Reynolds, Jason. Ain’t Burned All the Bright. Jason Griffin, Illus. Fiction. Atheneum, 01/2022. 384pp. $19.99. 978-1-5344-3946-7. OUTSTANDING. GRADES 6–Adult.
This masterwork of sparse text and multilayered art quickly picked up nine starred reviews when it was released in January, 2022. The book is classified as fiction by the publisher, but it could also be called a graphic novel, a picture book, or a book of verse and art. In three hundred words Reynolds captures the essence of 2020-2021: COVID lockdowns, Black Lives Matter protests, fear, helplessness, and the feeling that one is unable tobreathe. The story is told via a Black boy protagonist observing his family grapple with COVID, news reports of police killings, BLM protests, and isolation. Griffin’s collage art (printed on high quality paper)adds depth to each of Reynolds’ words. The book’s three acts explore fear, family, racism, and the pandemic, but finally offer a sense of connection and hope.
Rachael Reiley, Hillcrest Elementary, Oakland Unified School District