The Talk by Alicia D Williams
As a little boy grows into a bigger boy, ready to take on the world, he first must have that very difficult conversation far too familiar to so many Black Americans on how to live in a world where racism is ready to take on YOU....
This portrayal of a close-knit family and Jay’s Black kid joy is as warmhearted as it is resolute, while digitally rendered illustrations by debut artist Uchendu depict desaturated instances of racial prejudice as well as brightly hopeful portraits of Black luminaries, providing an emotive realism to Jay’s maturation and his family’s greatest fears and dreamsAges 4–8. Author’s agent: Brenda Bowen, Book Group. Illustrator’s agent: Jessica Saint Jean, Jill Grinberg Literary Management. (Oct.) -- Publishers Weekly, *STARRED REVIEW* * 8/29/2022 *
This powerful picture book about race, family, and growing up is an essential purchase for every library’s collection, putting words to an impossible and necessary conversation, and giving children whose families don’t have “the talk” a window for understanding and an opportunity for compassion and change.–Myiesha Speight -- School Library Journal *STARRED* * 8/12/22 *
The prose is conversational and light, but as the protagonist grows throughout the pages, older readers will still feel represented and invested in the story. Read this with younger readers who may not have had the Talk yet, or read it with older kids to talk about what it was like before the Talk. The warm illustrations hint at the racism the protagonist experiences but more prominently capture the love he feels in his home, and the focus on characters over setting allows for Williams’ words to soar. -- Booklist * 09/01/2022 *
Williams’ narration is shaped by a convincing, youthful first-person voice, and Uchendu’s powerful art conveys both the joyful energy of childhood and the pain of adults who can’t shield children from a racist world. A loving approach to sharing painful realities with children, this book strikes a chord. (Picture book. 5-10) -- Kirkus Reviews *STARRED* * 8/15/22 *
Guaranteed to spark a discussion about the issues everyone should be talking about. KQG -- The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books * 10/2022 *
In this effective early introduction to race relations and police brutality in America, Jay is a young boy who loves racing up and down the block with his friends. Jay’s commitment to remaining a happy child is a welcome element in this exploration of an all-too-relatable experience with no easy answers. -- Horn Book * 1/1/2023 *
This powerful picture book about race, family, and growing up is an essential purchase for every library’s collection, putting words to an impossible and necessary conversation, and giving children whose families don’t have “the talk” a window for understanding and an opportunity for compassion and change.–Myiesha Speight -- School Library Journal *STARRED* * 8/12/22 *
The prose is conversational and light, but as the protagonist grows throughout the pages, older readers will still feel represented and invested in the story. Read this with younger readers who may not have had the Talk yet, or read it with older kids to talk about what it was like before the Talk. The warm illustrations hint at the racism the protagonist experiences but more prominently capture the love he feels in his home, and the focus on characters over setting allows for Williams’ words to soar. -- Booklist * 09/01/2022 *
Williams’ narration is shaped by a convincing, youthful first-person voice, and Uchendu’s powerful art conveys both the joyful energy of childhood and the pain of adults who can’t shield children from a racist world. A loving approach to sharing painful realities with children, this book strikes a chord. (Picture book. 5-10) -- Kirkus Reviews *STARRED* * 8/15/22 *
Guaranteed to spark a discussion about the issues everyone should be talking about. KQG -- The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books * 10/2022 *
In this effective early introduction to race relations and police brutality in America, Jay is a young boy who loves racing up and down the block with his friends. Jay’s commitment to remaining a happy child is a welcome element in this exploration of an all-too-relatable experience with no easy answers. -- Horn Book * 1/1/2023 *
Alicia D. Williams is the author of Mid-Air, which was longlisted for the National Book Award; Genesis Begins Again, which received Newbery and Kirkus Prize honors, was a William C. Morris Award finalist, and for which she won the Coretta Scott King - John Steptoe Award for New Talent; and picture books Jump at the Sun, Nani and the Lion, and The Talk, which was also a Coretta Scott King Honor book. An oral storyteller in the African American tradition, she lives in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Briana Mukodiri Uchendu, recent recipient of the John Steptoe New Talent Award, is an illustrator, visual development artist, and first-generation Nigerian American. She is the illustrator of multiple picture books including The Talk by Alicia D. Williams, which received a Coretta Scott King Author Honor. Her work is inspired by her interests in folklore, film, and animation and her passion to highlight voices that usually go unheard.
Briana Mukodiri Uchendu, recent recipient of the John Steptoe New Talent Award, is an illustrator, visual development artist, and first-generation Nigerian American. She is the illustrator of multiple picture books including The Talk by Alicia D. Williams, which received a Coretta Scott King Author Honor. Her work is inspired by her interests in folklore, film, and animation and her passion to highlight voices that usually go unheard.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9781534495296 |
| ISBN 10 | 1534495290 |
| Title | The Talk |
| Author | Alicia D Williams |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Hardback |
| Publisher | Simon & Schuster |
| Year published | 2022-11-24 |
| Number of pages | 40 |
| Prizes | Commended for Coretta Scott King Award (Author) 2023, Commended for Golden Kite (Picture Book Text) 2023 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |