Product Description

The bestselling picture book is now available as a board book! "The beauty of African-American children is celebrated in this joyous picture book. Wonderful, clear, full-color photographs of youngsters illustrate a poetic, vivid text that describes a range of skin and eye colors and hair textures.... An affirmative message for children of all races." - School Library Journal

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #207747 in Books
• Published on: 2000-11-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 40 pages

From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 1-The beauty of African-American children is celebrated in this joyous picture book. Wonderful, clear, full-color photographs of youngsters illustrate a poetic, vivid text that describes a range of skin and eye colors and hair textures. ("I am the midnight blue in a licorice stick/and the golden brown in sugar/I am the velvety orange in a peach/and the coppery brown in a pretzel.") Both the photographs and text with its refrain of "I am Black/I am Unique" impart a sense of pride and well-being. An affirmative message for children of all races.
Tammy K. Baggett, Atlanta-Fulton County Public Library, GA
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Ages 3-7. Indeed, there are many shades of black, and they are beautifully exemplified in this photo album that depicts the varied palette that makes up black skin. These gorgeous children are "gingery brown like a cookie," "brassy yellow like popcorn," and "midnight blue like a licorice stick." And yes, "black" can be creamy white like vanilla ice cream. But the author and illustrator don't stop there. They also look at eyes and hair, showing the beauty and uniqueness of eyes with hints of tiger-eye yellow and sturdy, coiling, woollike hair. All of it is black. All of it is beautiful. This may be just the kind of book that black children don't see enough of, but it can certainly be appreciated by children of any color. Denise Wilms
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About the Author
Sandra Pinkney and her husband, Myles, live in Poughkeepsie, New York, with their three children - all of whom appear in Shades of Black. "I am the midnight blur in a licorice stick and the golden brown in sugar," says Sandra’s lyric text at one point. Each such statement - summarized by the phrase, "I am Black. I am unique." is accompanied by an exquisite photograph of an African American child of corresponding skin tone, holding the food to which he or she is being compared. The book went on to win the NAACP Image Award in 2001 for Outstanding Children’s Literary Work. Sandra Pinkney is also director of a daycare center in her hometown. Myles Pinkney is the brother of Brian Pinkney and the son of Jerry Pinkney. For more information about Sandra L. and Myles C. Pinkney, visit: scholastic.com/tradebooks

Customer Reviews

Fantastic..
I bought this book for my 7 year old son for Christmas- he can read it himself. I am so impressed with the poetry and images of many different shades of children. They should have had something like this ages ago.. I am more than impressed with this book. I just know my son will love it.. It's right up there with Brown Sugar Babies (which I bought for my 4 month old daughter)..

Beautiful
I love this book. This is a must for all black children. This book celebrates our many different shades through vibrant pictures of our children doing everyday things in bold colors that complement their complexions. The words are also simple for the beginning reader and descriptive enough for the older reader to realize the pride in their own shade of black.

Unique book on skin hues,eyes,hair
1/1/03 Author Sandra L.Pinkney & photographer Myles C. Pinkney's book "Shades of Black" which give much pride to all skin colors/ using their favorite deserts:e.g.:(pale)creamy white frost/vanilla ice cream;milky smooth brown/chocolate bar;midnight blue/licorice stick;golden brown/sugar;velvety orange/peach;coppery brown/pretzel;radiant brassy yellow/popcirn;gingery brown/cookie...2.hair:soft puffs(cotton);stiff ringlets(lamb wool);straight edge(blade of grass);twisted corkscrew/rope;long;short;"all my hair is good"(even tangled and snarled)..3.eyes delicate streaks of amber(tigers-eye);warm luste of green(unakite);brillant flashes of blue(Lapis);shimmering glow of ebony/onyx..the book gives most of the colors of skin hue(red,dark comlexion,light complexion,mahogoney,medium complexion) and hair grade(straight and wiry) and eye color(bright eye/brown eyes) and fits its description voiced by the children "Unique".