We Could Fly

August 1, 2023
A Black mother-daughter pair connect to their ancestral stories in this picture-book rendering of a song by folk musician Giddens. The two are sitting outside near a wood when the child asks about a sparrow she sees. Why can the sparrow fly away when the girl cannot? Her mother tells her that her Granny Liza used to fly, connected as she was to both the ancestors, who could fly, and to her grandchild, in whom she saw "the old-time ways." As the pair share the old stories and their own links to their people, the child feels the time has come, and together they take flight, searching for the promised land. The spare, beautiful verses of this powerful song are well suited to a picture book and well laid out among stirring spreads of artwork in Uchendu's distinctive textured style highlighting vast landscapes, deep skies of sunset orange, purple, and dark blue, and figures of ancestors whose presence is felt deeply though they are depicted only as shadowy silhouettes. Drawing inspiration from Virginia Lee Hamilton and Leo and Diane Dillon's classic folktale collection The People Could Fly (1985), this work wraps readers in a warm embrace. Perfect for bedtime, naptime, storytime, or sharing in schools, this magical picture book will have readers entranced. (This book was reviewed digitally.) Sublime. (author's and illustrator's notes) (Picture book. 3-9)

COPYRIGHT(2023) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

December 1, 2023

K-Gr 3-A song inspired by a children's book becomes a children's book. A Black mother and daughter draw on the resilience of their ancestors to process their own generational trauma of slavery in this exceptional story. Told in musical conversation-the text comes from Giddens's song of the same name-the mother imparts the levity of the spirit despite the adversity it faces. According to the back matter, the inspiration for the song was the Coretta Scott King Award-winning The People Could Fly, a collection of African American folktales by Virginia Hamilton. Women, as Giddens phrases it, "hold the family lore" so her narrative centers the matriarchs-past, present, and future. The lyrics translate to the picture book format with ease. Uchendu's ethereal depictions of sprawling landscapes are layered with sweeping trails of spirits' ascents, making the incorporeal visible. In a sunset-streaked palette of dreamy reds, pinks, oranges, blues, and purples, the illustrations introduce a level of visual metaphor that furthers the artistic tradition of virtuosos Leo and Diane Dillon in their art for the Hamilton book. VERDICT A magically sublime testimonial to spirituality and ancestral connection, perfect for home or classroom reading with young ones.-Sarah Simpson

Copyright 2023 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2024
A young Black girl notices a sparrow looking at her while she is enjoying time in the park with her mother. The mother tells her daughter, "I see that little birdie there / She knows the time has come / there's something in the air." She reveals that the girl's grandmother could fly, and that she "saw the old-time ways" in the little girl. Thinking of her grandmother's wondrous ability, the girl takes her mother's hand: "they could fly / they could fly / They could slip the bonds / of earth and fly so high." Giddens's lyrical text is based on her song of the same name; in her author's note, she says the song itself was inspired by Virginia Hamilton and the Dillons' The People Could Fly. The story reminds children of their connection to the past and their ability to transcend their present, and Uchendu's digital illustrations add to the hopeful and loving feel of the text. The cover shows the mother gazing adoringly at her daughter, who is looking at the sky. Pink and yellow silhouettes of their ancestors surround the pair. The interior illustrations are joyous and luminous in places. When the mother and daughter take flight, white swirls that look like wings protect them. Pair with Woodson's The Year We Learned to Fly (rev. 1/22); this is an evocative interpretation of a popular African American folktale. Nicholl Denice Montgomery

(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

January 1, 2024
A young Black girl notices a sparrow looking at her while she is enjoying time in the park with her mother. The mother tells her daughter, "I see that little birdie there / She knows the time has come / there's something in the air." She reveals that the girl's grandmother could fly, and that she "saw the old-time ways" in the little girl. Thinking of her grandmother's wondrous ability, the girl takes her mother's hand: "they could fly / they could fly / They could slip the bonds / of earth and fly so high." Giddens's lyrical text is based on her song of the same name; in her author's note, she says the song itself was inspired by Virginia Hamilton and the Dillons' The People Could Fly. The story reminds children of their connection to the past and their ability to transcend their present, and Uchendu's digital illustrations add to the hopeful and loving feel of the text. The cover shows the mother gazing adoringly at her daughter, who is looking at the sky. Pink and yellow silhouettes of their ancestors surround the pair. The interior illustrations are joyous and luminous in places. When the mother and daughter take flight, white swirls that look like wings protect them. Pair with Woodson's The Year We Learned to Fly (rev. 1/22); this is an evocative interpretation of a popular African American folktale.

(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)