Black: The Many Wonders of My World

by Nancy Johnson James, Constance Moore (Illustrator)

A celebration of the color black, from the team who created Brown: The Many Shades of Love

Black is a wonderful color. Black is special. It is true. It’s the sky when the morning is new. In this loving and lovely ode to the color black, a girl describes the many wonders of her world—from the black of starry nights to her own black eyes, clear and bright.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Storytime, Juvenile, Self Esteem, Poetry

32 pages, Hardcover

Published April 12, 2022

About the author

Nancy Johnson James is a writer and educator based in Oakland, California. She is the author of Brown: The Many Shades of Love.

Reviews

[Hannah]

Ugh this is so so so beautiful! It could so easily be heavy-handed and message-y or trying too hard and instead it really is just is about black things that really do already exist. And the art is just wonderful--I love the look of crayons, pastel, watercolor, cardboard....it makes it feel even more accessible and true.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

In a similar vein to Black Is a Rainbow Color by Angela Joy and illustrated by Ekua Holmes, this picture book celebrates the wonders of black. Using rhyming lines and interesting illustrations, created with collage, crayon, and felt as well as found objects, the book follows a young girl as she acknowledges the specialness of the color. Not deterred by the negative impressions some individuals have about black, she lists its merits and identifies different things that are black, including her mother's braids, her dog, rainclouds, berries, and even her own eyelashes. In the final two pages, she ponders the beginning of life and its origins in dark, deep space. As striking as all the book's images are, this last double-page spread showcases various planets and heavenly bodies set against a dark background. This is one of those empowering picture books intended to boost self-esteem in individuals with dark skin or those who love the color. It succeeds in its efforts, making it a good choice for sharing with youngsters as a read aloud. Perhaps it will also serve to eradicate some of the prejudicial attitudes some individuals have toward the color black.

[Rose Rosetree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Come and celebrate the beautiful color black. This book can help Black children to appreciate their own specialness.

Although the text purports to celebrate black as a color, this is a picture book after all. And what's the message in the facing pages? All are illustrated with pictures of beautiful, confident Black women and girls.

For instance, consider this double page spread. The text reads:

Black is my puppy, playful and warm.

But the picture shows that lively puppy playing with an even more lively Black girl.

RATING THIS BOOK

I think this picture book could be really effective at bringing beauty and pride to a word that all of us humans encounter, including when it is used to describe a skin color.

Outside the world of this picture book, blackness is not always said with respect. Let's do all that we can to right the balance.

Seems to this Goodreader that "Black: The Many Wonders of My World" -- can be a wonderfully empowering book for Black children especially. Rated at a full FIVE STARS.

[Audrey | WellReadandUndead(ish) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book! It’s one of the more subtle celebrations of Blackness in the pictures books I picked up for Black history month, but its message is just as strong. It could be read as simply an ode to the color black as it lists all the wonderful things that exist in that color, like birds, shadows, the night sky, and soil.

But of course there is a double meaning, too, most obvious in this passage,
“Some people think black is scary or sad.
Some say black is heavy and bad.
I look at my world, inside and out.
I see black treasures all about.”

So it’s also an homage to being Black and all the beautiful things that come along with that, like “Mama’s braids, coiled and neat.” The art, which features multimedia, stylized collages, adds to the experience and brings the text to life.

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this, feels warm and accessible, and affirming about the color black. When was it "black is beautiful" became a rallying cry? Late sixties? But as we know, a lot of things in the world associate blackness with badness, and this, like the author and illustrator's first book, Brown: The Shades of Love, reminds everyone black is still beautiful, or claims it as truly beautiful if you never saw it that way. A black mother's braids, her dog, berries, the dark, deep space we associate with the origins of the universe.

[Stephanie Bange · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely introduction to the many things that are different shades of black in this young girl's life.

This poetic treatment is comforting and approachable to children. It is child-friendly without being childish. I love the repeated refrain "Black is a wonderful color."

The mixed media images are bright and colorful, popping off the page - whether it is tan or black. Excellent use of high contrast colors.

This would be useful in units about colors, self-esteem, imagination, and observing your world. A good follow-up activity would be "I See..."

Recommended for PreS-grade 2.

[Margaret Boling · Rating 4 out of 5]

1/29/2023 ~ Lyrical text; consider pulling the text out and reading with older children separately from the illustrations. Examine how repetition & other poetic elements work together. Then examine the collage illustrations. Stunning.

From the same team that wrote Brown and similar in feel to Black is a Rainbow Color by Angela Joy.

I will definitely be adding to my elementary library.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

With its illustrations a colorful mosaic of crayon, felt, and found objects, this book is an homage to the color black and the beauty it represents. From a pet dog to the night sky, from mama's braids to berries, there is a repeated refrain that black is a wonderful color. Perfect for an art lesson about the color black or to help dispel the preconceived animosity around this beautiful and necessary color.

[Kate]

Black: The Many Wonders of my World is a book full of color. Even though it is about the color black it has almost all the other colors in it as well. I really like how the illustrations use black and each other. They each have a meaning and purpose of it. I also really like the draws and the style of them.

[Alyssa Lundy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genre: Informational non fiction
Age group: k-2nd
This book is an easy take on slowly immersing that African Americans are okay in there skin to a child who may not understand it. All things are black not just people and we need to accept all things. I like the author way of connecting it to home by saying “ my dog is black” it’s a great book.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Black is often thought of as a bad color. But, the sky, hair, and music notes are black, and they are all beautiful. This rhyming picture book celebrates a color that's often forgotten about when we talk about colors.

[Patricia N. McLaughlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit repetitive with its “black is a wonderful color” refrain, this lyrical ode to “every color” describes a variety of ebonies, from the night sky to the ink used to write the story, through the raven eyes of a girl enthralled with the wonders of her world. Simple, yet expressive illustrations.

[Bess · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a cute book! I love the images made of black felt and papers and fabrics on kraft paper. The words are spare and sweet. Black is a wonderful color!

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet, simple, short book about why black is a beautiful color. Lovely illustrations and a poetic, lilting narration make this a perfect read for small children.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Celebrating the beauty of black.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A celebration of the color black. The collage illustrations are beautiful.

[Marissa Elera · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes, there are a many picture books celebrating this topic, but this one is still beautiful and competes with the best of them.

[Miss Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

A child wonders/marvels at all things that are the color black. preschool and up

[SamSamSam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous illustrations, wonderful rhymes and rich vocabulary

[Brittany Garcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful boom about the color black but also Black joy.

[kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

solid

[Jillian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poetic. The collaged illustrations are stunning on many pages. Feels similar to Black is a Rainbow Color.