You So Black (Denene Millner Books/Simon & Schuster) is based the poem by acclaimed spoken word artist Theresa Wilson a.k.a. Theresa tha S.O.N.G.B.I.R.D.
Black is everywhere, and in everything, and in everyone—in the night sky and the fertile soil below. It’s in familial connections and invention, in hands lifted in praise and voices lifted in protest, and in hearts wide open and filled with love. Black is good.
Theresa tha S.O.N.G.B.I.R.D. has adapted her poem, full of gorgeous lyricism and imagery, to show readers the love, joy, resilience, and universality in the beauty of Blackness.
Press:
MadameNoire - ‘YOU SO BLACK’ By Theresa tha S.O.N.G.B.I.R.D. Is The Children’s Book You Wish You Had In Your Youth
Reviews:
Ladd’s vibrant mixed-media collages pair perfectly with the spirited words and enhance and amplify their meaning. The bold colors and striking images support the uplifting text. ~ Kirkus
Ladd’s mixed-media collage depicts dark-complected Black figures—varying ages, body types, hairstyles, and skin tones appear throughout—against saturated, stained glass–like backdrops that include visuals of pyramids and the night sky. ~ Publisher’s Weekly
Recognition:
2024 Kansas NEA Reading Circle Recommended Titles