crystal_reading's review against another edition
5.0
I loved learning more about the history of the song We Shall Overcome. I did not realize that the song has been used in other countries too. This is a nice book to use with younger grades to begin early discussion of racism and the ability of people to work for positive change.
tracyzim's review against another edition
3.0
My neoliberal heart loves this, but my brain picks it apart. I would definitely classify this as an Obama book. That is probably a spoiler.
rainbowbookworm's review against another edition
4.0
The four stars are mostly for the timeline at the end. Otherwise it would get a 2 because the title is misleading.
wordnerd153's review against another edition
5.0
A very accessible book for kids of all ages about civil rights in our country from the time of slavery to today. It never feels preachy and doesn't talk down to kids about challenging issues, like race and equality. It'd be wonderful to read this to students and then show them a clip of people signing the song.
casbah's review against another edition
3.0
This is less a comment on the book, which is perfectly fine, and more a comment on the persistence of writers, especially writers writing for young children, that the election of Obama somehow marks the end of the United States -- our -- struggle against racial injustice. It didn't. It was never going to go (though God, I wish it had.) This is not entirely fair to this particular book, which does include a final page that people still sing "We Shall Overcome" as a declaration of humanity against all sorts of injustice (though it does not particular say racial injustice, which is the point of this book). I'm still burnt out though, in reading books that believe everything was/is fine now that Obama has been elected -- that that last glass ceiling for African Americans had been shattered. (And again, God almighty, I wish it had.)
The illustrations in this are lovely, as are the way the text is oriented against the lyrics of the song.
The illustrations in this are lovely, as are the way the text is oriented against the lyrics of the song.
mmattmiller's review against another edition
4.0
Definitely one to add to a classroom library and/or personal at home library. It shows not only the history of a song, but also black history in America. It then connects to other countries, where the people, like people here, had to overcome. Really enjoyed this one.
aemy's review
4.0
Honest and beautiful, it made me cry like a baby. I loved its willingness to acknowledge the components of racism explicitly and I appreciated the time line in the back, alongside a bibliography and a suggested reading list.
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