missprint_'s review
4.0
Good comp for books like this is New York and b is for Brooklyn. No citations or additional notes but the text is fairly thorough intro to different people, places, and organizations.
pwbalto's review
5.0
Sure, it's an ABC book... in that it is organized alphabetically. But you know what else is organized alphabetically? Encyclopedias - and this book is more like a beautifully illustrated, celebratory encyclopedia. Themed alphabet books are often a real chore to read. The authors have to strain to find words that work with the 10-point Scrabble letters, and then they frequently put the whole thing in rhyme. I get it - if you're doing decoding practice for pre-readers you might as well shoehorn some phonemic awareness in there too - but ABC books are LONG. 26 letters, one spread per letter, that's 52 pages, baby. Let's quit acting like pre-readers are into sitting around for 52 pages of awkward rhymes.
Wait, what was I talking about?
LOL this terrific book. Organized alphabetically, but sensible about it. Ms. Johnson didn't waste time looking for topics that fit the letters - it's clear she made a list of concepts, organizations, and people that she wanted to talk about and then arranged them. M is for Studio Museum in Harlem? Sure, do it, especially if you've already got something for S - and, por supuesto, S is going to be for Schomburg, you know that going in.
There's a great mix of well-known topics like the Apollo Theater and Malcolm X, and topics that may not be household names - Opportunity magazine, Liberation Bookstore. And I love that the entry for the bookstore mentions Vaunda Michaux Nelson's dad's bookstore, the National Memorial African Bookstore. While we're on the subject, U is for Uptown? What a great choice - and an excuse for illustrator April Harrison to paint both the cover of Bryan Collier's book and a glowing portrait of Bryan himself.
The art hits on so many levels. There's a lot to look at, making it a superb book for independent reading. There are a ton of recognizable touches in both the collage elements and in the portraits of individuals, celebrities, and historic figures, making it a great lap book. The color palette is extraordinary, given how much we're covering here - without real discipline in the tonal range this could be absolute visual chaos. Composition also helps here - the entire suite of art has a sense of gravity due to the major illustration elements occupying the bottom of the page. And painted, abstract backgrounds not only unify the disparate elements, including signs, buildings, and even logos... but also provide a sky of swirling possibility over the Harlem streets.
Wow, this is the longest review I've written in a long time. I guess you could say I like the book :)
Wait, what was I talking about?
LOL this terrific book. Organized alphabetically, but sensible about it. Ms. Johnson didn't waste time looking for topics that fit the letters - it's clear she made a list of concepts, organizations, and people that she wanted to talk about and then arranged them. M is for Studio Museum in Harlem? Sure, do it, especially if you've already got something for S - and, por supuesto, S is going to be for Schomburg, you know that going in.
There's a great mix of well-known topics like the Apollo Theater and Malcolm X, and topics that may not be household names - Opportunity magazine, Liberation Bookstore. And I love that the entry for the bookstore mentions Vaunda Michaux Nelson's dad's bookstore, the National Memorial African Bookstore. While we're on the subject, U is for Uptown? What a great choice - and an excuse for illustrator April Harrison to paint both the cover of Bryan Collier's book and a glowing portrait of Bryan himself.
The art hits on so many levels. There's a lot to look at, making it a superb book for independent reading. There are a ton of recognizable touches in both the collage elements and in the portraits of individuals, celebrities, and historic figures, making it a great lap book. The color palette is extraordinary, given how much we're covering here - without real discipline in the tonal range this could be absolute visual chaos. Composition also helps here - the entire suite of art has a sense of gravity due to the major illustration elements occupying the bottom of the page. And painted, abstract backgrounds not only unify the disparate elements, including signs, buildings, and even logos... but also provide a sky of swirling possibility over the Harlem streets.
Wow, this is the longest review I've written in a long time. I guess you could say I like the book :)
library_kb's review
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
3.0
This alphabet nonfiction picture book covers many of the notable historical and current features of Harlem. I was introduced to many unfamiliar historical features, as well as being reminded of some historical greats that are under-remembered. I think my favorite part of this book, though, was the collage style illustrations--so much to look at, but so beautifully done!
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