Genre:

I am reviewing Born on the Water (2021) for the historical fiction category.

Target Age Group:

The target age group is 6-10 years.

Summary:

    Born on the Water is a picture book in lyrical verse by Nikole Hannah-Jones and Renee Watson. One day, a young girl was given an assignment in school. "Trace your roots," the teacher tells the class. She felt ashamed because she didn't know where she came from. That night, her grandmother assembled the family and told them how their ancestors had been stolen, kidnapped from West Africa. She spoke of their arduous journey and the hundreds of years of hard labor and how their freedom was finally found by living and surviving. This serious and important children's book does have moments of joy to balance the tragedy of enslaved Black people beginning in the 1600s in the United States. A historical picture book imparting so much sorrow yet, "And the people planted dreams and hope, willed themselves to keep living, living."

Justification:

    I chose this particular children's book because I feel there are some people in America who want to rewrite American history. I was also intrigued by the beautiful artwork on the cover of Born on the Water and the subject matter of slavery being discussed in a children's picture book. It is vitally important that historical fiction books about America convey accurate details regarding the founding and development of this country. I am always drawn to books, fiction or nonfiction, that encourage utilizing critical thinking skills on the subject of American history.

Evaluation:

    For this review, I will be evaluating mood, pacing, and the illustrations. The mood of Born on the Water begins with the joyful retelling of where the ancestors of a young Black girl lived in Africa. The story becomes somber and the atmosphere of the book changes dramatically. The depiction of the history of enslaved Black people is felt in this book to be heartbreaking and shocking. The authors soften this horrific injustice by amplifying the resilience and exuberance of the people that were taken from their homeland. The mood once again is transformed to one of hope and freedom because of the changes that have transpired in the lives of Black people during the last 50 years.

    The pacing in Born on the Water is quick and mellifluous due to the lyrical nature of this children's picture book in verse. The young reader will be able to appreciate the historical content of this picture book because every sentence is impactful and powerful. It strives and succeeds to make a connection with the emotions of the reader with a symphony of words and at a pace that never slows down.

    As I mentioned before, the illustrations are part of what attracted me to this book. Nikkolas Smith, the illustrator of Born on the Water, has created an impressionistic type of artwork for this book that balances the harshness of the text with drawings filled with a softness that is needed when reading this book. The use of watercolors were also used as a visual aid to alleviate the piercing facts that are presented. These compelling and gorgeous illustrations will create a feeling of empathy and compassion from the young readers and perhaps inspire them to explore other books in the historical fiction genre.

Citation:

Hannah-Jones, N., & Watson, R. (2021). Born on the water (N. Smith, Illus.). Kokila Books.