Africa itself speaks to one set of its children, the humans which have since spread across the whole planet. She describes our beginnings, and her pride in how we have survived many dangers and come to be so strong.

The narration from Africa is followed by a 2-page spread which goes into more scientific details about the evolution of humanity. This includes an explanation of current general consensus on how humans evolved, but also includes a bit of information on theories of multi-source evolution across Africa. The spread also includes a timeline of human evolution, from our earliest known ancestor, on through to our current evolution, with some thoughts on what humanity might become in the future.

The artwork in this book is slightly Impressionistic watercolors. Most images are views of large swaths of land, and the detail there is put aside to favor the grandness of the view. But, when the images are more up-close, and especially when it is of animals, including humans and recent ancestors, the artist manages a life and detail, while retaining their overall style. It’s lovely to look at.

A good book for reminding children that we all come from a common source, and that we are still animals, and a part of nature.

Advanced review copy provided by the publisher.

With YOU ARE MY PRIDE, Carole Boston Weatherford has devised a fascinating way to tell the story of evolution to children while also making clear that humans need to take care of the earth in turn. The words are beautiful and lyrical, not overwhelming the page or the reader. The watercolor illustrations from E. B. Lewis, bring the connection between all humanity and the earth to life, with progressively more detailed images of Boston Weatherford’s words.

This book shares the history of Africa as told by mother the mother of humanity. Starting from the creation of the land, moving through evolution, including neanderthals and other early peoples to the time of European exploration, without really touching on colonialism. The end of the book features a more in depth history of Africa. The illustrations are beautiful and have interesting texture and details. I think this book would be a great introduction to a unit on Geography of Africa or for an art lesson. I would recommend this book to parents and teachers of children in the age 4-11 range. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read and review this book.

This is a beautiful book. I loved the extra content and the idea of using a lyrical format to teach children about science. I do feel, however, that this book will appeal more to adults than to children. The illustrations are beautifully rendered watercolors of expansive vistas and long-forgotten ancestors, but not truly eye-catching to a young audience. I still gave this high marks for being a good tool to use within a lesson plan, but, again, I don't think this is a book a child will pick up for fun.

For all readers, in books, there should come a time when we are reminded of who we are & from whence we came. Those books help guide us with tender recollections of the paths we have traversed to arrive at the present day; great wealth is held. Within this particular picture book, Boston Weatherford offers young readers a series of numbed & earthy illustrations set as the backdrop to poeticized hymns; gifting the reader the reminder that they are part of so much more than they might think to remember.
 
What I love the most about this book is that the illustrations act as a series of developments that can be appreciated as a standalone feature whereas the same could be said for the prose. I found myself drifting into the world of the paintbrush whose strokes brightened the page. Whereas other times I had to remember that there were pictures to guide the words that had enamoured me. Together these aspects work in tandem to provide a book that is gentle, warm, homely, & loving.

Not everyone has the privilege of knowledge, not everyone knows to whom they belong; who their family is, & where their ancestors came from. These aspects of a person's life might lead one to feel ostracized & sad. Within this book I believe that these moments can find reprieve; the sentiments of loneliness in the vast worlds of faces are set aside, if only for a moment so that the reader remembers that they belong to the earth & it is from the earth for whence they came.
 
With that being said, this book gives me the feeling of being very specifically targeted—this is not a bad thing. I appreciate when authors have a set audience in mind or when they provide subtle guides within a story so that it may be found by the person who needs it the most. I suppose it could also be true that I am reading into something that is not fact. Regardless, if you are a person for whom the connection to the land might feel a forlorn longing, these pages might hold some comfort.

This book would be ideally enjoyed by a guardian figure who reads alongside the younger individual as the prose is quite advanced & might be confusing to interpret. However, with some repetition & steady practice, I think this will come to be remembered as a book that holds much love to be gifted to the reader, all within the guise of the evolution of the species.