We Rise, We Resist, We Raise Our Voices by Wade Hudson

We Rise, We Resist, We Raise Our Voices Reviews

• 
  Donalyn

  Outstanding #ownvoices collection of poems, essays, and illustrations.
• 
  Mary Lee

  I haven't finished reading every word of every page, but it seems prophetic to open this book (library copy--will be buying multiples for my classroom) right after finishing TROUBLEMAKERS, which gives us a new lens and new ways to define the students who
  
  RISE
  RESIST
  and
  RAISE THEIR VOICES.
  
  I can't wait to begin shining a spotlight on the ways voices have historically been raised in response to the wrongs of the world. Thank you to the authors and illustrators of this collection for giving us just what our young people (and their teachers) need.
• 
  Kristina Lenarczyk

  I really enjoyed this collection, it was a very quick read that I picked up while waiting to board my flight home from NYC. There were a lot of writers and creators I hadn't seen or read from before, so I am interested in checking out some more works from a few of them! What I enjoyed the most about this anthology was its diversity in theme and presentation, each entry was unique and I loved getting more exposure into some of the poetry and artwork styles that were included.
  
  Overall, I really enjoyed this anthology and would recommend it to readers of any age! It is short which makes it a very quick read, and bright and colourful in a way that makes you want to keep turning the page. If you are looking for a fun but important coffee table book, I would recommend this one!
  
  
  http://theprincessgummybearreviews.bl...
• 
  Scottsdale Public Library

  50 stories to inspire, to motivate, to offer love and hope in our current tumultuous environment and, most importantly, to encourage young activists to find ways of making a difference (it could just start in the home, offering to help clear the dinner table for example). The stories are a variety of poetry and prose, and the illustrations are so fantastic. My hope is for young readers to come across books such as this, and at least become aware of the world at large. And perhaps, if I haven’t yet run out of wishes, start to think about advocating for human rights and just societies. -Sara Z
• 
  Mary Ann

  Above all, this collection leave me with the feeling that there are caring adults who truly see children, who know how difficult these times can be, and who admire all the ways that our children walk in this world. Authors ask questions, share wisdom and provide support. By doing so, they open the window to talking about these difficult times. In the opening poem, Wade Hudson asks:
  

  "What shall we tell you when our world sometimes seems dark and uninviting?
  What shall we tell you when hateful words that wound and bully are thrown like bricks against a wall, shattering into debris?"

  
  I especially appreciate the variety in this collection. These are heavy topics, and yet readers turn the pages and find so many different approaches. Jacqueline Woodson writes a letter to her children, reminding them to be safe and be kind as they walk in the world. Joseph Bruchac gives advice about choosing a friend who "sees how beautiful you are, even on days when you're sad." Zetta Elliott reminds children that "You Too Can Fly." The illustrations move from painting with deep hues, to drawings with soft warm touch, to photographs showing children of different races and ethnicities.
  
  I definitely recommend this collection for every elementary and middle school library. I'll be bringing it to my new high school library to see what our students think of it.
• 
  Carol

  Heartfelt advice and inspiration for young readers feeling discouraged by the current atrocious political climate and/or dealing with bullying based on their heritage and/or skin color. There are a variety of authors, formats, and illustrations/photographs that bring encouragement and motivation for kids to lift their voices and get involved, but to also know at the end of the day that you're loved and not alone.
• 
  Fran

  What a wonderful insightful collection of poems. Despite being a short collection it is heavy and thought provoking, and left me feeling both hopeful and sad. The message is simply a reminder of strength and call of courage...two ideas that are anything but simple. Highly recommend for anyone and everyone.
• 
  Joy Kirr

  I asked my students to think of a time they were made fun of, and for what reason. Then I read Ellen Oh's letter (two pages from this great book) to my students. They sat there - listening! We need to read and share these stories full of great advice.
• 
  Book Princess (Anastasia)

  Надихаюча книжечка 🥰
• 
  Lệ Lin

  ⁣“The storm is coming.⠀
  There is always a storm⠀
  But we’ve got you.⠀
  We’ve weathered the fury⠀
  you’re heading into.⠀
  And we know how to shelter.⠀
  How to gather force.⠀
  We’ve seen where the storm ⠀
  is weak.
  We’ve got you.⠀
  ⠀
  ⠀
  So tuck in,⠀
  stay close,⠀
  grow strong.⠀
  We’re here. Your wind.⠀
  ⠀
  And you?⠀
  You’re our coming storm.”⠀
  — Pat Cummings⠀
• 
  Julie Overpeck

  With a country so divided, children naturally notice the tension and fear the future. Editors Wade Hudson and Cheryl Willis Hudson wanted to combat this hopelessness, so they asked many diverse artists to create works that would address the future. The result is a magnificent collection of creative works--poems, letters, essays, illustrations--that give hope and impart wisdom to today's children, especially children of color. It is a tender embrace of encouragement and hope from today's artists to our young people.
• 
  Kevin Hodgson

  Powerful poems, stories and letters to remind us and our children that a path is still ahead, as difficult as it sometimes seems during these current years of political turmoil.
• 
  Kris Patrick

  Beautiful content.
  I wish the text size was larger.
• 
  Reading Relish

  WOW. This was written in response to the 2016 U.S. presidential election, but I firmly believe this still has relevance today. Definitely a book I can read again and again and always get something new out of it.
  
