Sarah Rising

by Ty Chapman, DeAnn Wiley (Illustrator)

Overview

Sarah starts her day like any other day: she eats her toast and feeds her bugs. But today isn't a day like any other day. Today, her dad brings her to a protest to speak out against police violence against Black people. The protesters are loud, and Sarah gets scared. When Sarah spots a beautiful monarch butterfly and follows it through the crowd, she finds herself inside the no-man's land between the line of police and protesters. In the moments that follow, Sarah is confronted with the cruelty of those who are supposed to protect her and learns what it feels like to protect and be protected.

Inspired by the protests that happened during the Minneapolis Uprising after the police killing of George Floyd, Sarah Rising provides a child's-eye view of a protest and offers an opportunity for children to talk about why people take to the streets to protest racial injustice. Readers will gain a new appreciation for how important it is to be part of a community of people who protect each other.

Backmatter includes a note from the author about his experience growing up as a Black boy in the Twin Cities, information about the Minneapolis Uprising, and practical ways kids can get involved in activism.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781506478357
Publisher:	1517 Media
Publication date:	05/24/2022
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	1,107,519
Product dimensions:	9.70(w) x 8.60(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	AD500L (what's this?)
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

About the Author

Ty Chapman is the author of Sarah Rising (Beaming 2022); Looking for Happy (Beaming 2023); A Door Made for Me, written with Tyler Merritt (WorthyKids 2022); Tartarus (Button Poetry 2024); and multiple forthcoming children's books through various publishers. Chapman was a finalist for Tin House's 2022 Fall Residency, Button Poetry's 2022 Chapbook Contest, and Frontier Magazine's New Voices contest. Chapman's accomplishments also include being named a Loft Literary Center Mirrors and Windows fellow and a Mentor Series fellow, and attending Vermont College of Fine Arts in pursuit of his master's degree in creative writing for children and young adults.

DeAnn Wiley is a Detroit-based artist who has been painting traditionally for over five years. She recently broke into the digital art world and shares her artwork with a large online audience. She is an advocate for social justice and is dedicated to making art that is authentic and intentional in empowering Black, queer, fat, and disabled people.

Editorial Reviews

"An important story about racial injustice." —Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

2022-02-09
A small child struggles to make sense of a scary event.

The day starts out normally for a young African American girl. She has breakfast, feeds her pets, and sets about preparing for school. Then her dad shares news that turns her world upside down: The police have “killed another Black person.” Sarah and her dad leave the house and join a protest where Sarah witnesses a White policeman’s anger and cruelty toward a butterfly, which she rescues. Despite the worrisome events of the day—at one point Sarah gets lost amid the crowd of protesters—she proves that her resilience is as strong as that of the butterfly, which lives to see another day and to “fly far away from anyone who would hurt it.” The symbolism is unmistakable—Sarah’s dad is teaching her that it is possible to overcome whatever life throws at you. The author has some powerhouse credentials as an anti-racist activist. However, despite the sweet bond between father and daughter and the vivid illustrations, the story feels jarring and will be upsetting to children. It’s a tough read for young minds but may be a necessary one during times of strife. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

An important story about racial injustice but not one that’s likely to have a long stay on the read-again shelf. (author’s note, suggestion list, discussion guide) (Picture book. 5-8)

Kirkus Reviews