The Blacker the Berry

SLIS 5420- Module 3

The Blacker the Berry by Joyce Carol Thomas


Bibliography:

Thomas, Joyce Carol. The Blacker the Berry. Joanna Cotler Books, HarperCollins Publishers. (2008).

Summary:

"Colors, without black, couldn't sparkle quite so bright." Joyce Carol Thomas, author and poet, eloquently presents a series of poems dedicated to shades of African-American color, from the black of a blackberry to the raspberry black of the African-Native-American, and the toasted brown color of golden brown skin. This book is a celebration not only of Arican-Americans, but of the uniqueness of color, backgrounds, and family circles that creates a common bond among all of humanity. "We are color struck," Thomas says, "the way an artist strikes/his canvas with his brush of many hues."Floyd Cooper beautifully illustrates this remark in each poem, highlighting in the faces of children the beautiful colors described. The winner of the Coretta Scott King award in 2009, The Blacker the Berry is a beautiful celebration of diversity.

Thoughts:

I approached this book as I typically approach poetry- with a touch of trepidation at the fear that I will miss what it is the poet is trying to say. Upon reading Thomas's first poem, "What Shade is Human?" my fears were put to rest and I found myself enraptured by colorful and rich descriptions of the shades found on the faces of the human race. Each poem perfectly described hues in ways that I have not thought of before, from "midnight and berries," to "the color of black dipped in red." I love how these short, simple, yet eloquent poems draw attention to the fact that "black" is such an undescriptive, narrow word used too flippantly to describe the rich colors of the African-American race. The Floyd Cooper, the illustrator, has won my heart with his deep and rich depictions of the colors in each poem, and has captured the joyful faces of children in a heartwarming way. Though The Blacker the Berry focuses on African Americans, it can be used to remind us all that skin color is dynamic, descriptive, and unique, and each hue makes the others around it more beautiful. I am a skeptic turned lover of this collection of poems.

Reviews:

Winner of the Coretta Scott King Medal, 2009

"This collection of 12 poems makes the complexities of a layered heritage visible and the many skin shades celebrated. Read-aloud-sized spreads offer luminous artwork that complements the verses in which children speak of their various hues: "I am midnight and berries..." a child says in the title poem. In another selection, a boy recalls his Seminole grandmother who has given him the color of "red raspberries stirred into blackberries." In "Cranberry Red," a child asserts that "it's my Irish ancestors/Who reddened the Africa in my face," understanding that "When we measure who we are/We don't leave anybody out." The large illustrations match the lyrical poetry's emotional range. Cooper's method includes "pulling" the drawing out from a background of oil paint and glazes. With his subtractive method, he captures the joy of these children-the sparkle of an eye, the width of a grin, the lovely depths of their skin, and the light that radiates from within." -School Library Journal

"Black comes in all shades from dark to light, and each is rich and beautiful this collection of simple, joyful poems and glowing portraits that show African American diversity and connections. In the title poem, a smiling girl says, Because I am dark, the moon and stars shine brighter. Other pages have fun with terms, such as skin deep and night shade. A grandma turns 'Coffee will make you black' from a warning into something great. A boy is proud to be raspberry black as he reads his great-great-grandmother's journal about her love for her Seminole Indian husband. A girl says she is cranberry red from her father's Irish ancestry. In the final, joyful double-page spread, the kids celebrate their individual identities and laugh together. Many families will want to talk about this and their own family roots: We count who we are / And add to all who came before us." -Booklist

Ideas for Use:

One of the most powerful multicultural lessons I have seen suits the content of this book perfectly, as it emphesizes true hues of human skin tones. The teacher or librarian has a collection of skin-colored paints, in varying shades of brown, cream, peach, etc. Each shade has a different name on its label. Some might be "caramel," "ivory," "blush," etc. Allow the students to peruse the colors and pick out one that looks the most like their skin tone. The teacher or librarian rubs a bit of that color on the child's skin, finds one that matches, and then tells the child the color of the paint. Children then turn from "black" or "white" into "mocha," "peach," light beige," etc., and see that no one color defines every person. If time allows, have the students use their color to paint a self-portrait to display for the school.