(1) K-3 Illustrated by Michele Wood. "I entered the world a slave...I was a slave because my countrymen had made it lawful, in utter contempt of the declared will of heaven." Our introduction to Henry Brown in the opening lines of the book are in his own words (Narrative of the Life of Henry Box Brown, Written by Himself). The history of Henry Brown--who self-emancipated from enslavement after his wife and children were sold away by shipping himself North in a wooden crate, hoping to "pass as dry goods"--has been told before (see Henry's Freedom Box, rev. 3/07). Here, Weatherford's moving, poetic verse gives the story a very personal tone as the reader becomes immersed in Brown's harrowing tale of loss and sorrow and his determination to be free. Written in sixains, with each line representing a side of a box, the text painstakingly traces Brown's journey: "I take a bladder of water and a drill to bore air holes / And cram my two-hundred-pound body into the box." The mixed-media art uses collage elements effectively. Deep reds and bright blues and greens figure prominently, giving the art a somewhat vintage feel while still being vivid and vibrant. The book ends powerfully with a sixain titled "AXIOM": "Freedom / Is / Fragile. / Handle / With / Care." Appended with a timeline, a bibliography, and notes from the illustrator and the author.

Reviewer: Monique Harris | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2020

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Michele Wood. Rockliff writes in an upbeat, toe-tapping first-person voice to tell the story of lesser-known black jazz pianist Lil Hardin, who was accomplished before she met and married jazz great Louis Armstrong. Wood's bold, naive acrylic paintings nicely match the era and subject. Photos, additional biographical information, and a list of songs complete the volume. Timeline. Bib.

Reviewer: Christina Dorr

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Michele Wood. Concept by Michele Wood. Thirteen spreads each focus on a famous spiritual and include interpretations and background information, the musical score, and an acrylic painting inspired by it; "some of the earliest recorded" lyrics to each are appended. Wood's powerful folk art is an excellent focal point for this useful introduction to the American slave experience and the resultant musical form. Reading list, websites. Bib., glos.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Michele Wood. In this lengthy picture book, best for mid-primary graders, Tubman and Anthony sit down for tea. In a chatty imagined narrative, the women discuss their own lives in the context of major historical events. Inspired by a series of dramatic monologues written by Grimes in 1988, this ambitious project is both intimate and illuminating. Wood's colorful, folksy paintings convey much emotional nuance. Extensive back matter adds value. Bib.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Michele Wood. Grady crafts her fourteen poems to honor the art of quiltmaking. Pieces recall quilt squares by using ten lines of ten syllables each. Working in intensely hued acrylics, Wood bases her quilt-shaped designs on the patterns that give the poems their titles, incorporating forms into carefully composed scenes inhabited by heroic, emotion-charged figures. Author's and illustrator's notes are appended. Reading list.

Reviewer: Joanna Rudge Long | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2012

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Michele Wood. This companion to I See the Rhythm traces the influence of gospel music on African Americans' lives, from slavery through civil rights to today's "holy hip-hop." The creative and vital premise is weakened by the overwhelming mix of elements on each spread: multiple fonts, overpowering visuals, notes in fine print, etc. On what should the eye and the mind focus? A CD is included.

Reviewer: Henrietta M. Smith

(4) 4-6 Although the book's paintings and poetry provide vivid images of the music of Black America--including slave songs, blues, ragtime, gospel, different jazz genres, rap, funk, and soul--the historical information provided in the text consists almost entirely of a too brief and disconnected chronology. The book will be most effective if used with other, more informative books on the subject.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.