Here me out about this book.

I get the author's message. I get the author's intent. It's about a girl who loves going to the library and exploring books. (And a thumbs up for the library card end papers at the front of the book! And proving that picture books have some of the most advanced vocabulary within their pages!) Then, realizing that a lot of the Black narratives are ones of struggle and triumph over adversity (Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr) and not stories of adventures and superheroes, she seeks to create those narratives. It's a valid argument: up until recently, the only Black representation was more in nonfiction and about events along the Civil Rights moment. A black girl was not the protagonist in a story about food. (Or if it was it was about slavery and food)

Here's my problem, though. The byline of the book is "a love letter to libraries." To be honest, I did not get that vibe while reading "Dear Reader." If anything, I felt it was attacking the lack of Black girls in books. And that the library was a little responsible for perpetuating the cycle. I think that is misguided. Please visit my library and see that, now, we always have books on display that feature BIPOC characters. Characters doing seemingly everyday activities.

So, I guess don't call it a love letter. It was more of an OP/ED piece. ( )