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In Daddy's Arms I Am Tall: African Americans Celebrating Fathers
by (Editor: Javaka Steptoe)
Product Group: Book
Publisher: Lee & Low Books (1997-03)
ISBN: 1880000318
EAN: 9781880000311
Dewey Decimal #: 811.00803520431
Hardcover: 32 pages
Reading Level: Ages 9-12
SKU: 03650
Condition: Used: Very Good
Comments: Pages very good/clean. DJ shows light wear/wrinkling to edges...good...no tears.
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Editorial Reviews
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Product Description
In this collection of poetry by new and established African-American writers, fatherhood is celebrated with honor, humor and grace. Contributors include Carole Boston Weatherford, Michael Burgess, E. Ethelbert Miller, Lenard D. Moore, David Anderson, Angela Johnson, Sonia Sanchez and Davida Adedjouma. Full color.
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Amazon.com Review
"When you follow in the path of your father, you learn to walk like him." This simple, yet potentially double-edged Ashanti proverb begins Javaka Steptoe's picture-book debut, a powerful collection of poems celebrating African American fathers, by new and established African American writers. Breathtaking, evocative mixed-media spreads--bedecked with beads, burlap, and buttons--earned Steptoe's brilliant collection the 1998 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award and the 1997 Reading Magic Award. A full-time artist and art teacher, Steptoe is the son of the late John Steptoe, also an acclaimed children's book artist. Regarding the process of creating the book, Steptoe says, "I was able to think about my father and how he affected me, and how I affected him, and give something to him by honoring his memory." One selection, "Black Father Man" by Lenard D. Moore, begins, "Black Father Man, / the supreme earth dweller. / We are his ripe black crop / at the beginning-of-the-harvest. / We all bleed his blood / summer-hot and thick / summer-hot and thick / as unstrained milk. / Black Father Man, / the word-music messenger." Steptoe's accompanying artwork depicts men planting seeds and children growing, using actual dirt, leaves, seeds, paint, and cut paper to communicate the regenerative "we are his ripe black crop" spirit of the poem. In Folami Abiade's title poem, readers will soar high with the boy in his father's arms: "I am big and strong & proud like him / in daddy's arms / my daddy." Other contributors--including Carole Boston Weatherford, Michael Burgess, Davida Adedjouma (editor of The Palm of My Heart), and more--add humor and power to this extraordinary tribute to fatherhood. (All ages)
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Customer Reviews
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A woderfully illustrated book
Rating  (4)
Date: 2009-06-23
I used this book for a vespers service at my church in which I combined the topics of Juneteenth and Fathers' Day. The illustrations are colorful and well-suited to the poetry. The poetry (all by African-American poets) itself ranges from excellent to somewhat ordinary. I think it would make a wonderful gift for a new dad...of any race. Also good for kids in preparation for Father's Day.
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great poetry, great artwork, great fathers
Rating (4)
Date: 2009-01-24
In Daddy's Arms is a collection of poetry that is devoted to celebrating African-American fathers, that also celebrates positive images of fathers as a whole. The poems are written by a number of different new and established African-American poets, and cover a variety of poetic styles. They range from Michael Burgess' haiku "Lightning Jumpshot" ("Daddy's voice thunders/he shoots a lightning jumpshot/though a sweaty storm") to longer pieces such as Dakari Hru's "Tickle Tickle", which has been separately published as a book previously reviewed here on Book Dads. Overall, the poems are all heartfelt and powerful descriptions of fatherhood.
But it is the illustrations by Javaka Steptoe that enhance the words of the poems and make this book exceptional. An afterward describes how the collages and papers in the book were created with a variety of materials and techniques, including torn paper, cut paper with pastel, appliqué, and a number of found objects with an interesting history. The unique appearance of these illustrations is sure to pique the interest of children, and their synergy with the words of the poems makes this an excellent book for reading to children.
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A great book about fathers.
Rating (4)
Date: 2008-01-25
This book contains a collection of African American Poems about fathers. We also enjoyed this one quite a bit. While poetry is not my 8 year old son's favorite medium to read these were easy to understand and in my opinion really did relate to people of all colors - anyone with a father. He did enjoy several of them a lot and commented on them. I have it recommended for ages 4-8 years.
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A wonderful collection of poems
Rating  (5)
Date: 2005-04-22
My sons and I share a love of the verse in the poem "Tickle, Tickle," which is our favorite in this beautifully illustrated collection of poetry.
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Wrapping up in Daddy's Arms
Rating (5)
Date: 2001-08-01
In Daddy's Arms I am Tall is a beautiful tribute to all fathers. Children will enjoy these unique and inspirational poems. The poem offers students an opportunity to look into the African American culture. The poem My Granddaddy is My Daddy Too represents a very true to life situation in a positive light. This book will be enjoyed not only for the poetry, but also for the amazing artwork. The illustrator,Javaka Steptoe uses all sorts of materials including pennies and burlap to create his art. Children and adults will enjoy looking at the vibrant pictures and trying to figure out what media was used in the illustrations. Readers are given background knowledge to get a better understanding of the poems. At the end of the book, the author gives biographical information about each of the poets featured in the book. Steptoe also complements his wonderful artwork with an informative paragraph on the last page of the book. Readers are given specific examples of the media used and the different sizes of the real images. This information is very inspiring and exciting to the reader. Children and adults will enjoy wrapping up in Daddy's arms!
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