Fryer Brown, Tameka. That Flag. Nikkolas Smith, Illus. HarperCollins, 01/2023. [40]pp. Picture Book. Trade $18.99. 978-0-0630-9344-7. GRADES 1-5. OUTSTANDING.
Best friends Bianca and Keira are alike in all the ways that matter, like how they wear their hair and how they dominate in four square. But the Confederate flag that Bianca’s white family displays means that Keira’s Black parents won’t allow her to spend time at Bianca’s house. At a school trip to the Southern Legacy Museum, Keira learns more about the Confederate flag and is upset that Bianca doesn’t understand how the flag and its history make her feel. The digital artwork by Nikkolas Smith ingeniously highlights some parts of a scene while suggesting others in a way that young kids can look at the book and have one understanding while their adults or older children will recognize iconic images from civil rights struggles that make up the background. The book’s creators “hope the words and images in this story foster transformative conversations that lead to change,” and That Flag indeed provides an entry point to have clear and honest discussions about structural racism in America.
Rachael Reiley—Hillcrest Elementary K-8 / Oakland Unified School District