The People Remember: A Kwanzaa Holiday Book for Kids

by Ibi Zoboi, Loveis Wise (Illustrator)

Overview

From award-winning, New York Times bestselling author Ibi Zoboi comes her debut picture book—a tour de force that uses the principles of Kwanzaa to talk about the history of African Americans. This lyrical, powerful tribute is sumptuously illustrated by New Yorker artist and rising star Loveis Wise. A beautiful gift for readers of all ages and for fans of Kadir Nelson’s Heart and Soul. A Coretta Scott King Honor Book!

The People Remember tells the journey of African descendants in America by connecting their history to the seven principles of Kwanzaa. It begins in Africa, where people were taken from their homes and families. They spoke different languages and had different customs.

Yet they were bound and chained together and forced onto ships sailing into an unknown future. Ultimately, all these people had to learn one common language and create a culture that combined their memories of home with new traditions that enabled them to thrive in this new land.

Sumptuously illustrated, this is an important book to read as a family—a story young readers can visit over and over again to deepen their understanding of African American history in relation to their own lives and current social justice movements. By turns powerful and revealing, this is a lyrical narrative that tells the story of survival, as well as the many moments of joy, celebration, and innovation of Black people in America.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062915641
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	09/28/2021
Pages:	64
Sales rank:	236,799
Product dimensions:	10.20(w) x 11.10(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Ibi Zoboi is the New York Times bestselling author of American Street, a National Book Award finalist; Nigeria Jones, a Coretta Scott King Award winner; Pride; My Life as an Ice Cream Sandwich; Star Child; Okoye to the People; the Walter Award–winning Punching the Air, cowritten with Exonerated Five member Yusef Salaam; and the Coretta Scott King Honor–winning picture book The People Remember. She is also the editor of the anthology Black Enough. Born in Haiti and raised in New York City, she now lives in New Jersey with her family. You can find her online at ibizoboi.net.

Loveis Wise is an illustrator and designer from Washington, DC. They are currently based in Los Angeles, and their work often speaks to themes of joy and liberation. Loveis has illustrated two books: The People Remember and Ablaze with Color. More of their work can be found through the New Yorker, Google, Adobe, and the New York Times.

Editorial Reviews

★ 09/13/2021

In her picture book debut, Zoboi employs magnetic, allusive free verse to describe the course of history as experienced by members of the African diaspora and enslaved African peoples. Simultaneously, the title demonstrates the seven principles of Kwanzaa, the seven-day African American holiday observance running from Christmas Day to New Year’s, through historical moments and movements and great Black literary voices, such as the beginnings of Motown music, the civil rights movement, and the work of Alice Walker, respectively. Zoboi’s lyrical verse (“While telling stories under the star-speckled sky/ about memories of the ancestors/ watching from way up high”) is further strengthened by Wise’s eye-catching digital illustrations, composed of lushly colored images realistic and fantastical, historical and contemporary, and painted with spectacular vibrance to portray the experience of African and African American people throughout time. A rich resource ideal for Kwanzaa and beyond. Back matter includes an author’s note, glossary, detailed timeline, and further reading resources. Ages 4–8. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

[Ibi and Loveis’s] collaboration focuses on Black resilience, a cultural inheritance powerful enough to break the curse of generational trauma. Guided by the seven principles of Kwanzaa, Zoboi’s narrative explores both the burden and the strength of collective consciousness…. The image and the words work in harmony to emphasize the limitless potential of the human spirit.” — New York Times Book Review

“In lyrical verses with a smoothly rolling, sonorous quality… Zoboi’s poem is a master class in conciseness, expertly evoking powerful images, concepts, and emotions out of just a handful of words, particularly when paired with Wise’s exultant art, and the robust back matter offers even more context and nuance. A must-have for holiday collections, but let its light shine throughout the rest of the year, too.” — ALA Booklist (starred review)

“This immaculately illustrated picture book walks through a vast swath of history… Zoboi’s poetic retrospective breathes life into Black history narratives and reverently celebrates Black lives.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“Zoboi’s gorgeous prose illuminates… and Wise’s illustrations highlight the beauty of African American culture. Their color palette takes readers on an emotional journey that is also a brilliant blend of poetry, African, and African American history. Zoboi skillfully weaves together the narratives of enslaved Africans into a wonderful tapestry that is honest and beautiful. Perfect for school and public libraries, this must-have offering celebrates African American cultural identity should be included in all collections.” — School Library Journal (starred review)

