We Shall Overcome

Starred review from September 1, 2021

Gr 1-2-Civil rights history comes alive through these historically laden and visually arresting illustrations. The text of the beloved song that has been encouraging activists for over 100 years appears across page after page; gray-toned illustrations with the look of old photographs represent true events while the protagonist, a young Black girl, makes her way to school. Walking, taking a bus, joining up with a young group of interethnic friends to the school on a street with Black Lives Matter printed across it-all these demonstrate to onlookers that the journey is not over and the need to overcome racial injustice continues today. In the back matter are "Did you notice?" questions posed by Collier to engage the audience with the images captured throughout the book, almost creating a conversation artist and reader. "Did you notice the church on pages 12 and 13?" is followed by details of the significance of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, AL, and the statue of Dr. King that the protagonist walks past. VERDICT Powerful scenes, outstanding for all that they capture and urgently convey, will challenge all readers to find their place in the march to a more racially just future.-John Scott, Baltimore County P.S.

Copyright 2021 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from October 25, 2021
Illustrating lyrics of the civil rights protest anthem “We Shall Overcome,” Collier (All Because You Matter) demonstrates the song’s continuing significance, layering dynamic, vibrantly hued images of a contemporary Black girl’s day-to-day with grayscale drawings of meaningful events in Black history—and drawing a direct link between them. In one spread, Rosa Parks refusing to give up her bus seat appears on the verso in b&w; on the recto, the modern child smiles and waves in full color on a present-day bus. In another, an image of three Black children entering school under a vibrant blue sky juxtaposes a somber grayscale work of the Little Rock Nine. In this way, Collier moves between past, present, and future, with the faces of Black ancestors appearing in the child’s footsteps, then in a set of painted wings the girl wears that shows portraits of the Black revolutionaries who came before, suggesting that their work will carry her to a brighter, more peaceful future. Back matter provides detailed notes of historical scenes shown as well as a brief history of “We Shall Overcome.” Ages 4–8.

Starred review from August 15, 2021
Award-winning illustrator Collier sets images of the present and the past against the text of a beloved song. Lyrics of "We Shall Overcome," a song associated with the 1960s-era civil rights movement, are printed in orange capital letters against a strip of brown background along the bottom of each spread. The pictures tell stories, juxtaposing present-day scenes and children in full color against significant events and sites of past struggle in black and white. Endmatter explains the significance of said sites and scenes for those who may not know: the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, Rosa Parks sitting down on a bus, children integrating schools. The opening spreads feature a school-age Black child rising and getting ready for the day with a smile; the middle spreads show the child arriving at school and learning with a multiracial group of peers, a Black teacher at the head of the class. Final spreads show the child walking by a street being painted with Black Lives Matter in yellow, then small crowds standing together and painting a mural together. Collier uses collage with a multitude of faces and layers to place the times and movements in relationship, creating a powerful opportunity for comparison, reflection, and discussion about the past and present. The opening and closing spreads with the smiling child offer the hopeful message Collier reinforces in his note. This thoughtful work of art comes together with beauty and meaning. (historical note, illustrator's note) (Picture book. 3-10)

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Starred review from November 1, 2021
Preschool-Grade 3 *Starred Review* Using the lyrics to this gospel anthem and protest song as narrative, Collier offers readers a visual perspective of several significant events in U.S. civil rights history. Clad in a bright yellow T-shirt, a young girl sets off for school walking through her neighborhood. Along the way, she passes Birmingham's 16th Street Baptist Church, the bus where Rosa Parks sat, and Little Rock Central High School; after school, she attends a Black Lives Matter gathering. Collier's watercolor-and-collage illustrations employ full color for the contemporary scenes and black and white for the historical settings, which often share space on a spread. Earth tones predominate, accented in yellows, pinks, and greens, making the bright-yellow shirt easy to follow throughout the changing scenes. He skillfully inserts historical details into the art: MLK's statue in front of the church, Rosa Parks sitting on the bus, soldiers escorting students to the high school, and faces of civil rights icons inscribed in the footprints of the contemporary kids at the BLM event. An appended note provides background about the origins of this song and the historical settings depicted, and while Collier concedes that more work remains, he feels hopeful at what has been accomplished so far. Uplifting and inspiring, with plenty of history for those who are ready, this makes a welcome addition to civil rights picture-book collections.

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