Bound To Stay Bound

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 H is for Harlem
 Author: Johnson, Dinah

 Publisher:  Little, Brown (2022)

 Dewey: 974.7
 Classification: Nonfiction
 Physical Description: 41 p., col. ill., 31 cm

 BTSB No: 493777 ISBN: 9780316322379
 Ages: 5-9 Grades: K-4

 Subjects:
 African Americans -- New York (State) -- New York -- History
 English language -- Alphabet
 Harlem (New York, N.Y.) -- History

Price: $23.28

Summary:
A richly informative alphabet picture book celebrating Harlem's vibrant traditions, past and present.

 Illustrator: Harrison, April

Reviews:
   Kirkus Reviews (+) (05/15/22)
   School Library Journal (+) (07/01/22)
   Booklist (+) (06/01/22)
 The Hornbook (+) (00/07/22)

Full Text Reviews:

School Library Journal - 07/01/2022 K-Gr 4—The cultural riches of Harlem are innumerable—its museums, community centers, performance spaces, restaurants, and bookstores are all icons of Black experience in the U.S. Harlem's triumphs, past and present, unfold in this alphabetic exploration and explosion of major landmarks, people, sports, and the arts, leaving no doubt that Harlem's impact on the American ethos reverberates far beyond 125th Street. Johnson describes the locale as being called the "mecca of Black America, a place where African American culture is living and breathing, shining and indestructible." Whether focused on a person, a place, or something more abstract like kinfolk, each entry weaves in just the right amount of information to build a broader understanding of what Harlem was and is. Johnson keenly incorporates more minor letter-specific highlights when the opportunity arises, broadening the work's informational scope. The text is illuminated with patchwork illustrations that play with texture, scale, and perspective in quilt-like dissonance. Harrison's artistic hand oscillates between naivete and realism, and the complexity of her illustrations will have young readers poring over the details. She brings an uptown cool vibe to even small grace notes, like the hand-lettering of street signs, the slant of the awnings and marquees, and the colors of the buildings, as diverse as the residents themselves in this historic village-within-a-city. VERDICT An ode to the beating heart of African American culture with remarkable depth and breadth. This title is a celebration of Harlem's vibrancy, dynamism, and significance.—Sarah Simpson - Copyright 2022 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 06/01/2022 *Starred Review* In this sumptuous and necessary book, the alphabet is not merely an organizational framework; it is also a metaphor. The past, present, and future artists and residents of Harlem are as foundational to American culture as letters are to words. As would be expected, each page features an aspect of Harlem that corresponds to a letter of the alphabet. There are familiar icons, such as the Apollo Theater, the Harlem Globetrotters, and the National Jazz Museum. And there are other noteworthy landmarks—some old, some more recent—such as Impact Farm, a series of urban community farms that have changed the landscape of Harlem, and Liberation Bookstore, whose name precludes explanation. Other letters are used to represent the human essence of Harlem: K is for kinfolk, V is for voices, H is for a heart still beating strong. Each featured aspect of Harlem is summed up precisely in a single paragraph—mostly of factual information, though suffused with the authors’ appreciation—that should inspire readers to want to know more. Harrison’s mixed-media illustrations are meant to be savored for their layers of detail. Light seems to shine through these stunning, vibrant pages. Would that the English alphabet had more than 26 letters so that H Is for Harlem could have then been longer. - Copyright 2022 Booklist.

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