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Zephaniah, Benjamin

We Sang Across the Sea: The Empire Windrush and Me

24 pp. | Scholastic | April, 2022 | Trade ISBN 9780702311161 $11.10
(3) K-3 Illustrated by Onyinye Iwu. The real-life story of Mona Baptiste’s early years on the island of Trinidad, immigration to England aboard the historic HMT Empire Windrush ship at age twenty, and subsequent noteworthy career as a calypso and blues singer is stripped down to a vita in this rhyming picture book best suited for younger children. In lieu of providing many concrete details, Zephaniah focuses on Baptiste’s desire to use her vocal gifts to spread joy. Although the book takes a rather Panglossian view of Baptiste’s experience as a Black immigrant in post-war Europe, it is a welcome addition to the small but growing corpus of children’s books commemorating the Windrush Generation. Bright, cartoony illustrations project a celebratory mood.
Reviewer: Summer Edward

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