All Because You Matter – Manifestations of Black Struggle and Resilience in Black Lives Matter Children’s Picturebooks

Ewa Klęczaj-Siara

Abstract


The paper examines #OwnVoices literature, a new subgenre of children’s literature that emerged with the Black Lives Matter movement, situating two sample picturebooks, All Because You Matter (2020) and We Shall Overcome (2021), within the recent political context and analysing their illustrations and themes. It argues that through such texts children’s literature is progressing
out of its “diversity crisis”. These texts have a new set of themes that emphasize Black people’s struggle and resilience rather than trauma and hardship.


Keywords


diversity crisis, Black joy, Black Lives Matter literature, #OwnVoices literature

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References


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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17951/lsmll.2024.48.2.73-83
Date of publication: 2024-07-10 11:05:37
Date of submission: 2023-07-14 03:08:15


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