Review
Praise for I Sang You Down from the Stars
Named a Best Book of 2021 by Kirkus, Shelf Awareness, and the Chicago Public Library American Indian Youth Literature Award Honor Book, 2022 ALSC Notable Children's Book, 2022
ALA Rise: A Feminist Book Project List, 2022
"Gorgeous, shimmering, heartfelt." —Kirkus Reviews - STARRED REVIEW
"A tender celebration of parenthood that will resonate with Indigenous and non-Indigenous readers alike." — Publishers Weekly - STARRED REVIEW
"[Tasha] Spillet-Sumner's tender free-verse tribute to the joy of welcoming a new baby should resonate with any caregiver who has excitedly awaited a child's arrival ... [Michaela] Goade's ethereal watercolor and mixed-media illustrations soar across the page, overflowing with gorgeous touches ... I Sang You Down from the Stars will make a beautiful gift for an expecting family as well as a read-aloud to assure children they are loved." — Shelf Awareness - STARRED REVIEW
"Beautifully expresses a mother’s hopes, dreams and love for her newborn ... Marvelously conveys not only the bonds between mother and child but also the multitude of connections that await every child—connections to family, community and Earth itself." — BookPage - STARRED REVIEW
"The care and love felt through the pages of the illustrations are dreamlike and ethereal ... The emotions stirred by word choices and visual elements can be overwhelmingly tender." — School Library Journal - STARRED REVIEW
"This could give rise to story hour discussions of differences that matter and those that do not ... [A] sweet portrait of a mother-daughter relationship." ― School Library Journal
"Spillett-Sumner’s quiet text strikes a steady rhythm of call and response: Izzy’s uncertainties and her mother’s answering refrain that celebrates rather than dismisses the pair’s differences ... A lovely accompaniment to any cuddle." ― Kirkus Reviews - STARRED REVIEW
"Readers will be touched by the bond between mother and daughter. The illustrations are also warm and reveal the tenderness between the two." ― Booklist
"The key takeaway for us was the ability to recognize that everyone is beautiful – even if their beauty is different than ours." ― The Canadian Homeschooler
Product Description
A child who looks different from her mother finds beauty and belonging in this new book from the creator of New York Times bestseller I Sang You Down from the Stars
Izzy’s favorite place to be is in Mama’s arms—skin to skin, safe and warm. One night, cuddled up on Mama’s lap, Izzy notices something she’s never noticed before: her skin is the color of chocolate, but Mama’s skin is the color of sand.
When Izzy realizes she’s different from Mama in other ways, too, she feels sad and confused. She wants to be beautiful like Mama! But Mama addresses Izzy’s disappointment with a gentle, loving refrain: You’re part of me, and I’m part of you. I’m beautiful like me, and you’re beautiful like you. Finding lessons from nature and repeating her affirming message, Mama encourages Izzy to see her own unique beauty.
This story about a multiracial child navigating identity and belonging draws from author Tasha Spillett-Sumner’s own experience growing up as an Afro-Indigenous girl. Lyrical text and warm, lively illustrations show Izzy’s journey as she learns to celebrate the differences that make her uniquely beautiful, and the connection to her mother that transcends physical traits.
About the Author
TASHA SPILLETT-SUMNER is an Inninewak (Cree) and Trinidadian award-winning poet and author who is also working on her doctoral degree in Indigenous land–based education. She makes her home in Treaty 1 territory, Manitoba, where she raises her daughter, Isabella, with her husband. She is the author of the New York Times bestselling picture book I Sang You Down from the Stars and the award-winningSurviving the City graphic novel series.
SALINI PERERA has been making art for as long as she can remember ― and making art for picture books
