Lubaya’s Quiet Roar

K-Gr 3–In a very timely book, Nelson has crafted a story about Lubaya, a young artist who uses her imagination and creates art. To others, it seems as if she is not paying attention, perhaps, as she fills the backs of her parents’ old protest signs with image after image. When new protests start, her parents reuse the signs—this time with Lubaya’s art on the back of them. Those bearing the signs see that Lubaya, too, has a voice. With so many protests across our nation recently, this could be a solid choice for children wondering about how they can take part. The description of Lubaya at the beginning of the book could represent any introverted or artistic child who marches to the beat of a different drummer. Reminiscent of Vera Williams’s work, Williamson’s oils are luminous. They are stylized and colorfully impressionistic while still setting the story into credible scenes of family and protest. The cast includes people of all races and ethnicities. Lubaya’s mother is light brown, while the girl shares the darker brown skin of her father.