Book Awards & Honors

About the Book

Montsho, a young African-American boy is worried: black cats are bad luck, witches wear black, all bad characters on TV wear black. When he asks his beloved Grandpa, "Is everything black bad?" the man is startled, then assures his grandson that it just isn't so. He takes the boy to a special room in which he recites an especially power poem about their wondrous cultural heritage.

The story ends with Grandpa saying that "the dark color of your skin and your African heritage is a good thing, a very good thing indeed."

Definitely recommended, especially to supplement discussions with children about the significance of multiculturalism in American society. Also especially useful as a way to bring grandparents, their culture and experiences to life so that young children can see their own connections to other cultures and traditions as positive and enriching.