FICTION

Amoya Blackwood Is Brave

by Chantaie Allick (text) & illus. by Aaron Marin
Tundra. Apr. 2025. 40p. Tr $18.99. ISBN 9781774881590.
COPY ISBN
PreS-Gr 2–Amoya is a happy girl whose light shines bright. She dances joyfully, she sings loudly, she makes friends laugh, and she always knows the right answer; when she enters a room, she takes up space. But the adults in charge say she should do and be less: take up less space, sing less loudly, dance less joyfully. Amoya listens to them—and it changes her. She becomes smaller and smaller until hardly anyone notices her at all, except her grandmother. Her grandmother counsels her to let that light shine, and Amoya finds herself again. Brightly colored, effervescent artwork perfectly matches Amaya’s personality and adds exuberance to the well-written, non-pedantic text. The message of uninhibitedly sharing one’s own light comes through clearly in this joy-filled book.
VERDICT This is a good choice for libraries in need of SEL.
Reviewed by Debbie Tanner , Dec 01, 2024

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