And We Rise is a powerful and poignant exploration of resilience, hope, and the journey to find one's voice. Erica Martin captivates with a beautifully crafted narrative that follows the lives of young activists fighting for justice and equality in their community.

I love novels in verse, especially when they hit in difficult themes and subjects because it makes it easier to read and digest. I loved this one and would recommend it. I definitely learned about black history and events in america that I never learned about previously.

This is a powerful history lesson on the Civil Rights movement told through verse. Every poem had meaning and was skillfully written. It could be hard to read, and should be because it shares the truth of the time. The use of space in the verse telling is often just as powerful as the words. I have since purchased the physical copy for my library.

Quick read. Fill off amazing poems and amazing pieces of history. The poems make you feel like you're there and help you to understand what is going on

This is one to read, not listen. In reading through the poor reviews so many are from those who listen who complain about repetitive sections which I could imagine would be tiresome on audio. But isn't that the point? Isn't it the point to show how much marching and waiting and work went into fighting for civil rights.

This poetry collection is a brief run through of several key points over the course of the Civil rights movement in free verse poems. I appreciated the brief explanations at the back of the book clarifying each event that was mentioned in the book. To this end I think the book would be a great tool for teachers to use.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

I had a decent enough time. Some of the poems were better than others, Not really a poetry girlie, but I think that Martin was able to convey historical events in a way that young readers will be able to hold onto and remember in a way that maybe their history class was unable to. Some of the formatting of the poems didn't do it for me. Again, not sure if it's because I'm not really a poetry reader like that and so I just thought that maybe the intent to format the text in a certain way just wasn't for me and the author thought they were really doing something. Overall though I had a good time, I would recommend other people to pick it up and I did get something out of it.

This is one of the better books about the Civil Rights movement. It was poignant and accessible. The photos were an excellent addition.

I don't think I will be recommending it for the Evergreen Teen Book award (I might for the MS List), but will recommend it to teachers.

Short, sweet and to the point. The poetry was modern. Everything flowed forward to tell the tale of the civil rights movement. I liked that the author include dates and facts as well, thus providing ample additional learning opportunities.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group for the ARC.

While this book is short it packs an incredible punch. It is one of the best novels in verse that I've read. I think this is one of those books that high school students would greatly benefit from having added to their curriculum both for history class and english literature class, because it is a valuable teaching tool for both. There was much in here regarding history that i was unfamiliar with, which is another reminder that the education we receive on civil rights history in the US is poor, and could use an overhaul, especially with vital books like this now being made available. Its an absolutely invaluable resource.

Book: And We Rise
By Erica Martin

Summary
In stunning verse and vivid use of white space, Erica Martin's debut poetry collection walks readers through the Civil Rights Movement—from the well-documented events that shaped the nation’s treatment of Black people, beginning with the "Separate but Equal" ruling—and introduces lesser-known figures and moments that were just as crucial to the Movement and our nation's centuries-long fight for justice and equality.

A poignant, powerful, all-too-timely collection that is both a vital history lesson and much-needed conversation starter in our modern world. Complete with historical photographs, author's note, chronology of events, research, and sources.

Review: This was a beautiful and powerful collection of poetry.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC digital copy. I have not been compensated for my opinion and this is an honest review.

Beautiful book! Suggest that a print copy be enjoyed for better appreciation of the artwork.

Thank you to Penguin Teen and Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This collection of non-fiction poems is a great start into digging into what happened during the 1960s and the Civil Rights Movement. Filled with figures you'll recognize and some you might have never learned about. And We Rise is a short but powerful history that makes us reconcile the US's history we've been taught and what actually happened.

The collection of poems are beautiful rendered. I loved how they each flowed into each other, but we also can see how distinct events had impact. At the end, there's a historical timeline and that was extra helpful since there were some times I forgot the dates. Which is more about my brain trying to process everything and less about the writing here.

I loved the emotions these poems brought forth. Even though we are somewhat removed from the events since there's no primary character narrating to us, you still feel the despair, the hopelessness, the determination and perseverance of Black Americans in this.

This collection would be a great addition in classrooms or for people educating themselves. I read this along with The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness and The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story, which is only enhancing the collective messages of these books. Highly recommend them all.

CWs: Racism, racial slurs, mentions of slavery/slaves, murder, lynching, police brutality, death, violence.

I am a Georgia native. I grew up getting information about the Civil Rights movement. I didn't realize until adulthood that this information I was fed was typically very condensed and only given to check the box. The era and time that I received this was still a very divided time (late 90s early 2000).

