GLORY

September 1, 2020
In the AfroArt series that wife-and-husband photographers Kahran and Regis Bethencourt began on Instagram, "we see the embodiment of self-love displayed in portraits of pride and power that lift not only our spirits, but our community, reminding us of our boundless possibilities," writes actress Amanda Seales in the preface to this dazzling book. Organized into three sections?past, present, and future?it gathers the Bethencourts' rich color portraits of their young Black subjects in elaborate, imaginative costumes, alongside brief profiles of each young person. Eight-year-old Havana stands strong in orange astronaut's coveralls, adorned with shining jewelry and cosmic makeup. Kybren (seven), Liam (seven), and Dorien (eight) pose in a vintage barbershop, wearing gentlemanly suits. Hailing from all over the world, many of the young people?activists, artists, models, writers, STEM enthusiasts?share advice: "Keep trying and don't give up, especially when it feels hard." As the Bethencourts explain, "seeing the look on a child's face when they see a version of themselves they never knew existed or was even possible, is a priceless gift." Glorious, indeed.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)

Starred review from September 1, 2020
A photographic celebration of the beauty and versatility of Black children and their hair. The acclaimed husband-and-wife child photography team transforms what began as the arresting AfroArt series on Instagram into a beautiful, inspiring photography book. As the Bethencourts write, "we didn't just want to question traditional beauty standards--we wanted to shatter them. We wanted to create images that flew in the face of the established spectrum of acceptable standards of beauty." The result is a showcase of the "talent, drive, determination, and ingenuity in our [Black] youth across the diaspora." Some of the children featured hail from across the U.S., London, and Paris. Others are adorned in brilliantly colored fabrics and accessories from the countries where they live or have familial roots, including Ethiopia, South Africa, Kenya, and Senegal. All of the models are meticulously styled in bold, ornate fashions, with equally bold, creative hairstyles. Their ensembles and accoutrements honor Black people's majestic ancestral past, rich present, and dauntlessly imagined futures. Whether clad in white cotton Sunday morning dresses with saddle shoes or intricate metal and beaded jewelry, this "next generation of free thinkers and cultural innovators" displays their power. Some images are accompanied by notes on the children's interests and the adversities they face. There's the contemplative gaze of 10-year-old, science-and-math-loving Celai, the "youngest professional runway model to walk in an all-adult lineup in New York Fashion Week"; the pure joy of a trio of little girls wearing roller skates; and 9-year-old Darryl, whose family had a hard time finding a school in Nairobi that allows dreadlocks. There are activists and aspiring astronauts; friends Pokuaa and Sarah, who excel at academics and sports but can't go to school every day because they also work to support their farming families; and a 13-year-old CEO who founded her own clothing line to fight racism and colorism. An exquisite pictorial love letter to Black children around the world.

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