Recounts the journey of African descendants in America by connecting their history to the seven principles of Kwanzaa. - (Baker & Taylor)

This beautifully illustrated, powerful tribute recounts the journey of African descendants in America by connecting their history to the seven principles of Kwanzaa. 100,000 first printing. Illustrations. - (Baker & Taylor)

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.

Booklist Reviews

*Starred Review* Poignantly tying African American history to the seven principles of Kwanzaa, Zoboi's picture-book debut is a beautifully rendered exploration of the holiday. In lyrical verses with a smoothly rolling, sonorous quality, Zoboi moves through centuries, beginning in West Africa and the onset of the transatlantic slave trade and continuing through key moments in U.S. history (emancipation, the Great Migration, the civil rights movement) and highlighting cultural touchstones (soul music, hip-hop, poets and authors) on the way to the election of Barack Obama and continuing calls for justice today. Throughout, Zoboi artfully groups these moments together to illustrate each of the seven pillars, explaining both the symbolism of the holiday and its importance to the culture. Wise's warm, full-bleed artwork in saturated, splashy colors incorporates majestic portraits, meaningful design elements, and superb compositions to accompany Zoboi's verses, and even though they don't avoid the painful realities of Black history in the U.S., the overall tone is one of strength, power, and joy. 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. Grades 1-5. Copyright 2021 Booklist Reviews.