★ 10/10/2022
In an extraordinary volume, Joy’s cadenced prose and Washington’s dimensional cut-paper artwork portray Mamie Till-Mobley’s (1921–2003) life and efforts seeking justice for the brutal murder of her son Emmett Till (1941–1955). After introducing Till’s death, lines flash back to Till-Mobley’s childhood in small-town Illinois. “The first African American to graduate at the top of her class,” she later experiences an abusive marriage and nurses young Till through polio. Both move for new opportunity in Chicago, but Till misses family and space. Despite “an ache deep down in her soul,” she sends him to visit relatives in Mississippi, and his lynching there, and Till-Mobley’s pursuit of justice, has a galvanizing effect on the civil rights movement. Contextualizing endnotes conclude this necessary title whose reiterative refrain characterizes Till-Mobley’s actions as “the harder thing” and “the braver thing/ that changed everything.” Ages 8–12. (Sept.)
"In an extraordinary volume, Joy’s cadenced prose and Washington’s dimensional cut-paper artwork portray Mamie Till-Mobley’s (1921–2003) life." —Publishers Weekly, starred review
"[T]old with hauntingly lyrical language... [and] powerful expressionistic art crafted from cut paper and silhouettes. A devastating, uniquely told story that will resonate." —Kirkus, starred review
"Washington’s dramatic paper-cut art, featuring bold black-and-white silhouettes and figures on brown backgrounds with blue, brown, and red tissue-paper accents, perfectly captures the courage and dignity of the subject." —Horn Book, starred review
"[A] forceful, strikingly illustrated nonfiction picture book." —Shelf Awareness, starred review
"By placing Emmett’s murder in the context of [Mamie Till-Mobley's] life, the narrative brings a deep intimacy to the portrayal of a woman mourning her son, not a symbol." —The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review
"The heartbreaking story of Emmett Till is shared with great emotional depth... An essential purchase." —School Library Journal, starred review
"A moving, memorable picture book." —Booklist, starred review
Caldecott Honor Book
Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Honor
Coretta Scott King - John Steptoe Award for Illustrations
Orbis Pictus Honor Book
Jane Addams Children’s Book Award Winner
Walter Dean Myer Award Winner
Cybils 2022 Award Winner for Middle School Nonfiction
Boston Globe-Horn Nonfiction Honor Book
2022 Blue Ribbon List
Kirkus Reviews Best of the Year List
Horn Book Fanfare Best of 2022 List
Publishers Weekly Best Books of 2022
Shelf Awareness Best Books of the Year
New York Public Library Best Books of 2022
Chicago Public Library Best Books of the Year
Evanston Public Library 101 Great Books for Kids
Friends of American Writers' Young People's Literature Award Winner for 2022
★ 01/01/2023
Gr 2–6—The heartbreaking story of Emmett Till is shared with great emotional depth. Using cut-paper collage and lyrical storytelling, Joy and Washington revive Mamie Till-Mobley's story. The brilliant, loving mother of Emmett was a child of the Great Migration. Mamie and her family moved up from Mississippi to Argo, a Chicago suburb, where the studious girl worked hard to graduate at the top of her class. She married Louis Till, and after a strenuous birth, their only son arrived. Though doctors predicted he would have severe cognitive and motor delays, Mamie insisted on bringing Emmett home. Louis turned violent, and Mamie refused to tolerate the behavior. Now with just his mother and grandmother, Emmett grew into a kind boy who played joyfully in the streets of Argo until he fell ill with polio. The disease left him with a stutter, which his ingenious mother helped him circumvent using a clever trick of stopping when he was stuck on a word and whistling to calm him before he continued speaking. Unfortunately, like Mamie before them, readers are powerless to stop Emmett's fateful trip to Mississippi. They cannot stop Emmett's alleged whistle, the white woman's lie, the white kidnappers' murder, or the jury's unjust verdict. The symbolic red and blue colors in the collage, weaving Mamie and Emmett's lives and stories together, creates a beautiful artistic tapestry. With rich language and a wealth of knowledge in the back matter, this text has depth and usefulness for a broad audience. VERDICT An essential purchase for all libraries.—Abby Bussen
★ 2022-05-11
The brutal killing of a Black youth turns his mother into an activist for justice.
This poignant volume about the murder of Emmett Till focuses on his mother, Mamie Till-Mobley, and how her son’s death drove her to seek justice, first for him and then for the Black community. Mamie and her family moved from Mississippi to the outskirts of Chicago, hoping for a better life. Mamie married young boxer Louis Till. Their baby boy had many medical problems, but Mamie refused to institutionalize him. When a chance came for Emmett to spend time with family in Mississippi, she was reluctant but gave in. He had not been there long before word came that he was missing. When his body was found, it was barely recognizable and Mamie was told not to open the casket. However, she was determined that the world would know what was done to Emmett, and the images from the open viewings had a major impact on the growing civil rights movement. Although those accused of his murder were allowed to go free, Mamie continued her fight for social change, ensuring Emmett Till’s story would not be forgotten. This story is told with hauntingly lyrical language that successfully captures the tenor of the time and brings to life its subjects. The text is enhanced with powerful expressionistic art crafted from cut paper and silhouettes. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A devastating, uniquely told story that will resonate. (author’s and illustrator’s notes, soundtrack, glossary, timeline, sources) (Picture-book biography. 8-12)