Readers are exposed to a well-known spiritual, from the early 1900s. The song, often performed in African American churches, represents the importance of seeking guidance in times of great adversity. Important figures and events are featured throughout the illustrations, including the Tuskegee Airmen and athletes Colin Kaepernick and Florence Griffith Joyner (FloJo).
Positive Messages
a lot
We need help and encouragement when faced with hate and oppression. It's important to strive for justice and peace. There's hope for a brighter tomorrow, based on how far we've already come. Themes include advocating for change.
Diverse Representations
a lot
Showcases a diverse group of people from the past and present. Advocates for change are different ages and skin tones, with different characteristics.
All the characters and historical figures featured, including Martin Luther King Jr. and Nat Turner, are positive role models.They try to maintain their dignity while being abused, and use their voices to create change. The song's lyrics set the foundation for the book's text, which shows the link between the struggles for equality and justice of the past and those of the present.
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Standing in the Need of Prayer: A Modern Retelling of the Classic Spiritual is a moving picture book inspired by the timeless church hymn from the early 1900s. The book was written by award-winning author Carole Boston Weatherford (Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre) and illustrated by award-wining artist Frank Morrison (Kick Push). And it won the 2023 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award. The classic lyrics of "Standing in the Need of Prayer" have been given new life, presented next to moving illustrations from monumental moments in Black history. The book highlights celebration and triumphs, while not shying away from times of sadness and despair, and depicting the enslavement of African Americans. Themes include striving for equality and change, resiliency in the face of adversity, and having hope for the future.
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What's the Story?
The events of STANDING IN THE NEED OF PRAYER: A MODERN RETELLING OF THE CLASSIC SPIRITUAL begin in the early 1600s and stretch to our era. It highlights key pieces of Black history, from the enslavement of Africans, to the Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision, to the Black Lives Matter Movement. The lyrics of the classic hymn set the foundation for a story about protest, celebrations, and a constant struggle for equality. At the end of the book, readers can continue to learn from the Author's Note and reference guide explaining who's featured in the story, and why.
This picture book is a touching and emotional tribute to a timeless church hymn, and what it has meant to those who've been oppressed. Standing in the Need of Prayer: A Modern Retelling of the Classic Spiritual is hard to read without singing or humming the tune, if you're familiar with this church classic that remains powerfully relevant. The book is likely to spark hard questions and deep reflections from young readers.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the lyrics used in Standing in the Need of Prayer: A Modern Retelling of the Classic Spiritual. Have you ever heard the song "Standing in the Need of Prayer"? What do the lyrics mean to you?
Which historical events from the book did you recognize? Which were new to you?
The story is both upsetting and hopeful. How did reading it make you feel?
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Standing in the Need of Prayer: A Modern Retelling of the Classic Spiritual
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By Diondra K. Brown
,
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