The Undefeated

by Kwame Alexander, Kadir Nelson (Illustrator)

Overview

Winner of the 2020 Caldecott Medal
A 2020 Newbery Honor Book
Winner of the 2020 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award

The Newbery Award-winning author of THE CROSSOVER pens an ode to black American triumph and tribulation, with art from a two-time Caldecott Honoree.
Originally performed for ESPN's The Undefeated, this poem is a love letter to black life in the United States. It highlights the unspeakable trauma of slavery, the faith and fire of the civil rights movement, and the grit, passion, and perseverance of some of the world's greatest heroes. The text is also peppered with references to the words of Martin Luther King, Jr., Langston Hughes, Gwendolyn Brooks, and others, offering deeper insights into the accomplishments of the past, while bringing stark attention to the endurance and spirit of those surviving and thriving in the present. Robust back matter at the end provides valuable historical context and additional detail for those wishing to learn more.
 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781328780966
Publisher:	HMH Books
Publication date:	04/02/2019
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	1,359
Product dimensions:	11.10(w) x 10.60(h) x 0.60(d)
Age Range:	6 - 9 Years

About the Author

Kwame Alexander is the New York Times Bestselling author of 25 books, including Rebound, the critically acclaimed prequel to the 2015 Newbery Medal-winning The Crossover. The recipient of the 2017 Inaugural Pat Conroy Legacy Award, Kwame lives with his family in Virginia.

www.kwamealexander.com
Twitter: @kwamealexander
Instagram: @kwamealexander

Kadir Nelson is a two-time Caldecott Honor recipient. Among his other awards are an NAACP Image Award, and the 2009 and 2014 Coretta Scott King Author Award. His work has appeared in The New York Times, Sports Illustrated, and The New Yorker. He lives in Los Angeles, CA.

www.kadirnelson.com
Twitter: @kadirnelson
Instagram:@kadirnelson
 

Editorial Reviews

…a powerful tribute to the African-American experience, replete with joy and pride in the accomplishments of individual artists and athletes, leaders and thinkers. But the book also communicates a strong sense of the suffering without which this history would be incomplete. Alexander's resonant twisting language, and Nelson's rich painterly style, serve to capture not just individuals but the community as a whole…Poetry knows when to lean forward and when to pull back, and in The Undefeated, Alexander has walked that line perfectly. This book will fill readers with a sense of the wealth and the cost of history.

The New York Times Book Review - Laurel Snyder

★ 02/20/4

Performed first on the ESPN show of the same name, this magnificent anthem to the courage and genius of black Americans has been turned into a picture book with stunning portraits by Nelson (Blue Sky, White Stars). “This is for the unforgettable,” Alexander (Out of Wonder) opens, “The swift and sweet ones/ who hurdled history/ and opened a world/ of possible.” Jesse Owens flies across the page, every limb outstretched, every muscle taut. Alexander’s praise is not just for well-known figures, though; he also writes about nameless heroes (“the ones who survived/ America/ by any means necessary”) and unsung martyrs (“the ones who didn’t”). And he acknowledges the deepest wounds, repeating the phrase “This is for the unspeakable” over successive portraits of infamous atrocities committed against Americans of African descent. He writes of artistry, “the We Real Cool ones,” above the smiling, lit-up faces of vocal and instrumental artists who make up a celestial chorus: Monk and Fitzgerald, Vaughan and Davis. Nelson paints historical figures and contemporary heroes with equal ease and grace; in a final spread, the faces of young black girls and boys look ahead, beaming and determined: “This is for us.” Throughout, incantatory usage of “un” words (“unbelievable... unbending... underdogs... uncertain...”) rings with force. Alexander remembers peaceful Civil Rights activists, “the righteous marching ones who sang we shall not be moved because black lives matter,” communicating clearly that when black lives matter, America is stronger. Historical notes for each figure conclude this powerful work. Ages 4–7. Author’s agent: Arielle Eckstut, Levine Greenberg Rostan Literary Agency. Illustrator’s agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

A Best Book of 2019 from: New York Times * NPR * Horn Book * Kirkus * Publishers Weekly * School Library Journal * New York Public Library * Chicago Public Library * Raleigh News & Observer

