This book is great for younger students at a primary level. This book showcases three very well-known songs that were first sung by slaves. Each page is beautifully illustrated and takes the reader on a spiritual journey. I would introduce this book to my classroom as a read-aloud, where my goal would be to develop my students' knowledge about the meanings of these songs and their history. ( )

Let it Shine is a book the appeals to an audience of Kindergarten or First graders. This book is an exploration of religious themes as its illustrations and songs are centered around spiritual songs first sung by slaves. The accompaniment of pictures alongside these songs helps to bridge the connection between the two mediums for kids to come to accurate conclusions about the book. Another reflection on the resilient history tied to the black community. ( )

Not only is Ashley Bryan the author of “Let it Shine” but, he is also the illustrator of his book. The children’s book features three of the most famous spiritual songs created by slaves. “Let it Shine,” ”Oh When the Saints Go Marching In” and ”He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands.” In his artwork, it’s easy to see that he uses African Americans from rural origins, mostly consisting of children. He uses vibrant colors and with each song that mentions light there is an illustration of it. It’s as if the songs are saying they will find the light/bright things in everything to get through everyday life. There are a lot of examples of contrast in the book as well. For example sun to moon, cold to hot and developed civilization to under developed civilization. Bryan captures all of this by inviting children in with an array of colorful images. As for text, they already existed for decades so that meant there wasn’t any originality, the artwork did most of the work. ( )

This book was not quite was I was expecting when I picked it out, and it turned out to be a book of three different religious songs. This is a good poetry book because it uses songs that a lot of people are very familiar with and pairs it with illustrations to match what is being song about.
Genre: Poetry? because it is songs (my choice)
Illustrations: Looks like paper
Age Appropriateness: Primary