Newbery Award honoree Ashley Bryan has hand-selected a dozen of National Book Award winner Nikki Giovanni’s poems to illustrate with his inimitable flourish. <p/>There is nothing more important to a child than to feel loved, and this gorgeous gathering of poems written by Nikki Giovanni celebrates exactly that. Hand-selected by Newbery honoree Ashley Bryan, he has, with his masterful flourish of color, shape, and movement, added a visual layering that drums the most impartant message of all to young, old, parent, child, grandparent, and friend alike: You are loved. You are loved. You are loved. As a bonus, one page is mirrored, so children reading the book can see <i>exactly </i>who is loved–themselves!
Ashley Bryan grew up to the sound of his mother singing from morning to night, and he has shared the joy of song with children ever since. A beloved illustrator, he was recently named a Newbery Honoree for his picture book, <i>Freedom Over Me</i>. He has also been the recipient of the Coretta Scott King–Virginia Hamilton Lifetime Achievement Award; the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award; has been a May Hill Arbuthnot lecturer; a Coretta Scott King Award winner; and the recipient of countless other awards and recognitions. His books include <i>Freedom Over Me</i>; <i>Sail Away</i>; <i>Beautiful Blackbird</i>; <i>Beat the Story-Drum, Pum Pum</i>; <i>Let It Shine</i>; <i>Ashley Bryan’s Book of Puppets</i>; and <i>What a Wonderful World</i>. He lives in Islesford, one of the Cranberry Isles off the coast of Maine.