We Can

September 27, 2021
Prolific Black teen portraitist Gordon presents a collection of portrait busts of icons, mostly Black figures who have left—or are leaving—their mark on culture, through film (Chadwick Boseman, Viola Davis), literature (Maya Angelou), music (the Beatles, Bob Marley), and sports (Lebron James, Colin Kaepernick, Naomi Osaka), and via civil rights (Martin Luther King Jr.), political offices (Kamala Harris, John Lewis), and the presidency of the United States (Biden and Obama each make an appearance). Distinct, pop art–esque paintings, rendered in grayscale against colorful monochrome backgrounds, adeptly recall their inspirations; each likeness is appended by a brief paragraph about the figure portrayed, highlighting career milestones alongside personal connections or resonances in a conversational style: “Ms. Amanda and I have a lot in common: We both have a twin sibling, we were both born prematurely, and we both have similar speech impediments.” More gallery than resource, this picture book will pique the interest of those interested in art and biographical profiles. Ages 4–8.

September 15, 2021
Grades 4-8 This collection of original celebrity portraits comes from Tyler Gordon, now 15, a partially deaf painting prodigy whose work has been lauded by popular media and art critics alike. He profiles more than 30 groundbreaking icons whose brave examples helped him deal with bullying. His full-page, immediately recognizable portraits consist of bold black-and-white patterns set off by bright splashes of color. Brief commentaries explain his choices, and it's especially effective when he shares insights about his actual painting process (he touts Kamala Harris' political leadership and then tells readers that as a fellow San Franciscan, he felt he had to paint her portrait while he was outside, in front of the San Francisco Bay Bridge). Some subjects are predictable (Muhammad Ali, Michelle and Barack Obama), while others are a bit more unexpected (Colin Kaepernick, Chadwick Boseman). Gordon will probably be unfamiliar to most young readers, but others may recognize his portrait of LeBron James from the 2020 cover of Time magazine's Athlete of the Year issue. Aspiring artists will be impressed and inspired.

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Starred review from October 1, 2021

K-Gr 3-Tyler Gordon is a 15-year-old painter whose portraits of notable Americans have garnered him much praise. This collection features some the portraits and the Americans who have inspired them. In the opening pages, Tyler, who is Black, explains how a dream and a vision from God led him to becoming an artist. Deaf until six years old with a stutter, Gordon started creating portraits as a way for him to deal with the bullying he was experiencing at school. Eventually, a portrait of his principal led to him winning a STEAM competition and inspired him to create even more portraits. Tyler supplies historical information along with the impact he's experienced from the work of these brave subjects. Joe Biden's speech impediment, Ice Cube's autism awareness clothing line, and the artwork of Jean-Michel Basquiat all inspired him in different ways. Readers are introduced to Gordon's beautiful paintings and learn little-known facts about some of the iconic subjects. This autobiographical work's goal is to inspire Americans through art and history. Gordon makes the historical information personal by including his reflections on each figure. This book is an example of the ways young people are impacted by the world and how they can make an impact themselves. Gordon's observant eye has allowed him to take courage in the work of others as he creates his own paintings. The art is poignant and perfectly aligns with the text. VERDICT The title is perfect for public and school libraries looking to amplify diverse voices.-Desiree Thomas, Worthington Lib., OH

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