Who Are Your People?
Inspiring message to Black kids to honor heritage, history.
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Who Are Your People? is by attorney, political analyst, and best-selling author Bakari Sellers. It's a message to Black children urging them to know their history and appreciate their culture. Famous influential African Americans, from Harriet Tubman to Barack Obama, appear in illustrations throughout the pages, though not named. The book also depicts historical scenes, from escaping slavery to staging a sit-in; the latter of which contains racist imagery that may be triggering to some readers and which certainly lends itself to important conversations among readers from all backgrounds. Including these images without the historical context may do a disservice to some readers, as it assumes that all readers know the history and fails to provide the opportunity for further reading and learning for those who would like to know more. Throughout the text, Sellers encourages young Black readers to know and honor their heritage, as they are standing on the shoulders of those who came before them and are poised to change the world. Though the book focuses on the Black tradition, the message about honoring your ancestry can be applied to readers from all races and cultural identities.
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What's the Story?
In WHO ARE YOUR PEOPLE, a Black man takes an unnamed boy and girl, presumably his son and daughter, on a journey to "Remembrance Park," where they see in the sky cloudy images of famous Black people. He tells them that in life, people will ask them, "Who are your people?" and "Where are you from?" What the kids learn on the journey stresses the importance of knowing the answers to those questions. The father tells his children that they should always be proud of who they are because they come from a long line of people who were fighters, activists, champions, and trailblazers. The focus shifts from a historical lens to a modern one, portraying the beauty of the Black community today. The book leaves readers with a call to action: "So what will you dream, and how will you change the world?"
Is It Any Good?
This timely release is fantastic for messaging, but some illustrations and word choices will raise eyebrows. Who Are Your People? is geared towards African American readers, and is simple yet inspirational in how it celebrates Black history. While African American readers will be able to identify, readers from other backgrounds will get to learn about Black culture, heritage, and historical figures. Since the historical figures and events are illustrated only (not named), the experience of reading this book can launch readers into more research about Black history.
More care could have been taken in the editing process to ensure that the illustrations were in alignment with some word choices. For example, one page includes Stacey Abrams as an image in the clouds with famous Black icons who have passed away. Images of Barack Obama and Kamala Harris appear on pages that mention, "Your people were trailblazers" along with other past-tense verbs that also give the impression that these important figures are no longer with us. It would have enhanced the reading experience to include a list of the influential people and historical events illustrated in the book so that families have a starting point for continuing to learn about the lives, contributions, and experiences of African Americans. Despite these drawbacks, the important message about knowing your people can be motivation for readers of all backgrounds to dig deeply and uncover their ancestry, and in the process, uncover themselves.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about famous historical figures in Who Are Your People. Who are some of the famous figures that you recognize in the book? What do you know about them? How do you "stand on their shoulders"?
Why is it important to know your people? How can you learn about your history? How can you share your history and pride with others?
Why should you always be proud of who you are? What dreams do you have for your future? How will you change the world?
Book Details
- Author: Bakari Sellers
- Illustrator: Reggie Brown
- Genre: Picture Book
- Topics: Activism, Great Boy Role Models, Great Girl Role Models, History
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Quill Tree Books
- Publication date: January 11, 2022
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 4 - 8
- Number of pages: 32
- Available on: Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks
- Last updated: February 4, 2022
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