I have nothing negative to say about the Weatherfords and their family history. Still, I think this book would have done better as nonfiction or a full-blown biography rather than short illustrated poetry on pages. In all honesty, while reading this, I got the sense that the author wanted to write a full-blown work of art, but because of a lack of information, she made do with what she had.

On a positive note, This book would hit great for middle graders. The book is easy to digest, and it doesn’t read like a typical nonfiction book.

*I honestly have no rating. But NetGalley requires one

A well written book that tackles generations of history, pain, and story. It's quite startling the way these lives interweave with one another and the way the illustrations bring these words to life.

A lyrical exploration of the author's heritage through the voices of her ancestors. This is a powerful walk through the history of a family that served generations of slave holders in Maryland. The author's research is impeccable. And the poetic telling will touch your heart and keeping you reading.

This was a moving and powerful journey from today through yesteryear, as we follow the bloodlines back, and back again, reaching a part of history best learned from, but not forgotten.

Our history is filled with tragedies, atrocities, and the darkness of man's soul...but despite those heavier times, lessons were gleaned, steps forward were made, and people prospered. We're still not where we want to be, but we've come a long way in what seems like such a short time. Reading the stories of the lives represented between these pages, and taking in the stunning imagery right along side, isn't merely words and pictures, but an experience. It brings this branch of history to life in a way I can't say I've seen or felt before, so much so that as the dots are connected through history you too experience in your own way the strength gained, the disappointment shed, and the stars aligning to make this moment worthy of the discoveries occurring.

A unique collection that truly has a tale to tell for one family, but also for a people. It's not just the story of one person, but a story that has roots shared by many, and no matter how hard it might be to look at at times, it needs to be seen, known, remembered, and learned from.

A powerful middle grade novel in verse. The illustrations pair with the poetry beautifully to cover deep and important topics in a moving way.

As I review Kin: Rooted in Hope, a verse novel by Carole Boston Weatherford that is beautifully illustrated by her son Jeffery Boston Weatherford, I am going to suggest starting with the author’s and illustrator’s notes in the back. These notes will give a glimpse of the heart and perspective behind the book and set the stage for the book’s story.

In the book, the Weatherfords trace their family tree using Carole’s exquisite free verse and Jeffrey’s striking art. Dealing with mere scraps of their history and with ancestors that may never have had a last name, they piece together what they can trace for five generations and add informed conjecture to reach a forebear listed in 1781 as “property” to create a moving account of their “kin” who are rooted in hope and reaching toward freedom. Included in the narrative are voices of the slaveholder’s family and of freedom activists Frederick Douglas and Harriet Tubman.

My favorite line comes near the end of the book. “. . . My offspring / will learn to read, write, and cypher, / and will bow to no man – only to God.” There is no way to choose which piece of art is my favorite since I found myself lingering over each one.

Kin is listed for “ten and up.” I would say the “up” has no limit. I can see this book making for good discussion between adults and young people who read it together whether that is in a classroom or in a home setting.

Kin: Rooted in Hope by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Jeffery Boston Weatherford (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, September 2023) is a unique and personal account of the author’s search for her genealogical roots. As Alex Haley did for his adult novelization of his ancestor’s stories, Weatherford travels to Africa and scours census records and ship records to find her Black ancestors who had been kidnapped and enslaved against their well. The result is a poetic exploration of the lives of her enslaved ancestors.

Weatherford’s poetic free verse exploration includes accounts of the things she’s researched about her ancestors, a quest quite difficult for Black Americans descended from the enslaved. She researched property records, cemeteries, censuses, and ship records, and she herself visited Africa. She uses shifting perspectives, starting and ending with her own search for her heritage. She gives a “voice” to the non-living: the Chesapeake River, archeological evidence of the past, the enslavers plantation. Then she gives voice, as background, to generations of the Lloyd family, who were the enslavers of Weatherford’s ancestors.

A prose excerpt from Frederick Douglass’s narrative ties the Wye House families to the enslaved people on Weatherford’s own family tree. As Weatherford then returns to her own poems, some of the dots connect. Using all that she knows, Weatherford gives voice to Isaac, Nan, Katy, and others, including at least a dozen enslaved people who truly lived and served at Wye House in Maryland from the late 1700s through the Civil War and even into the Reconstruction Era.

Black-and-white scratchboard art illustrates the book, giving us an image of the ghosts to accompany their voices. In some places, the multiplicity of voices may feel incomplete. This seems appropriate to me, for the complete history of these individuals remains incomplete and unrecorded in print for future generations. Despite the sometimes disjointed or incomplete vision, the author’s journey through her past is nicely captured. She says, “I saw my kin in a blinding new light. . . . I’m blessed that their souls now breathe in me.” Kin: Rooted in Hope is a sometimes painful reminder of all that the enslaved lost but also the touching truths that we learn from their heroic lives.

Kin would be a great choice for younger readers seeking Black ancestral narratives, and it serves as a compelling child-appropriate alternative to Roots (see my review). Alex Haley delved into his family’s past to uncover truths and traditions, and Weatherford embarks on a similar quest. With sensitivity and poetic taste, she sheds light on the lives and relationships of the often overlooked enslaved individuals. She introduces the young reader to some of the complexities of Black history and the impact these enslaved people can have on us today.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance review copy of this book provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

"Kin: Rooted in Hope" by Carole Boston Weatherford and Jeffery Boston Weatherford is a powerful and poignant exploration of a Black family's history, shaped by the intertwined legacies of enslavement and freedom. Through searing poems and stunning artwork, the Weatherfords craft a compelling narrative that transcends their personal story to resonate with the broader Black American experience.

The book begins with a haunting list of names, individuals owned by the Lloyds, powerful enslavers in Maryland. The authors deftly give voice to these individuals, breathing life into their stories, their resilience, and their unyielding spirit. With each page turn, the reader is transported to a different time and place, from the plantations of the past to the struggles and triumphs of luminaries like Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman.

Carole Boston Weatherford's poems are a masterclass in capturing the essence of each character, while Jeffery Boston Weatherford's evocative illustrations bring the narrative to life, bridging the gap between the distant past and the present.

"Kin" is not just a family's history; it's a universal tale of resilience, loss, erasure, and reclamation that resonates with countless Black families in America. It's a reminder that despite the darkness of history, hope endures, and stories untold can find their voices. This book is a must-read for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the profound and complex tapestry of Black history in the United States.

This is not your typical Weatherford children's book. It's a personal memoir, told in verse, from the point of view of her various ancestors. Unfortunately it can be difficult for many in the Black community to trace their ancestry and her years of research were a labor of love. The scratch board art by her son was a nice addition in the imaging of these stories. There were many different points of view and that was a little confusing. This first reading was interesting and informative but I would not reread.

This book is useful from the standpoint that it teaches us how very difficult it is to put together a family history where enslavement has deleted people from the record. I really liked parts of it. However, as a teacher, I feel like using so many names would put off reluctant readers and confuse non-Native speakers. You definitely get the sense that this is an important book for the author's family. It could be used to provide a road map and a way of thinking for others.