Black Boys, I See You

Wade Hudson (BooksByWadeHudson.com) has written over thirty-five books for young readers, including the picture book The Day Madear Voted; the middle grade memoir Defiant: Growing Up in the Jim Crow South (winner of the Malka Penn Award); and the anthologies The Talk (a New York Times Best Book of the Year), We Rise, We Resist, We Raise Our Voices, and Recognize! An Anthology Honoring and Amplifying Black Life (all co-edited with his wife, Cheryl Willis Hudson). His recent middle grade novel, The Reckoning, was a Black Caucus of the American Library Association / School Library Journal 2025 Honor Award recipient and was named a Best Book of 2025 by the Center for the Study of Multicultural Children’s Literature and the Bank Street College of Education. The president and co-founder of Just Us Books, Inc., he speaks around the country about issues of inclusion and diversity and has received numerous honors, including the Children’s Book Council’s Diversity Achievement Award and an Eric Carle Honor. He lives in East Orange, New Jersey.Keith Mallett (KeithMallett.com) also illustrated Sharing the Dream by Shelia P. Moses, Sing a Song by Kelly Starling Lyons, Ice Cream Man by Glenda Armand and Kim Freeman, How Jelly Roll Morton Invented Jazz by Jonah Winter, and Take a Picture of Me, James VanDerZee by Andrea J. Loney. His work was commissioned to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of Jackie Robinson’s historic breakthrough into Major League Baseball, and the Franklin Mint and Lenox Collections have created collectibles of his work. He lives in California.

* "A kid lit giant extends a mighty message of love. Hudson addresses readers directly . . . using names that recognize the diversity of the African American community. He heartily affirms the movement, beauty, bodies, dreams, struggles, strengths, and fears of Black boys. . . . Word choices demonstrate a deep appreciation for Black culture. . . . Mallet’s largely sepia-toned digital painted illustrations reflect the author’s intimate perspective. Boys appear in familiar scenarios, playing basketball, dancing, making music, and learning. . . . Hudson leaves readers with a message of love and strength. . . . Written from a place of love and deeply attuned to the emotional needs of Black boys.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review“Hudson, coeditor of The Talk: Conversations About Race, Love and Truth, delivers a poetic anthem dedicated to Black boys in this stunningly illustrated picture book. Each page functions as a standalone portrait of an individual Black child, with words and text showcasing his unique individuality. . . . . Pays tribute to the strength and impact of Black youth. . . . Mallett’s luminous, digitally painted portraits beautifully capture each boy’s distinct personality and spirit, while the resonant refrain, ‘I see you, Black boy,’ grounds each mini poem. This powerful celebration joins the esteemed ranks of uplifting picture book portraits of Black masculinity, such as Kwame Alexander’s The Undefeated and Derrick Barnes’s Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut. A vital and welcome addition to library collections, providing joyous and celebratory representation and a beautiful mirror for young Black readers.” —School Library Journal