by collaged images of his ancestry. Universal declarations are often illustrated with images of many children; this book's focus on a single child brings his experience and life-and the ways they matter-right up close. -- Publishers Weekly, starred review

Praise for Trombone Shorty, illustrated by Bryan Collier:

2016 Caldecott Honor Book

Coretta Scott King (Illustrator) Award Winner

* This well-told and exquisitely illustrated story of a musician with a steep career trajectory will inspire young readers to pursue their passions, despite the challenges. -- Kirkus Reviews starred review

Praise for Knock Knock, illustrated by Bryan Collier:

Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award Winner

Huffington Post Best Picture Book of the Year

ALSC Notable Children's Book

Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards Picture Book Honor

Children's Book Committee at Bank Street College Best Books of the Year

Bryan Collier's richly textured illustrations and the lyricism of Beaty's text -- with its echoes of spoken-word poetry -- make this story of bereavement also a story of possibility and beauty. -- The New York Times Sunday Book Review

Praise for Martin's Big Words, illustrated by Bryan Collier:

Caldecott Honor Book

Coretta Scott King Honor Book

ALA Notable Children's Book

New York Times Notable Book of the Year

A stunning, reverent tribute. -- School Library Journal

About The Author

Bryan Collier loves to paint. He has successfully channeled his creative energy and love of art into an illustrious career as a children's book illustrator and writer. He began painting at the age of 15 and eventually landed a scholarship to attend Pratt Institute in New York. He has won four Caldecott Honors for Rosa by Nikki Giovanni, Martin's Big Words by Doreen Rappaport, Trombone Shorty by Troy Andrews, and Dave the Potter by Laban Carack Hill. His first book, Uptown, won the Coretta Scott King Award and the Ezra Jack Keats Award. He has won five more Coretta Scott King Awards and three Coretta Scott King Honors.