We Wait for the Sun
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- $11.99
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
A beautiful and uplifting non-fiction picture book from Katie McCabe and trailblazing civil rights lawyer and activist Dovey Johnson Roundtree, We Wait for the Sun.
In the hour before dawn, Dovey Mae and Grandma Rachel step into the cool, damp night on a secret mission: to find the sweetest, ripest blackberries that grow deep in the woods.
But the nighttime holds a thousand sounds—and a thousand shadows—and Dovey Mae is frightened of the dark. But with the fierce and fearless Grandma Rachel at her side, the woods turn magical, and berry picking becomes an enchanting adventure that ends with the beauty and power of the sunrise.
A cherished memory from Dovey Johnson Roundtree’s childhood, this magical experience speaks to the joy that pulsed through her life, even under the shadow of Jim Crow. With Grandma Rachel’s lessons as her guiding light, Dovey Mae would go on to become a trailblazer of the civil rights movement—fighting for justice and equality in the military, the courtroom, and the church. With warm, vibrant illustrations from Raissa Figueroa, We Wait for the Sun is a resonant, beautiful story told through one exquisite page turn after another.
A Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Book of 2021
Evanston Public Library 101 Great Books for Kids List of 2021
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Adapted from U.S. attorney Roundtree's 2019 adult autobiography, Mighty Justice, which was cowritten with McCabe, this posthumous picture book spotlights one of Roundtree's favorite midsummer memories: harvesting blackberries before dawn with her beloved grandmother, who "imbued her with the certainty of her self-worth." Thoughtful imagery lush with sensory detail ("her hand as it grazes a bush and comes back with the first berry of the day, frosted with dew") pairs seamlessly with atmospheric, luminous digital illustrations by Figueroa as young Roundtree walks through the dark with Grandma Rachel, seeking berries with fellow Black women. This is a poignant glimpse into the childhood of a storied civil rights luminary, simultaneously serving as a testament to the love between caretaker and child and a soothing, nature-based meditation. Back matter includes a powerful author's note, biographical information on both Roundtree and her maternal grandmother, a timeline of their lives, and a bibliography. Ages 4 8.