  [REVIEW]
  
  *Trigger/content warnings in this book for bullying, deportation, racism, and violence*
  
  I still don’t have all of the words to do this book justice. I am just so glad this was written. The authors of this anthology do not shy away from talking about the problems of the country, but they also make sure to give readers hope and motivation that they can make a difference. It is super important to balance both so that children both understand what’s going on, while also suggesting positive ways to use their anger and frustration to make the world a better place.
  
  This a book EVERYONE needs to read. Children and adults alike can learn something out of this, and then get something totally new the next time around. Children will read it and find adults who both care and empathize with them feeling scared or hopeless. Adults can read this and learn how to have conversations about racism, deportation, etc. with their children, as well as stress the importance of kindness and being activists to make the world a better place. Once again, recommend this to EVERYONE (especially the audiobook!).
• 
  Linda

  Perhaps to describe this book, I will use words from the forward by Ashley Bryan: "I'm sure just to touch this book, We Rise, We Resist, We Raise Our Voices, will lift your spirits." Editors Wade Hudson and Cheryl Willis Hudson tell in their introduction that they were inspired by their seven-year-old granddaughter who was so upset by the result of the 2016 presidential election. They write that she was frightened and confused, worried that her world would change. They asked themselves what could they tell her, what words of comfort could they offer?
  They have gathered thirty authors and nearly that many illustrators for each double-page piece to give those words of inspiration and love and hope. There is a poem by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Jeffery B. Weatherford that speaks of The Golden Rule. Kwame Alexander writes his story, illustrated by Ekua Holmes, about a night while getting ice cream with his daughter and the worry she has on the way. The editors each share a piece, Wade questions "What Shall We Tell You? with a poignant portrait of mother and child by Floyd Cooper accompanying it. Cheryl shares a quilt she created to illustrate the song, 'The Gospel Train': "The fare is cheap and all can go./The rich and poor are there./No second-class on board the train,/no difference in the fare." Ellen Oh, Margarita Engle, Hena Khan. . . I could continue on. Each piece is stunning in its message, beautiful in its art.
  There are brief biographies of each contributor, photo credits, and an index at the back. There is also a table of contents. I imagine how wonderful it would be to read and discuss one of these pieces each morning with a class. I have read parts to my granddaughters (seven and nine) and it's a pleasure to enjoy with them, too.
• 
  Laura Gardner

  🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/5 for WE RISE, WE RESIST, WE RAISE OUR VOICES
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  WE RISE is a gorgeous collection of poetry, art and essays on the topic of social justice. This inspiring and affirming anthology encourages students to believe in themselves, be kind, stand up and speak out. A love letter to young people struggling in a season of hate and exclusivity, this book is sure to have something for everyone who is struggling -- immigrant children who fear their parents will be deported, young black children who have been taught to hate the color of their skin, Muslim children who have been told to "go home" and more.
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  Essays like "You Can Change the World" by Bernette G. Ford explain the fight for Civil Rights in the 1960s and effectively put the current struggle in context. Jacqueline Woodson's (@jacqueline_woodson) highly personal letter to her two children to exhort them to be kind even "when the world feels like it has lost its mind, when leaders don't feel like leaders, when adults lie and bully..."
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  Authors and artists are from a range of backgrounds including Black, Native American, Asian American, Latinx; their extensive biographies in the end of the book will likely inspire new fans of their work. Luminaries and award winners such as Sharon G. Flake, Jason Reynolds (@jasonreynolds83), Joseph Bruchac, Margarita Engle and Carole Boston Weatherford are included. This is a must-purchase for every library and will make an excellent read aloud and mentor text.
• 
  Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book*

  We Rise We Resist We Raise our Voices edited by Wade Hudson and Cheryl Willis Hudson, forward by Ashley Bryan. PICTURE BOOK. Crown Books for Young Readers, 2018. $19. 9780525580423
  
  BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3), EL, MS - OPTIONAL
  
  AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
  
  This book is offered, per the forward, as a safe place to unpack what it means to be a young person of color. The introduction makes reference the 2016 elections and how it was confusing to young listeners to hear speeches about “taking our country back” and how this book can offer hope in that confusion. The book then contains over twenty short pieces by a variety of authors, each accompanied by a piece of art by different artists. Some of the pieces are essays, some poetry, some lists and instructions, and some music.
  
