Useni Eugene Perkins (1932–2023)

I absolutely love this book. This book is based off the poem, “Hey Black Child”. The author decided many years later to turn his poem into a picture book. I love this book because of the message the words display. As well as, the powerful illustrations. The words in poem are a powerful message to young black children. This poem is to act as encouragement for children to be who they want to be. For example, Usensi says “Do you know you can be, what you want to be, if you try to be, what you can be”. While reading I think that is such a powerful message for young people to understand that they can make a difference in our world. The illustrations in the book work together with the words. The illustrations are all black children of many different complexations doing artistic things such as, dancing, singing, painting, etc. I found the pictures intriguing because in this book black children can see themselves in a positive light rather than a negative one. The overall message of this book is that children or anyone rather can be exactly what they want to be as long as they try and in return, they can make their world a better place.… (more)

Hey Black Child is a poem written before I was born by Useni Eugene Perkins as part of a play. It was meant to empower black children to be whatever they wanted to be. The illustrator took note of that in matching the illustrations to the words. It shows children becoming great people such as royalty, leaders, astronauts, ballerinas, etc. It is meant to show that skin color is not a detriment to what you want to do or become. Besides the story, I highly suggest reading the author and illustrator information at the back. It is just as interesting, and lesson giving as the story itself.
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