We Dream a World

November 1, 2023
The teenage granddaughter of two civil rights luminaries continues their legacy as she forges a path of her own. King never met her grandparents, but she has been keenly aware of their achievements for as long as she can remember. Their ideals of freedom, equality, and love live on throughout the world. Bright, soft watercolors depict the author proclaiming her readiness to not only follow her grandparents' worthy example but "to start a new revolution that values kindness, truth, equality, and service." King voices the dreams of the current generation--ones that include a world free of gun violence, where schools are safe, and where no one goes hungry. With serene greens and blues, Tadgell depicts King and other, racially diverse young people considering issues such as climate change and the right to education. The author promises her grandparents that her generation will plant the seeds of change as they learn to advocate for themselves. Our young author's words, hopeful and bright, breathe life into her peers and help them recognize the power they hold to effect everlasting change. Her words are a call to action addressed both to young people and their adults to help them start much-needed conversations. Tadgell's illustrations bring the text to life with energetic, ethereal watercolors reminiscent of a child's daydreams. A glowing tribute that will ignite young people everywhere. (a word from Yolanda's parents, artist's note, about Yolanda's inspiration) (Picture book. 4-8)

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November 20, 2023
Adolescent activist King affirms the hopes of her late grandparents in this ambitious declaration about honoring their legacy. Addressing “Granddaddy and Grandma,” the book’s speaker alludes to their famous dream (“we should be judged by what’s in our hearts, not by the color of our skin”) before noting that “that dream—and so many others—lives deep inside me.” Subsequent pages muse on whether young King intends to follow in her elders’ footsteps, offers appreciation for their work and her heritage, and envisions a new world “where guns are not games.... where poverty is a memory,” and which offers “liberty, justice, and food for all.” Against Tadgell’s watercolor backdrops of historic stands against injustice, King rides a rainbow and plays among peers portrayed with various skin tones, images that suggest a hopeful future in which “we dream a world.” An author’s note concludes. Ages 4–8.