As I review Kin: Rooted in Hope, a verse novel by Carole Boston Weatherford that is beautifully illustrated by her son Jeffery Boston Weatherford, I am going to suggest starting with the author’s and illustrator’s notes in the back. These notes will give a glimpse of the heart and perspective behind the book and set the stage for the book’s story.
In the book, the Weatherfords trace their family tree using Carole’s exquisite free verse and Jeffrey’s striking art. Dealing with mere scraps of their history and with ancestors that may never have had a last name, they piece together what they can trace for five generations and add informed conjecture to reach a forebear listed in 1781 as “property” to create a moving account of their “kin” who are rooted in hope and reaching toward freedom. Included in the narrative are voices of the slaveholder’s family and of freedom activists Frederick Douglas and Harriet Tubman.
My favorite line comes near the end of the book. “. . . My offspring / will learn to read, write, and cypher, / and will bow to no man – only to God.” There is no way to choose which piece of art is my favorite since I found myself lingering over each one.
Kin is listed for “ten and up.” I would say the “up” has no limit. I can see this book making for good discussion between adults and young people who read it together whether that is in a classroom or in a home setting.