Loretta Little Looks Back

Synopsis:

“Loretta, Roly, and Aggie B., members of the Little family, each present the vivid story of their young lives, spanning three generations. Their separate stories — beginning in a cotton field in 1927 and ending at the presidential election of 1968 — come together to create one unforgettable journey.

Through an evocative mix of fictional first-person narratives, spoken-word poems, folk myths, gospel rhythms and blues influences, Loretta Little Looks Back weaves an immersive tapestry that illuminates the dignity of sharecroppers in the rural South. Inspired by storytelling’s oral tradition, stirring vignettes are presented in a series of theatrical monologues that paint a gripping, multidimensional portrait of America’s struggle for civil rights as seen through the eyes of the children who lived it. The novel’s unique format invites us to walk in their shoes. Each encounters an unexpected mystical gift, passed down from one family member to the next, that ignites their experience what it means to reach for freedom.”

Review:

Wow. Andrea Davis Pinkney is insanely talented, but this book brings it to a whole new level. What I loved most about this story is the format. Pinkney writes the story in a way that allows me to clearly see it as a stage production. I would also love to see how they create this story for audio format – it would probably be absolutely amazing! Imagine a full cast and music – everything pulled together seamlessly.

It isn’t easy to create fully developed characters when writing from different perspectives, but Pinkney does it well. They are also seamlessly interconnected. Each reacts to the trials and tribulations of being Black in the rural South during the 20th century. The stories are woven together beautifully. As the reader you get a small peek into what life was like for so many people during this era.

From earning little to no money as a sharecropper to choosing to move north during the Great Migration, to fighting for the right to vote, over and over again, Loretta Little Looks Back would make a spectacular choice to read in combination with history lessons for the time period.

I also think this would make a great family read aloud or listen together. Conversations about race can be difficult, but using this book as a guide, you could start talking. With short chapters, described as vignettes, each interaction between characters could be used as a starting point.

Need to Know:

Title: Loretta Little Looks Back
Author: Andrea Davis Pinkney
Illustrator: Brian Pinkney
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Publication Date: September 29, 2020
Page Number: 240 pgs.