Common Sense Media Review
By Barbara Saunders
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Celebratory illustrated poem promotes Afro-Latino self-love.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
When INHERITANCE: A VISUAL POEM begins, the mother of the poem's narrator's mother has told her to "fix her hair." The narrator responds with an emotional explanation of why the idea of fixing her body is hurtful and harmful.
Is It Any Good?
This beautiful book makes a bold statement. In Inheritance: A Visual Poem, Elizabeth Acevedo collaborates with illustrator Andrea Pippins on an illustrated version of her spoken word poem "Hair," which went viral on social media. The poem expresses the Afro-Latina narrator's determination to resist pressure to distance herself from her African heritage, both in her refusal to straighten her hair and in her love relationship with a Black man who has African features and dark skin.
The illustration style is influenced by graphic design and resembles poster art. The art does more than just represent the words; it amplifies meaning. For example, the illustration that accompanies the line "Some call them wild curls, but I call them breathing, antecedents spiraling" portrays curly locks of hair as breaths or voices coming out of mouths.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the theme of self-acceptance in Inheritance: A Visual Poem. What's something you have difficulty loving about yourself?
How do the illustrations affect your understanding of the words of the poem? Can you imagine different images you might use for some of the lines?
Who do you think the person speaking the poem is talking to?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Andrea Pippins
- Genre : Poetry
- Topics : History
- Character Strengths : Communication , Courage , Empathy , Gratitude , Integrity
- Book type : Non-Fiction
- Publisher : Quill Tree Books
- Publication date : May 3, 2022
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 13 - 17
- Number of pages : 48
- Available on : Paperback, Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Award : Common Sense Selection
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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