Tami Charles

A young girl and her Haitian grandmother joyfully cook Freedom Soup in this story of Haiti's successful struggle to end slavery.

"Know why they call it Freedom Soup?" Ti Gran asks.
"Because it's free?"
It is the same answer that I always give. Ti Grans laughs her loud, belly-deep laugh.
"Oh, Belle. Nothing in this world is free, not even freedom."
She begins to tell a story, the same one she tells every year. A story of the place she was born: Haiti.

The illustrations, created with gouache, show more pencil, and marker, are alive with color, joy, music, and dance. Ti Gran wears a brightly colored yellow dress and matching headwrap, and Belle wears long cornrows and an apron to match her grandmother's dress. Both Belle and Ti Gran move expressively and dance while cooking and storytelling. The extended family that gathers to enjoy their traditional Freedom Soup on New Year's Day is large, happy, and celebratory.

The triumph of the historical revolution is not depicted with blood and misery, but rather with proud Haitians boldly marching to war with bare feet and makeshift weapons.

A Freedom Soup recipe and Author's Note round out this wonderful picture book suggested for Grades K-4.

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Tami Charles pens a poetic, lyrical text that is part love letter, part anthem, assuring readers that they always have, and always will, matter. This powerful, rhythmic lullaby reassures readers that their matter and their worth is never diminished, no matter the circumstance: through the joy and wonder of their first steps and first laughs, through the hardship of adolescent struggles, and the pain and heartbreak of current events, they always have, and always will, matter. Accompanied by show more illustrations by renowned artist Bryan Collier, a four-time Caldecott Honor recipient and a nine-time Coretta Scott King Award winner or honoree, All Because You Matter empowers readers with pride, joy, and comfort, reminding them of their roots and strengthening them for the days to come. show less

n celebrated creators Charles and Collier’s latest collaboration, affirmations abound and differences transform into points of connection.

The newest title in this series—which includes All Because You Matter (2020) and We Are Here (2023)—opens with a diverse group of schoolchildren on a field trip to the planetarium. As they marvel at the celestial bodies above them, Charles weaves spellbinding verse about the Big Bang: “A mighty, mighty force…bringing us / feet bound to the show more ground…together… // You and me— / born of stars, / stories, / and dreams / big enough / to shake up / and WAKE UP / the whole universe!” Shifting between second-person, first-person singular, and first-person plural points of view, her propulsive words assure readers of the power of their voices, their capacity for stirring up “good trouble,” and their myriad talents—and emphasize that while we individually possess great abilities, we are all better together. Mesmerizing as always, Collier’s signature collage illustrations underscore that much-needed message, depicting the exuberant kids romping amid sumptuous planetary backdrops and gazing down at a map of the Earth. As in the other titles in this empowering series, overlapping leaves featuring colorful patterns or slivers of people’s faces appear throughout, creating an eye-catching visual motif.

A lushly illustrated, uplifting work that beckons us to unite around our common humanity. (author’s and illustrator’s notes, glossary) (Picture book. 4-8)

-Kirkus Review show less

I probably never would have picked this book up if I hadn’t been sent a copy by the publisher, but I am really glad that I did get the opportunity to read it! A novel in verse? How fresh, how rhythmical, how potentially prophetic in language woven throughout with lyrical musicality and the harsh poetics of coming of age. Muted tells the story of Denver and her two best friends, a trio bent on becoming the next hit singing sensation with the skills and know-how to back it up--all they’re show more lacking is their big break and the support of their families. Thankfully Denver is as smart as she is talented, and with a little luck thrown into the mix, a daring act of performance gets their talents on the radar of R&B superstar Sean “Mercury” Ellis. We, as outside viewers, know that something isn’t quite right in this scenario, smelling the corruption and bad vibes a mile away, but Denver is stubborn and determined to do what it takes to get where she wants to be. Yet, even though we know that the outcome of the story likely isn’t going to be a good one, Charles’ offbeat lyrical writing (reading more like modernist poetry which I’m sure pairs auditorily well if you have an ear for beats, which I admittedly don’t) keeps us hooked to the page and to Denver’s wild ride to the brink of fame. The ending of the novel was absolutely gut-wrenching, and I was decidedly displeased that Denver didn’t get the revenge and justice that she so rightly deserved, but the harsh truth of the story rings so true that I have to forgive Charles for the gutpunch. Sometimes the harsh truth needs to be told so that we can learn from the mistakes of others, and the monsters that are populating the real world are fully exposed. show less