The beauty of DARKNESS!

Our 1995 #kidslitflashback features the book DARKNESS by author Mildred Pitts Walter and illustrated by Marcia Jameson.

This children’s book begins with “Are you afraid of the dark?” I pulled this title out of the archives for students to challenge their potential hesitation towards the negative notions darkness and Blackness.

As an affirmation of the beauty that can be found in the opposite of light, Pitts Walter states…”Life begins in darkness.” The familiar images presented in her book reinforce every day, often overlooked, beauty in moments of darkness.

This book can be read together with the following to discuss the beauty of darkness and Blackness.

-Ashley Bryan. (2003). Beautiful blackbird
A tale from the Ila-speaking people of Zambia appreciating one’s heritage and the beauty within. It affirms Black as beautiful and also that all living creatures are beautiful.

-Taye Diggs, & Evans, Shane, illustrator. (2015). Chocolate me!
Taye’s story relays the experiences of a dark-skinned curly-haired boy who mather helps him realize how beautiful he is inside and out.

-Jewel Parker Rhodes. (2020). Black brother, Black brother.
A coming of age middle-grade story about two bi-racial 12-year-old brothers, one Black presenting, Donte, and the other, White presenting brother Trey. Known as the ‘Black brother’, Donte navigates colorism, privilege, bullying, and discrimination in an affluent, private school setting.

Interestingly, I am having a mental block and couldn’t think of a young adult book. Please share titles for young adult-level books.