Change Sings: A Children's Anthem

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Ideas such as "I also walk our differences, / To show we are the same" (unpaged) are confusing to me since differences and similarities are not the same, and while there are commonalities among us, there are also clearly stark differences. Loren Long (Illustrator) Loren Long is the author and illustrator of the New York Times bestselling Otis series which is in development as an animated television series. Yes, I know that I'm in the minority here, but some of the rhyming lines are just awkward, even/especially when read aloud. The illustrations by Loren Long are just beautiful, and, as I've come to love about children's picture books, give another layer of non-verbal storytelling, which is equally as profound as Amanda Gorman's, adding to the ways in which this is the most hopeful book I have read it quite a long time.

Loren Long’s illustrations are beautifully rendered and very purposeful in their detail as he brings to life her stirring words. I am a huge fan of Gorman, not just because of her poetry, but because of the message that she sends to the world. Hotjar sets this cookie to know whether a user is included in the data sampling defined by the site's daily session limit. As a young girl leads a cast of characters on a musical journey, they learn that they have the power to make changes--big or small--in the world, in their communities, and in most importantly, in themselves. The closing double-page spread shows the young narrator holding out a guitar so that whoever is listening can pluck a note and join in.Instead of division, Gorman and Long use words and beautiful images to remind people that together, we are truly a united country. For about a dozen years after getting out of school, I did illustrations for greeting cards, theater posters and magazines. Not to mention, only eight months prior (May, 2020), this impressive young woman had also just graduated from Harvard College.

As I mentioned above, this is a very hopeful, positive book with a lovely message for children about how they can make a difference in the world through being themselves, expressing themselves positively, and working together with people. This experience has been fantastic primarily for the children, the school and also for me (professionally). Amanda Gorman's first children's book continues to show her prowess as a poet -- it's a great example of how rhythm and rhyme should be done in a picture book (because IMO, if you can't rhyme well, don't do it at all). Gorman's performance of her poem The Hill We Climb at the 2021 Presidential Inauguration received critical acclaim and international attention. They develop their own poetry and each class publish their own poetry compilations, ending with a whole school performance.Join the Read Across America Facebook group to share resources, ideas, and experiences as we celebrate a nation of diverse readers.

I am always looking for ideas for the blog, so would love to hear from you with suggestions for topics you would like me to cover in the future. Honestly, I've become an even bigger fan of Gorman's work over the past few months and SEPTEMBER CAN'T COME SOON ENOUGH! Celebrating unity and hope, this delightful picture book from poet and activist Amanda Gorman is a joyous anthem to the importance of working together for a better world.The sequence of learning begins with children discovering a guitar in their classroom with a motivational letter from the author.