A Place Inside of Me
It’s time for the third video breakdown of the 2021 Caldecott Medal and Honor books with A PLACE INSIDE OF ME. If you missed our first two videos, catch up here:
- THE CAT MAN OF ALEPPO discussion with Emma Walton Hamilton
- OUTSIDE IN analysis by Julie Hedlund
Now, on to today’s analysis of 2021 Caldecott Honor Book A PLACE INSIDE OF ME: A POEM TO HEAL THE HEART illustrated by Noa Denmon and written by Zetta Elliot.
Here’s a brief description of this one-of-a-kind book:
In this powerful, affirming poem by award-winning author Zetta Elliott, a Black child explores his shifting emotions throughout the year.
There is a place inside of me
a space deep down inside of me
where all my feelings hide.
Summertime is filled with joy–skateboarding and playing basketball—until his community is deeply wounded by a police shooting. As fall turns to winter and then spring, fear grows into anger, then pride and peace. In her stunning debut, illustrator Noa Denmon articulates the depth and nuances of a child’s experiences following a police shooting–through grief and protests, healing and community–with washes of color as vibrant as his words. Here is a groundbreaking narrative that can help all readers–children and adults alike–talk about the feelings hiding deep inside each of us.
In today’s video, Laura Backes shares the many layers at play in this book that explores and processes all the emotions of the heart. You’ll see the perfect marriage of text and illustration in this award-winning book.