“Zoboi employs magnetic, allusive free verse to describe the course of history as experienced by members of the African diaspora and enslaved African peoples…. Zoboi’s lyrical verse is further strengthened by Wise’s eye-catching digital illustrations, composed of lushly colored images realistic and fantastical, historical and contemporary, and painted with spectacular vibrance to portray the experience of African and African American people throughout time. A rich resource ideal for Kwanzaa and beyond.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Zoboi and Wise beautifully ‘sew together a tapestry of / their stories / one fine quilt / a blanket for the children / to keep them warm, protected, and safe.’ Each brightly colored spread tells of important moments and people in African American history.…Wise’s sumptuous digital illustrations are reminiscent of the patches created by African American quilters to remind future generations of their past.” — Horn Book (starred review)

“An exquisite gift book that every member of the family will appreciate.”  — BookPage

From the Publisher

Zoboi and Wise beautifully ‘sew together a tapestry of / their stories / one fine quilt / a blanket for the children / to keep them warm, protected, and safe.’ Each brightly colored spread tells of important moments and people in African American history.…Wise’s sumptuous digital illustrations are reminiscent of the patches created by African American quilters to remind future generations of their past.

Horn Book (starred review)

In lyrical verses with a smoothly rolling, sonorous quality… Zoboi’s poem is a master class in conciseness, expertly evoking powerful images, concepts, and emotions out of just a handful of words, particularly when paired with Wise’s exultant art, and the robust back matter offers even more context and nuance. A must-have for holiday collections, but let its light shine throughout the rest of the year, too.

ALA Booklist (starred review)

An exquisite gift book that every member of the family will appreciate.” 

BookPage

[Ibi and Loveis’s] collaboration focuses on Black resilience, a cultural inheritance powerful enough to break the curse of generational trauma. Guided by the seven principles of Kwanzaa, Zoboi’s narrative explores both the burden and the strength of collective consciousness…. The image and the words work in harmony to emphasize the limitless potential of the human spirit.

New York Times Book Review

★ 11/01/2021

PreS-Gr 3—A primer on the principles of Kwanzaa and an examination of the tenacious spirit of the formerly enslaved African people. Stolen African people from different cultures were forced to build uncommon bonds to survive the transatlantic slave trade. That they survived being separated from their land, culture, and personhood was nothing short of a miracle. Zoboi's gorgeous prose illuminates all of the ways Black people attempted to reclaim their their rights as American citizens. They were often thwarted by a corrupt system bent on consuming African culture without respecting the people who created it. Zoboi creates a colorful time line that covers the horrors of lynching, the great migration, white uprisings, hip hop music, and the Black Lives Matter movement. Along the way, the seven principles of Kwanzaa, or Nguzo Saba, which were were first introduced in 1966, are celebrated. Wise's illustrations highlight the beauty of African American culture. Her color palette takes readers on an emotional journey that is also a brilliant blend of poetry, African, and African American history. Zoboi skillfully weaves together the narratives of enslaved Africans into a wonderful tapestry that is honest and beautiful. VERDICT Perfect for school and public libraries, this must-have offering celebrates African American cultural identity should be included in all collections.—Desiree Thomas, Worthington Lib., OH

School Library Journal

★ 2021-07-30
A lyrical history of African American life that also explicates the seven principles of Kwanzaa.

Opening with Africans from many ethnic groups being ripped from their homelands in the midst of births, deaths, storytelling, and other daily occurrences, this immaculately illustrated picture book walks through a vast swath of history. This includes the Atlantic slave trade, the plight and escape of enslaved people, emancipation, northern migration, faith journeys, and more, ending with the Movement for Black Lives. Zoboi’s lyrical free verse, with occasional subtle rhymes, always speaks boldly about the lives, trials, and successes of African American people. The refrain the people remember emphasizes how memories are passed down from one generation to the next, be they positive or otherwise. Figures like Mami Wata center Africa and the African diaspora—necessary for explaining the Kwanzaa principles within the narrative. Wise’s humans, somewhat reminiscent of Jacob Lawrence’s, feel big and expansive in proportion to their surroundings, representing the outsized impact African Americans have had on United States history and culture, whether acknowledged or not. Rich, deeply saturated illustrations cover every page and show how integral African Americans have been to the creation and growth of the arts. Extensive backmatter will ground readers in the facts and spark interest for further research. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Zoboi’s poetic retrospective breathes life into Black history narratives and reverently celebrates Black lives. (author's note, timeline, further reading) (Picture book. 7-adult)

Kirkus Reviews