  I want to clarify that the buying advisory may shift if you have a large population of students of color - it will appeal to those readers and offer community. It is a book that is politically charged, which is neither good or bad, but is something to be aware of. The art is appealing to younger readers with most of the illustration depicting elementary aged children, but a majority of the writing, especially the poetry, is a for a slightly older reader.
  
  
  Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher
  
  https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...
• 
  Rachel

  “This book is for you! To inspire you, motivate you, offer you love and hope, and encourage you to help make a difference.”
  
  The introduction tells you everything you need to know, this book is like a cozy blanket on a chilly day. It wraps inspiring and loving words around you, creating a warm safe place of hope.
  
  I choose this book to fit the anthology prompt for the 2020 pop sugar reading challenge, as who doesn’t need a little more light in their life. I’m so glad I did too. Every story was beautifully written, and the illustrations were magnificent.
  
  As the target audience is children (don’t let this deter you, I would have happily read this one on my own) decided to use it for bedtime stories. The uplifting words were perfect to carry my little one off into dreamland.
  
  The book itself is a powerful anthology of voices ready to counter today's often-unsettling political climate for children of varying ethnicities, faiths, identities, and abilities. If you’re child is experiencing pain through events taking place in today’s society directly or indirectly they will find peace in these hopeful words.
• 
  Jennifer Ingle

  A collection of short stories, poems, and songs about fighting for social justice. The works are intended for children and young adults, but adults can get a lot out of it, too. A giant glass of hope for all readers, I recommend it to anyone who needs some of that right now. One of my favorite lines from the collection is from Kwame Alexander’s poem “A Thousand Winters”: “if we can’t survive this storm, how can our children?”
• 
  Alicia

  Wait??! Hold up! I'm talking about collections again? Yes, yes I am. These collections are superb, this one focused on a middle grade voice, but absolutely relevant for all ages. Poems, verse, short stories, design and illustration to compliment the words. Actions and voices raised. Moments of resistance and topics to speak up about? All boxes checked. Fabulous and timely authors, check. Vibrant front cover, check. Did I already hand it off to others? Check.
  
  It's got some of my favorite people in there and they work their magic to do everything in this collection that Hudson wanted to and that the collective should be proud of. Heartfelt and powerful examples on raising our voices and being heard.
• 
  Dayna

  I am in love with this book and its gorgeous art. It’s a series of short stories, essays, letters, and more from various authors (many children’s, middle grade, and YA). This compilation is perfect to help explain what is going on in the country these days, while grounding today’s struggles and resistance in history (especially the civil rights era). I would recommend this book to parents and teachers of middle grade readers, who are struggling to talk to kids about the racism, murder by police, anti-immigration sentiment, and the other depressing stories they are hearing in the news. It maintains a hopeful tone while preparing readers to speak out. Go and buy this book when it comes out!
  
  Thanks to Crown/ PRH for providing an ARC at the American Library Association conference.
• 
  Jennifer

  I wanted to give this more stars, I really did. I loved the concept of this collection. I loved the layout and the artwork. I enjoyed most of the poems and stories. However, some of them fell flat to me. And given the audience, I think the short stories, for the most part, told more than the poems--I think perhaps the intended readers would feel a disconnect trying to pull deeper meaning or even basic understanding from many of the poems. Overall, I liked what the contributors were trying to do collectively. It felt hopeful, and there's a great power in hope.
• 
  McKenna Paul

  Published September 4th 2018 by Crown Books for Young Readers
  Biographies, Multicultural literature, Poetry
  Diversity lesson. Important activists, artists, and other voices bring their experiences, thoughts, art, ideas, and opinions on today's issues and creating a just society.
  SO many important lessons in this story. This read-aloud would practice mindfulness for my small beings of society.
• 
  The Rudie Librarian (Brian)

  This book was written in response to the question of African American parents who were struggling with what to tell their kids in light of some of the racism making its way more readily into American political rhetoric. It is short stories, poems, and art designed to restore hope to children who might be frightened. A beautiful keepsake.
• 
  Jennifer

  Fantastic! Lots of voices and so beautiful! Excellent collection.
• 
  Kathy

  I listened to the audiobook. It’s very quick but really good. I loved it.
• 
  Earl

  An inspiring anthology for upper elementary and middle school grades that tackles current issues that have happened in the past. It's a good reminder that things can be overcome but it takes time and teamwork.
• 
  JoEllen

  The Words & Images of Hope is a must-have, must-share powerful collection. Incredible #heartprintbook with essays, advice and inspiration from incredible voices. Need to get the audio version too! Advice from Olugbemisola Rhuday Perkovich should be made into posters for every classroom wall.