Skip to main content Skip to search Skip to search

Children's Fiction Girls & Women

Dear Black Girls

by (author) Shanice Nicole

by (artist) Kezna Dalz

Publisher
Metonymy Press
Initial publish date
Feb 2021
Category
Girls & Women, Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance, Prejudice & Racism
  • Hardback

    ISBN
    9781999058838
    Publish Date
    Feb 2021
    List Price
    $17.95
  • eBook

    ISBN
    9781777485238
    Publish Date
    Feb 2021
    List Price
    $11.27

Add it to your shelf

Where to buy it

Recommended Age, Grade, and Reading Levels

  • Age: 6 to 10
  • Grade: 1 to 5
  • Reading age: 3 to 5

Description

Dear Black girls all around the world, this one is for you -- for us.

Dear Black Girls is a letter to all Black girls. Every single day poet and educator Shanice Nicole is reminded of how special Black girls are and of how lucky she is to be one. Illustrations by Kezna Dalz support the book's message that no two Black girls are the same but they are all special--that to be a Black girl is a true gift. In this celebratory poem, Kezna and Shanice remind young readers that despite differences, they all deserve to be loved just the way they are.

About the authors

Shanice Nicole's profile page

Kezna Dalz AKA Teenadult is a multidisciplinary artist from Montreal. We recognize her work by her raw features and bright colors. The recurring themes addressed are feminism, the fight against racism, popular culture as well as the relationship to sexuality. She sometimes tackles difficult subjects, making them accessible through a pastel and soft universe with naive features.

Kezna Dalz's profile page

Excerpt: Dear Black Girls (by (author) Shanice Nicole; by (artist) Kezna Dalz)

Dear Black girls /I love the way your Black skin wraps itself around you /as if it never wants to let go /as if your colour is the richest thing it has ever known. /Dear Black girls /I love the way the kinks in your curls twirl /bouncing and free, /afros worn like crowns /with hair defying gravity /protected in locks and braids /and under wigs and weaves /because whatever you choose is up to you, Queens. / And know that this goes /for the rest of your body /and anyone who tells you different /doesn't have to live, breathe, exist, be in it, /so please let it be known /that your body is your own /and only yours, dear Black girls. /

Editorial Reviews

"A a powerful, honest affirmation of belonging that is striking in its poeticism." -- Quill & Quire, starred review

"A love letter to Black girls everywhere, the beautiful poetry and illustrations in this book are a celebration of Black girl magic." -- Huffington Post

"Dear Black Girls is a much-needed manifesto for these times, and the book I needed, though I didn't know it, when I was a girl myself. Honest, beautifully illustrated and poignant, this book stands to improve any shelf that it finds a home on." -- Robyn Maynard, author of Policing Black Lives, State Violence in Canada from Slavery to the Present, and parent

"Dear Black Girls will be an inspiration to little and grown girls everywhere. The text is gently uplifting, self-affirming. Each page celebrates the uniqueness of Black girls through illustrations showing full features and the rainbow hues of Blackness."-- Bonnie Farmer, elementary school teacher and author of Oscar Lives Next Door

"Essentially a love letter to Black Girls --Shanice writes short, poetic letters in Dear Black Girls that show us how to love, appreciate, honour and protect the legacy and beauty of us, Black Girls. A book with positive and encouraging affirmations. Vivid and charming illustrations add to the beauty and vibrancy of the book." --Alicia Gabbidon, librarian

"Dear Black Girls is a children's book that positively affirms Black girls' racial identity. Through Dalz's elegant illustrations and Nicole's brilliant narration, Black girls see their beauty, intelligence, and strength. It is a must read for young Black girls who question their self-worth and for all children to know the power of Black girl magic. Every school and public library should have Dear Black Girls in their virtual library or on a bookshelf." -- Charlotte Reid, retired educator

Other titles by

Related lists