Invincible: Fathers and Mothers of Black America

Hudson and Lewis honor the “brave Black pioneers who built... Black America” in this picture book overview. Early lines detail how, “From Africa they were captured./ Chained and crammed into the hulls of/ ships.../ Mandinka. Fon. Bakongo. Chamba. Abron. Fulani./ Akan. Wolof. Igbo. Yoruba. Mbundu.” Subsequent pages describe enslavement, restrictive laws, and brutality that extended well after freedom rang for others, and call readers to witness how “these courageous Americans of a darker hue, enslaved and free, push onward with freedom always a beckoning call.” Their organizing (“contribution by/ contribution”) leads to the creation of Black America, represented in a mid-volume outline that details figures and accomplishments from 1738 to 1831. Watercolor and gouache illustrations from Lewis are partially obliterated by rough opaque strokes of white until the timeline of Black America emerges in saturated hues. Extensive back matters includes creators’ notes. Ages 7–10. (Sept.)