Say Her Name
CCBC Review:
“Black girl / you are more than magic / you are a miracle …” (from “Black Girl Miracle”). A collection of poems centered on Black female experience explores themes of racism, violence, body image, misogyny, but also, so importantly, self-love, sisterhood, strength, and the miracle of survival. The majority of the poems are original works by Elliott, but four offerings Elliott refers to as “mentor poems” are from poets Lucille Clifton, Nikki Giovanni, Audre Lord, and Phyllis Wheatley. Across the collection, poems call out individual Black women and their achievements, as well as individual Black women whose lives were cut short at the hands of police or who were victims of other racist oppression. She also addresses disrespect Black women have faced by some Black men in this accounting. “This book is my way of bearing witness,” she writes in the introduction, referring to unconscionable police violence. But in this volume that is so much more than pain, she also bears witness to that miracle of survival, even as she makes clear Black women and girls should not require miracles to survive, and thrive. Notes at book’s end provide additional information about each poem, including people and events referenced and aspects of their remarkable crafting in a work also graced by spot and full-page illustrations by Loveis Wise. ©2021 Cooperative Children’s Book Center
Illustrated by Loveis Wise
CCBC Age Recommendation: Age 12 and older
Age Range:
Grades 6-8 (Ages 11-13)
Grades 9-12 (Age 14 and older)
Format:
Poetry
Subjects:
Activism and Resistance
Affirmation
African Americans
Girls and Women
Racism
Self-Esteem and Self-Worth
Violence
Diversity subject:
Black/African
Publishers:
Disney, Jump at the Sun
Publish Year: 2020
Pages: 83
ISBN: 9781368045247
CCBC Location: Non-Fiction, 811 Elliott