Standing in the Need of Prayer by Carole Boston Weatherford and Frank Morrison - ADVISABLE

Standing in the Need of Prayer: A Modern Retelling of the Classic Spiritual by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Frank Morrison. PICTURE BOOK Crown (Random House). 2022. $19. 9780593306345 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3), EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

The lyrics of Standing in the Need a Prayer have been reworked to chronicle African American history. From the slave trade, through Emancipation, illustrations of heroes like the Tuskegee Airman, Martin Luther King and Ruby Bridges, Florence Griffith Joyner, and Colin Kaepernick, rounding out with Black Lives Matter. 

Frank Morrison's illustrations are gorgeous! Reminded me of Kwame Alexander's Undefeated in both purpose and style. I loved that there was a reference section talking about each of the featured people, as well as some great online resources. 

Lisa Librarian