Winner

Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat
by Javaka Steptoe; illus. by the author
Primary Little, Brown 40 pp.
10/16 978-0-316-21388-2 $17.99

Picture books about artists are tricky. Should the illustrator mimic the subject’s style, or instead attempt to capture his or her essence? Steptoe does a little of both in this introduction to Jean-Michel Basquiat, one of the most visionary — and misunderstood — artists of his generation. Born in 1960 and raised in a loving, trilingual home in Brooklyn, Basquiat was encouraged by his parents (of Puerto Rican and Haitian descent) to follow his talent from an early age. The art world first took note of Basquiat’s graffiti art in the late 1970s. Later, his mixed-media paintings on unusual surfaces (such as windows and refrigerators) earned him a large following and several art shows, but during his short life he was often discouraged by racism, particularly when people labeled his style “primitive.” Steptoe focuses on the artist’s childhood, including a long recuperation after a car accident, and his mother’s mental illness and its influence on his art. Because Steptoe’s own style, with its vivid palette and use of found objects, is similar to Basquiat’s, he provides a close impression of the painter’s work, including many of the artist’s motifs. While Steptoe’s compositions are more representational than Basquiat’s and easier to “read,” they radiate a similar sense of energy and immediacy. For many personal reasons described in his heartfelt author’s note, Javaka Steptoe is the perfect person to create this book: a tour de force that will introduce an important artist to a new generation. Appended notes provide more information about Basquiat’s life and art; there is also a brief bibliography. LOLLY ROBINSON

From the November/December 2016 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.

Honor Books

Freedom in Congo Square
by Carole Boston Weatherford; 
illus. by R. Gregory Christie
Primary, Intermediate Little Bee 40 pp.
1/16 978-1-4998-0103-3 $17.99 g

In historic Louisiana, enslaved Africans were provided a half-day of rest each Sunday, and in New Orleans their official and legal gathering place was Congo Square. With two spare couplets for each day of the week, Weatherford tells readers what slavery looks like. The verses count down to Sunday: “Mondays, there were hogs to slop, / mules to train, and logs to chop. / Slavery was no ways fair. Six more days to Congo Square.” A slow, steady rhythm builds as the many labors and horrors (“the dreaded lash, too much to bear”) of enslaved people are described. Weatherford sugarcoats nothing, but because of the poetic form, the text is not mired in sadness or pain; Weatherford just respectfully and soberly acknowledges it throughout. Christie’s illustrations, whose colors and components recall the work of Jacob Lawrence, add even more emotional depth. Though most of the faces are featureless, Christie’s use of sharp angles in the slaves’ bodies as he depicts their back-breaking work evinces their ever-present emotional and physical suffering. When they reach Congo Square, though, the figures elongate and have softer curves and angles, allowing them to relax and to dance; they leap as high as Weatherford’s joyful verse. A foreword provides historical context for the real place the book describes. SARAH HANNAH GÓMEZ

From the May/June 2016 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.

Freedom Over Me: Eleven Slaves, Their Lives and Dreams Brought to Life
by Ashley Bryan; illus. by the author
Primary, Intermediate, Middle School Dlouhy/Atheneum 56 pp.
9/16 978-1-4814-5690-6 $17.99
e-book ed. 978-1-4814-5691-3 $10.99

A historical document dated July 5, 1828, lists the property to be sold from the Fairchilds’ estate. Hogs. Cattle. A handmill. Men. Women. Children. While no information beyond the gender and name — and price — of each of the eleven enslaved people is noted in the appraisal of the estate, Bryan lovingly restores their humanity and dignity, giving them ages, true African names, relationships, talents, hopes, and dreams. Here is the account of eleven human beings, all of whom are aware of what they contribute to the Fairchilds plantation and, more importantly, what they would like to contribute to the world. Each slave is afforded two double-page spreads of poetry: the first spread serves as his or her introduction; the second is devoted to his or her dreams. We meet Peggy, the Fairchilds’ cook, who is praised by the Fairchilds for the spices she adds to meals at the Big House. In “Peggy Dreams,” she remembers her life in Africa and reveals that she’s proud of her ability to heal injured fellow slaves through her work with roots and herbs. Bacus is known for his metalwork in fencing the Big House, but his dream admits that the pounding of the metal is “an outlet for anger, for rage…a blow for justice…a cry for respect.” Bryan’s art is just as intentional. Facsimiles of the historical document serve as background for each slave’s introduction page, portraits of their faces taking precedence as they gaze out at the reader. The portraits are etched in a manner similar to wood carvings, suggesting the mask each slave wears for day-to-day life on the plantation. In contrast to the dry, parchment-like tones of the introductions, the dream spreads are in gloriously brilliant colors, as bold as the aspirations of the individuals themselves. EBONI NJOKU

From the November/December 2016 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.

In Plain Sight
by Richard Jackson; illus. by Jerry Pinkney
Primary    Porter/Roaring Brook    40 pp.
9/16    978-1-62672-255-2    $17.99

Sophie enjoys playing a hiding (and finding) game with her beloved grandfather. Each day after school, Sophie checks in with Grandpa, who sits in his wheelchair at an upstairs window. She asks about his day, and he mentions a small item that he’s lost somewhere in his room, which he challenges Sophie to find. It could be anything: a paper clip, a rubber band, a straw, a paintbrush, a lemon drop. “Help me find it, will you, with your bright eyes?” Sophie’s joy at “helping” her Grandpa is evident in Pinkney’s delicate watercolors. Indeed, the detailed illustrations we have come to expect from Pinkney are the perfect hiding places for these objects. There is much to be learned about Sophie’s life in this evocative art: Grandpa reads poetry; every corner of the family’s homey brownstone holds books and newspapers; paintings and military memorabilia fill up the wall space. What makes the book special for readers is that they can play along with Sophie and Grandpa, finding the “missing” object buried cleverly in the illustrations, hiding “in plain sight.” And, if anyone cannot find the object, on the next page-turn Pinkney provides visual hints when Sophie discovers the location. Jackson’s text is direct, vigorous, and colloquial; the twist at the end — when Sophie turns the tables and gives Grandpa something to find — will warm hearts. ROBIN SMITH

From the November/December 2016 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.

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