Black Girl Magic: A Poem

by Mahogany L. Browne, Jess X. Snow (Illustrator)

Overview

Black Girl, they say you ain't 'posed to be here

Much of what twenty-first century culture tells black girls is not pretty: Don't wear this; don't smile at that. Don't have an opinion; don't dream big. And most of all, don't love yourself. In response to such destructive ideas, internationally recognized poet Mahogany Browne challenges the conditioning of society by crafting an anthem of strength and magic undeniable in its bloom for all beautiful Black girls. She has travelled the world sharing her vision of Black Girl Magic, and now in collaboration with artist Jess X. Snow, presents her acclaimed tribute in a visual form.

Black Girl Magic is a journey from girlhood to womanhood and an invitation to readers to find magic in themselves.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250173720
Publisher:	Roaring Brook Press
Publication date:	01/02/2018
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	504,920
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 7.10(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	NP (what's this?)
Age Range:	3 Months to 10 Years

About the Author

Mahogany L. Browne is a California-born, Brooklyn based writer, educator, activist, mentor, and curator. She has published several books of poetry, and she is an Urban Word NYC Artistic Director (as seen on HBO's Brave New Voices), founder of Women Writers of Color Reading Room, Director of BLM@Pratt Programming, and facilitates performance poetry and writing workshops throughout the country.

Jess X. Snow is an artist, filmmaker, and poet. She holds a BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design, and her artwork has appeared in the LA Times, the Huffington Post, the UN Human Rights Council, and on indoor and outdoor walls throughout the U.S.

Editorial Reviews

01/01/2018
Gr 6 Up—In this book-length poem, Browne, the cofounder of Brooklyn Slam, chronicles the many injustices, limitations, and stereotypes that Black girls face, leading up to a resounding celebration of Black girlhood and a rejection of all that is harmful. Browne's verse radiates energy and urgency, achieved through patiently building up momentum and then cutting it with voltalike segments: "You ain't 'posed to dream at all/You ain't 'posed to do/Nothing but carry babies/And carry/Weaves/Felons/Families/Confusion/Silence./And carry a nation—/But never an opinion." The rhythm and use of enjambment lends the work a spoken word—like cadence, making this an imminently readable poem. The ending chorus of "You Black girl shine!/You Black girl bloom!…" will stick with readers long after they have closed the book. Snow and Key's striking illustrations keep to a limited color palette of white, black, red, and gold, a choice that is elegant and effective, conveying a raw honesty. Nearly every spread could be framed. While the picture book format may signal younger readers, its often intimate content is more appropriate for tweens and teens. VERDICT Browne celebrates a Black girlhood that is free, unforgettable, and luminous. Middle and high school poetry collections will want to consider.—Melissa Williams, Berwick Academy, ME

School Library Journal

2017-11-13
Wonder why this poet and these words seem so familiar? Readers may have caught her on PBS' "Brief but Spectacular" video series reciting it with the velocity and verve it richly deserves. This book feels like the keepsake one gives to all the black girls and women in one's life who missed the clip. And, much like a lot of spoken-word poetry, it is better recited out loud than read silently on the page. Yet in this rich historical moment in which black women are loudly and proudly claiming more and diversified ownership of their works and the media itself, this is as much a document of that moment as it is an emerging, beloved tome for black girls of all ages to read and share in classrooms and conferences, over brunch, on a lazy Sunday in autumn, or whenever or wherever one needs an assuring word. The illustrator's work adds a sweet—if not a little messy—handmade quality to the book, as if each copy has been crafted as a personal gift, complete with a monotone woodcut look to the depiction of one of the most intimate aspects of black womanhood, hair-braiding. Set in uppercase type that emulates hand-lettering, key words and phrases are picked out in red or ocher type, complementing the spare highlights in the black-on-cream palette.The most optimal way to enjoy this book is reading along with the author's PBS video—that synergy makes this small book sing. (Picture book. 6-adult)

Kirkus Reviews