Harlem at Four by Michael Datcher (review)

Abstract

Reviewed by: Harlem at Four by Michael Datcher Adam McConville Datcher, Michael Harlem at Four; illus. by Frank Morrison. Random House Studio, 2023 [48p] Trade ed. ISBN 9780593429334 $18.99 E-book ed. ISBN 9780593429358 $10.99 Reviewed from digital galleys R* 4-8 yrs In the first half of this radiant picture book, a four-year-old Black girl named Harlem sets off with her father for a day out in the neighborhood for which she's named. They listen to John Coltrane songs played on a street musician's saxophone, gaze at Romare Bearden's art in a museum, and "bond on Black genius." The focus then shifts to the history of Harlem the neighborhood, explaining its turn-of-the-century origins as a refuge for Black Americans moving North during the Great Migration and its later significance to key figures in the civil rights movement, including Malcom X and Sonia Sanchez. Both Datcher's text and Morrison's art exude pride, in the confident, shining face of Harlem the child and the collective excellence of Harlem the neighborhood. An author's note explains that Datcher's experiences [End Page 53] with his own daughter inspired the book, and short, staccato lines convey his love for her and Harlem history: "Cameras can't capture / Your Malcolm X / Boulevard / Corner speaker confidence. / Fierce can't be photographed. / Shutter speed / Too slow / To frame you." The artwork is stunning, with perspectives shifting from cozy close-ups of small Harlem and her willowy dad waking for the day to huge, graffitied murals that dwarf them in size. The compositions and color palette shift with the topic, adopting more measured perspectives and a muted, sepia tint when depicting Philip A Payton, Jr., "the Father of Harlem," and the many families he enabled to move to the neighborhood. The rapid references to cultural and historical details will likely need some additional context, but that is neatly provided in back matter that also includes sources for further reading. This is a loving ode to Black fatherhood, art in all its forms, and a neighborhood bound together by culture and community. Copyright © 2023 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois