We Could Fly by Rhiannon Giddens (review)

Reviewed by: We Could Fly by Rhiannon Giddens Kate Quealy-Gainer, Editor Giddens, Rhiannon We Could Fly; illus. by Briana Mukodiri Uchendu. Candlewick, 2023 [40p] Trade ed. ISBN 9781536222548 $18.99 Reviewed from digital galleys R 4-7 yrs The sighting of a sparrow prompts a young Black girl to ask her mother why they cannot fly along with the bird. In response, her mother recalls memories of Granny Liza, who flew every night through her connection with their ancestors: "She could fly across the river / her spirit in her hands / Searching, always searching / for the promised land." As their rhythmic dialogue continues, the young girl begins to tremble, feeling a lightness in her feet and "a longing to be free," and soon she takes her mother's hand and leaps into air, joining Granny Liza's and their ancestors' journey across the sea to the promised land. Inspired by Virginia Hamilton's The People Could Fly (BCCB 7/85), folk musician Giddens offers up an evocative, reverent celebration of family and cultural connection through storytelling, and the gentle dialogue between mother and daughter lend well to musical storytime or a readers' theatre performance. The gorgeous digital illustrations are dominated by dusky hues of soft violets and rose golds, with the mother and child subtly backlit by a halo-like effect. Sweeping spreads that show the girl's ancestors taking flight convey a sense of majesty, while close-ups on the girl's excited face and the mother and daughter's joining hands are intimate and inviting. Further information about Hamilton's work and the oral tradition are provided in the author's note, and an illustrator note details Uchendu's artistic inspiration. Copyright © 2023 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois