From Kirkus: "With powerful art from a bold new talent, this is a probing and sensitive take on a devastating chapter of U.S. history."

A beautiful poem that blends history and current feelings. It is about a teacher trying to teach about slavery in the US but doesn't know how. At one point she wants to stop but the children want her to continue. BEAUTIFUL! ( )

Inspired by the realization that many teachers are not prepared to teach their students about slavery, Alexander wrote An American Story to "help give us a way to speak the truth to children."

Artist Dare Coulter's magnificent mixed media illustrations (ceramic and polymer clay sculptures, spray paint, digital paint, acrylic, charcoal, graphite, ink on wood panel, Photoshop and ProCreate) depict the life in Africa, the experience of slavery, and kids in a modern classroom trying to make sense of history, together with their teacher. Coulter's use of the gutter is some of the most effective I've ever seen: some pages are full-bleed double-page-spreads, while others juxtapose Africans' life before white slavetraders arrived, with whites' waiting to capture them; or a Black boy picking cotton with a white boy reading a book in a garden. Classroom scenes look like realistic sketches in charcoal/graphite on a sunny yellow background, contrasting with the 3D look of the historical scenes.

"You can't change the past, but you can do better in the future."

Back matter: author's note, illustrator's note

See also: Born on the Water by Nikole Hannah-Jones, Renee Watson, Nikkolas Smith; That Flag by Tameka Fryer Brown and Nikkolas Smith ( )

"How do you tell that story?
About copper dreams wrapped in iron chains.

"How do you tell that story and not want to weep for the world?"

"you do it by being brave enough to lift your voice
by holding history in one hand
and clenching hope in the other."

Ladies and Gentlemen, may this book be remembered come 2023 Youth Media Awards time. Because Kwame Alexander delivers utter brilliance. ( )

Library Journal's predicted audience is preschool through 3rd grade. ( )