New York Times Bestseller
National Book Award Longlist
Kirkus Prize Finalist

"[A] powerful tribute to the African-American experience, replete with joy and pride in the accomplishments of individual artists and athletes, leaders, and thinkers.... Poetry knows when to lean forward and when to pull back, and in 'The Undefeated,' Alexander has walked that line perfectly. This book will fill readers with a sense of the wealth and the cost of history."—New York Times Book Review

"Dramatic oil paintings expand on a deeply personal poem to showcase 'dreamers and doers,' united in solemn testimony: Black history matters."—San Francisco Chronicle

"An empowering look at the history of black Americans."—The Takeaway

"[T]his magnificent anthem to the courage and genius of black Americans has been turned into a picture book with stunning portraits by Nelson....communicating clearly that when black lives matter, America is stronger." —Publishers Weekly, STARRED review

"Alexander's poetry possesses a straightforward, sophisticated, steady rhythm that, paired with Nelson's detail-oriented oil paintings, carries readers through generations...An incredible connector text for young readers eager to graduate to weighty conversations about our yesterday, our now, and our tomorrow." —Kirkus, STARRED review

"A beautiful volume that encourages multiple viewings and further research...With a lengthy roster of accolades and best-seller credits between them, this untouchable duo's book will fly off the shelf." —Booklist, STARRED review

"Alexander and Nelson honor the achievements, courage, and perseverance of ordinary black people as well as prominent black artists, athletes, and activists....creating a through-line from past to present." —The Horn Book, STARRED review

"[A] poignant and powerful ode to the resilience and strength of black life and history in America.... Alexander and Nelson present an exceptionally moving and triumphant work. This book is an essential first purchase." —School Library Journal, STARRED review

From the Publisher

★ 04/01/2019

Gr 3 Up—This inaugural title from Newbery Medalist Alexander's new imprint is a poignant and powerful ode to the resilience and strength of black life and history in America. Originally performed for ESPN's The Undefeated in 2016, the poem adopts a picture book format with a new title, accompanied by stunning oil paintings in Nelson's trademark photorealistic style. The evocative illustrations stand out against stark white backgrounds and vary in their composition. On some spreads, the focus is on a single expressive portrait; others feature collages of African American icons from various disciplines, or refer to significant historical moments. The art functions in perfect harmony with the poet's spare, striking verse to electrify the Black American experience, and to celebrate black athletes, writers, musicians, activists, and heroes. From the unspeakable trauma of American slavery and the transatlantic slave trade to the brave service of black troops during the Civil War, from the fierce and unwavering fight for civil rights to the Black Lives Matter movement, from Selma to Birmingham to Harlem, this book is both a soaring tribute to the enduring perseverance and achievements of the past and a stirring call to action to "the dreamers and the doers" of the present and the future. Back matter includes an afterword from the author as well as additional information about the historical figures and events featured in the book. VERDICT Alexander and Nelson present an exceptionally moving and triumphant work. This book is an essential first purchase for all libraries. -Lauren Strohecker, McKinley Elementary School, Elkins Park, PA

School Library Journal

★ 2019-01-15

Past and present are quilted together in this innovative overview of black Americans' triumphs and challenges in the United States.

Alexander's poetry possesses a straightforward, sophisticated, steady rhythm that, paired with Nelson's detail-oriented oil paintings, carries readers through generations chronicling "the unforgettable," "the undeniable," "the unflappable," and "the righteous marching ones," alongside "the unspeakable" events that shape the history of black Americans. The illustrator layers images of black creators, martyrs, athletes, and neighbors onto blank white pages, patterns pages with the bodies of slaves stolen and traded, and extends a memorial to victims of police brutality like Sandra Bland and Michael Brown past the very edges of a double-page spread. Each movement of Alexander's poem is a tribute to the ingenuity and resilience of black people in the U.S., with textual references to the writings of Gwendolyn Brooks, Martin Luther King Jr., Langston Hughes, and Malcolm X dotting stanzas in explicit recognition and grateful admiration. The book ends with a glossary of the figures acknowledged in the book and an afterword by the author that imprints the refrain "Black. Lives. Matter" into the collective soul of readers, encouraging them, like the cranes present throughout the book, to "keep rising."

An incredible connector text for young readers eager to graduate to weighty conversations about our yesterday, our now, and our tomorrow. (Picture book/poetry. 6-12)

Kirkus Reviews

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