Reviews for The Blacker the Berry

The average rating for The Blacker the Berry based on 2 reviews is 4 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2020-03-19 00:00:00 William Schimmelfennig Thirteen poems celebrate the many skin tones to be found in the African-American community, and the diverse families who created them, in Joyce Carol Thomas' The Blacker the Berry. A young boy in Raspberry Black proudly claims his Seminole great-great-grandmother, whose children were "the color of black dipped in red." A young girl comes to understand, in Golden Goodness," that her bronzed skin is a beautiful and generous hue. Another child, in Cranberry Red, notes that her Irish ancestors "reddened the Africa in my face." While I approve whole-heartedly of the dual purpose of Thomas' book, to increase awareness of the diversity within the African-American community, and to promote a positive self-image for the children of that community, I wasn't always "wowed" by the poems themselves. I was also a little uncomfortable with Snowberries, in which a light-skinned girl wishes that she were "as black as midnight." While this might be an understandable feeling, in a world that doesn't acknowledge diversity, it struck me as out of keeping with the affirmative nature of the rest of Thomas' pieces. Surely, if the point is to encourage children to feel good about who they are, then being a "Snowberry" should be something to be celebrated? Leaving aside this one questionable piece however, the overall tone is one of joy - an impression heightened by Floyd Cooper's beautiful oil paintings, which were awarded the 2009 Coretta Scott King Award for Illustration. A lush palette, deft use of light, and a tenderly expressive "tone" make these illustrations a true pleasure to contemplate! Well worth the honors bestowed upon them!

Review # 2 was written on 2010-03-07 00:00:00 Mark Davis It took a second look at this book for me to truly understand what the writer and illustrator were saying. What a lovely demonstration of the many diffeent hues of African Americans and how we deal with our differences. Too bad this book wasn't around when I was growing up. So often I was called'black' and felt ashamed of it. So often I wished that my skin was a little lighter so that I could feel better about myself and be accepted by more priviledged people. the poetry in this book makes every shade of black feel special in their own way. Times have changed now and being black is not wack and Floyd Cooper and Joyce Carol Thomas do their part by showing just how beautiful black is. This book is a must read for young students, especially those who are under priviledged and suffer from low self esteem.