Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Black Boy

Author: Tony Medina

Illustrator: Various

Publisher: Penny Candy Books, 2018

Publisher’s recommended age: 7+

These 13 vignettes in the style of tanka poems affirm and empower African American youth. Inspired by historical photos, the title emerges from Wallace Steven’s 1952 poem “Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird” and Raymond Patterson’s “Twenty-Six Ways of Looking at a Black Man,” a classic of the 1960s-era Black Arts Movement. Set alongside stunning illustrations by 13 artists, Medina nimbly crafts a meditation on black boyhood that emphasizes beauty and intergenerational love among family and neighbors. This is a book that celebrates the humanity and power of black children…a beautiful, poignant work.

Available Languages: English