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kitsuneheart's review against another edition
5.0
No one is ever a simple, single-definition person, and this book make a point to describe some of the many things that can make up who you are. Child, dancer, writer, sibling, runner, dreamer. And so many other things. Such an important message in a day where one terrible event can lead to the media labeling someone as just a "Black man," rather than all the things they are.
Race isn't really brought up in this book, but Walter Dean Myers and Christopher Myers both focus in their other works on the Black experience, and there's plenty in this book to identify the narrator as Black. However, that's not one of this definitions. And that is so important. Because the Myers's show that his race ISN'T the first detail, or even in the top ten details. It's not denied, but there are so many other things about the narrator that the narrator celebrates.
This is a great intro to a unit on exploring your self. Read this to your class, and then have your students list all the things that make up who they are. It's less suited to a library story time, as there isn't much call for homework after one of those. And for the household, I think it's a good fit for most homes, since it really can give your child more confidence, but if you're skeptical, your local library should hold a copy for a trial run.
Race isn't really brought up in this book, but Walter Dean Myers and Christopher Myers both focus in their other works on the Black experience, and there's plenty in this book to identify the narrator as Black. However, that's not one of this definitions. And that is so important. Because the Myers's show that his race ISN'T the first detail, or even in the top ten details. It's not denied, but there are so many other things about the narrator that the narrator celebrates.
This is a great intro to a unit on exploring your self. Read this to your class, and then have your students list all the things that make up who they are. It's less suited to a library story time, as there isn't much call for homework after one of those. And for the household, I think it's a good fit for most homes, since it really can give your child more confidence, but if you're skeptical, your local library should hold a copy for a trial run.
kristenremenar's review against another edition
3.0
I sooo wanted to like this book more than I actually did! I love Walter Dean Myers, love Christopher Myers, but I tried reading this aloud and kept stumbling. Why did it have to be forced into verse? The idea of one person being all kinds of things - brother, writer, dreamer, handsome dude - is awesome. The collages are cool. But the whole thread of bamming fists made this age way down, and lines like
"Miss Kay put out her fist.
I gave it a bam!
Say Jeremy,
Say Brother,
Say Son,
Say Writer,
That's who I am."
:(
"Miss Kay put out her fist.
I gave it a bam!
Say Jeremy,
Say Brother,
Say Son,
Say Writer,
That's who I am."
:(
typesetjez's review against another edition
5.0
This was a really fun read-along. I enjoyed the content and the book's aims to provide POCs with ways to find themselves in literature, as well as to—if I may borrow a term from John Green—imagine people, and one's self, complexly. The art is engaging, combining very unique papercraft-like styles with photographs. The read-along tape did well to provide background noises to match the art without being too loud or distracting. Additionally, the book was read by African-American actors, which added to the representation, and the narrators read at an appropriate pace, giving the reader enough time to view the complex art. The only part I did not enjoy was the stiff way the About the Authors page was read, but this was likely due to the juxtaposition with the fun way the previous pages were read.
rc211's review against another edition
This picture book in rhyme is written and illustrated to have this jazzy vibe to it. The best way to engage children and get them into the book is to play jazz music and dance.
momoj8's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
5.0
amysutton's review against another edition
4.0
The designs in this one were very interesting. Everything is super bright colors and paper cut outs that look like they're from the 90s. Also, lots of fist bumping.
a_manning11's review against another edition
4.0
The text of this book is outstanding, a song or chant in picture book form. However, I could not get used to the illustrations. I cannot relate them to the text, and do not appreciate them for their artistic value.
djlanatron's review against another edition
5.0
This would be a fun read-aloud. It also is a simple way to talk to kids about the multiple identities each one of us contains.
pwbalto's review against another edition
5.0
There's nothing like starting out on a strong, affirming foot. Let's just put it out there, son - I am a good looking guy. And things are just going to get better from there. My sister comes along and tells me I am a brother. My teacher calls me a writer. I look in the mirror and call myself a talker. Fist bumps all around.
This big bold boy-centric anthem is illustrated with strong, bright-colored collage images - wild animals, city buildings, and images from non-Western culture underlay graphic silhouettes of young men in motion, implying the threads of civilized and wild culture that weave together to make a boy. Extra fist bump to my boy Christopher for using a picture of the gorilla diorama at the American Museum of Natural History. That silverback gets around.
This is exactly the read-aloud for the strongest, most confident read-aloud-er you know. My friend Kate, for example. You need the rhythm and flow of a Nikki Giovanni or a Jacqueline Woodson to read this book aloud. But you need nothing but fifteen minutes and an open mind to read it to yourself.
One cautious note: I held out my fist for a bump with a little boy not too long ago, and, not hip to the procedure, the kid hauled off and punched my fist as hard as he could. Didn't hurt me much, but ne nearly broke his fingers on my rings. So, if you're going to do the fist bumps along with Walter Dean and Christopher, make sure everybody knows - a real man is gentle.
More like this on Pink Me: http://pinkme.typepad.com
This big bold boy-centric anthem is illustrated with strong, bright-colored collage images - wild animals, city buildings, and images from non-Western culture underlay graphic silhouettes of young men in motion, implying the threads of civilized and wild culture that weave together to make a boy. Extra fist bump to my boy Christopher for using a picture of the gorilla diorama at the American Museum of Natural History. That silverback gets around.
This is exactly the read-aloud for the strongest, most confident read-aloud-er you know. My friend Kate, for example. You need the rhythm and flow of a Nikki Giovanni or a Jacqueline Woodson to read this book aloud. But you need nothing but fifteen minutes and an open mind to read it to yourself.
One cautious note: I held out my fist for a bump with a little boy not too long ago, and, not hip to the procedure, the kid hauled off and punched my fist as hard as he could. Didn't hurt me much, but ne nearly broke his fingers on my rings. So, if you're going to do the fist bumps along with Walter Dean and Christopher, make sure everybody knows - a real man is gentle.
More like this on Pink Me: http://pinkme.typepad.com
heisereads's review against another edition
3.0
Love the message of the book in building self-esteem and can see it being used in classrooms with "I Am" poems, but some of the flow skipped a bit and the illustration style was visually jarring to me.