I have since made it a mission of mine to understand this movement and how I can make impactful changes in myself and my children so we can be the change the world needs towards minorities.

This compilation of poems was a great tool in this study of mine. I learned a lot more than I had even known about this era. I was able to grasp more emotions towards though who may look different than I, but are indeed still humans who shouldn't have had to demand equality.

“There is no difference between you and I except you get to live and I get to die trying.”

This book of poetry is a great resource for learning more about what struggles many others endure.

Thank you to the publisher for the advanced review copy. I will definitely be adding this one too my shelf.

This powerful journey through the Civil Rights Movement was as informative as it was inspiring. Told in verse and with impactful photographs throughout, this collection of poetry teaches not only history, but a message about the need for further conversations about race and treatment of Black people. Accessible to middle school, high school, and adult readers alike, this book will serve to enrich minds and broaden perspective.

In just 160 pages, Erica Martin opened my eyes to more horrors of the Civil Rights Era than I was previously able to recount. In compelling verse, Martin explores the names, faces, and cases of black people everywhere who fought for the right to exist. From forgotten instances such as Claudette Colvin, who was the first black girl who refused to give up her seat on the bus, to people whose death sparked year-long riots, such as Matthew Johnson.

I found myself Googling the events the book referenced that I had never heard of. The Negro Boys Industrial School Fire of 1959, where 21 black boys burned to death in a “mysterious” fire that no one was ever held accountable for starting. The 13 Freedom Riders and the then near-death of the beloved late John Lewis in 1961. The murder of four black girls—school-aged children—by the KKK in the 16th Street Baptist Church Bombing in 1963.

This book covered so many events that I didn’t know about. And if I dare to speak honestly, events that I probably wouldn’t have had the heart to discover otherwise. And this, I think, is the entire goal of the book: to will Americans of all backgrounds to acknowledge the injustices of the past.

“We forget to remember the true horrors of our past.”
The other major takeaway I think this book wants to convey is the de-emphasis and playing down of the past. Erica Martin urges us to remember just how egregious and ubiquitous racism once was in this country, despite the language we use to talk about racism is increasingly milder. The grating truth is that black people were once enslaved, beaten, bombed, berated, and murdered in various ways simply for existing.

“There is no difference between you and I except you get to live and I get to die trying.”
In all, And We Rise is a powerfully short recounting of America’s past grievances on black people. This is not to say that racism against blacks is an archaic event of the past, as it still thrives in subsets of the population today. This is also not to say that American racism was/is solely against blacks, and we must acknowledge the horrors and oppression of other minority races in this country of both past and present as well. And We Rise is a starting point but not an endpoint. I encourage you to continue engaging with and learning about uncomfortable truths so that history does not repeat itself.

A really informative and interesting way of showcasing the Civil Rights movement. A very read and I think it’s a good introduction to the Civil Rights movement, with more information than you’ll typically get from school and a good refresher on its events! It’s also pretty short and all of the poems flow together so you can certainly read the collection in one sitting.

My biggest thing that ultimately had me giving the novel a 4 instead of a 5 is that it took me a bit to get the beat of the poems, I finally got it around 50%-ish, but I think that might be because the formatting on my ARC was a little odd at times.

Thank you to Penguin Teen and NetGalley for the e-arc.

This collection of poetry covers American Black history from the '50s-'60s. Weaving powerful poetry with heartbreaking historical facts. The author brings up things that I've never known about our history. They succeed to make it accessible for a teen audience. I will definitely be giving this book to my siblings to read.

This was a powerful collection of poems that provides a historical timeline of the civil rights movement including pieces of history that is not often gone over in the classroom. It’s dark and surprising. Some parts are what we all know such as MLK’s assassination and then there’s parts such as the mass murder of teenage boys when a live in school was burned down in the south. It also includes MLK’s letter he wrote while incarcerated.

I don’t usually read too many verse books, but this one was powerful and the topics important, especially for today. It contains civil rights era events that I feel are important for us to know and to learn from.

This is an incredibly special book.

I read it in one sitting right before I went to bed and then woke up still thinking about it.

Martin's use of language and blank space on the page is just masterful. She somehow uses so few words to place you directly in the middle of each of the stages of the Civil Rights Movement. Taking you from beginning to "end" and pulling the emotion out of you.

The freedom riders portion in particular took my breath away.

Such an honor to read this book and can't wait to read more from her.