Bibliography Weatherford, Carole B. 2015. Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer, Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement. Ill. by Ekua Holmes. Massachusetts: Candlewick Press. ISBN 9780763665319 Plot Summary This moving book of poems celebrates the life of Fannie Lou Hamer, a sharecropper’s daughter who grew up on the Mississippi delta to become an unexpected and powerful voice in the Civil Rights Movement. The poems feature important events and emotions during Hamer’s life, including her speech at the Democratic National Convention that garnered support for the Freedom Democrats during the Freedom Summer of 1964. Critical Analysis The poems in this book are arranged chronologically, describing the events and feelings throughout Fannie Lou Hamer’s life. The text, although not rhyming, has a lyrical quality that adds to the depiction of Hamer’s booming voice and love of African American spirituals. The lines and verses are arranged in a way that is esthetically pleasing and easy to read. Another feature included in Weatherford’s poems is the use of italics to denote quotes directly from Hamer. Each poem is written in first-person, with Hamer telling the stories of her life. Weatherford’s use of regional language and dialect increases the authenticity of Hamer’s voice. It truly feels as if she is speaking to the reader! The emotions and the first-person language of the poems are what really strike the reader’s heart. You can truly visualize and feel the struggles and worries of Hamer in her childhood. Your heart aches for her as she fights for the right to vote, and your anger is ignited as you hear the awful ways she was treated. The deep emotions and personal stories from these poems depict a tumultuous time period in a way that is engaging, thought provoking, emotionally charged, and eye-opening. The illustrations add to the poems by creating a background with bold, rich colors through collage on paper. The illustrator, Holmes, uses just enough detail to add to the poetry without taking over the page. The layering effect of the collage provides background information in context to what is happening in the events of each poem. Also included in the book are an author’s note describing the story of Fannie Lou Hamer’s life, a timeline of events from 1917 to 1977 that affected the Civil Rights Movement and Fannie Lou Hamer’s life, and source notes for the quotes from Hamer found throughout the book. Another feature is a selected bibliography with resources for books, audio recordings, and online resources about Hamer and her accomplishments. Overall, this book is incredibly moving, with poetry that creates an atmosphere of emotion and engages the reader in learning about the history of Hamer and the Civil Rights movement in a lyrical, interesting way. Response When I opened this book, I had honestly never heard of Fannie Lou Hamer. However, several pages in, I was completely captured by her story. I really enjoyed hearing her life told through poetry. The rhythm of the poems, combined with the beautiful collage illustrations captured my attention and created an emotional bond to the book. As soon as I finished reading, I began watching videos of her speech at the Democratic National Convention in 1964 and reading more about her on the web. This book will be a great addition to our library’s collection to use as a springboard for discussion and historical comparison of civil rights and current events. Honors 2016 Caldecott Honor 2016 Robert F. Sibert Honor 2016 John Steptoe New Talent Illustrator Award Winner Social Justice Literature Award for Nonfiction National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Notable Children’s Book in the Language Arts National Council for the Social Studies Notable Trade Book for Young People 2016 Flora Stieglitz Straus Award Winner Reviews “Caldecott Honor winner Weatherford (Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom, 2006) has rendered Hamer’s voice so precisely that it is like sitting at her knee as she tells her story. Holmes’ multimedia collages perfectly capture the essence of each poem. Like Hamer’s life, the illustrations are filled with light, texture, movement, and darkness. They are both abstract and realistic, brilliantly juxtaposing gentle floral motifs with protest placards and Fannie Lou Hamer’s face in bold relief. Ultimately, though this is Hamer’s story, it includes the collaborative struggles of others with whom she worked and fought for a different America. Bold, unapologetic, and beautiful.” -- Booklist (starred review) “Told in the first person from Hamer’s own perspective, this lyrical text in verse emphasizes the activist’s perseverance and courage, as she let her booming voice be heard. Holmes’s beautiful, vibrant collage illustrations add detail and nuance, often depicting Hamer wearing yellow, which reflects her Sunflower County roots...Hamer’s heroic life story should be widely known, and this well-crafted work should find a place in most libraries.” -- School Library Journal (starred review) “A welcome addition to civil rights literature for children ... Hamer's determination, perseverance, and unwavering resolve come through on every page. Holmes' quiltlike collage illustrations emphasize the importance Hamer placed on community among African-Americans. Young readers who open this book with just a vague notion of who Fannie Lou Hamer was will wonder no more after absorbing this striking portrait of the singer and activist. Bold, honest, informative, and unforgettable.” -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review) “Artist Holmes, in her children’s literature debut, elevates an already excellent narrative with richly colored collage illustrations that layer meaning upon meaning with scraps of historical photos, newsprint, maps, musical scores, and more...This majestic biography offers a detailed, intelligible overview of Hamer’s life while never losing the thread of her motivations, fears, and heroic triumphs, and places the civil rights movement in personal, local, national, and international contexts.” -- The Horn Book (starred review) Connections
Other Notable Books by Carole Boston Weatherford:
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AuthorMy name is Mrs. Scott and I'm a secondary Media Resource Specialist (librarian) in Texas. This blog was created as part of my graduate coursework at Texas Woman's University. All reviews and opinions are my own.
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