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cover of episode Two new children's books view the natural world as a site of personal growth

Two new children's books view the natural world as a site of personal growth

2025/4/18
logo of podcast NPR's Book of the Day

NPR's Book of the Day
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Brian Pinkney
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Kiese Laymon
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Sascha Alper
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Kiese Laymon: 我想创作一本关于黑人男孩情感温柔的书，与我的上一本书《沉重》形成对比，探索安全的环境如何塑造孩子的情感。我想创作一本关于黑人男孩温柔、触摸、玩耍和尝试的书，并展现森林和花园作为安全空间的重要性。我想创作一本允许黑人孩子迷失自我的书，因为迷失是一种尝试，并探索在新的地方思念旧的、渴望触摸的情感。我想区分“安全感”和“安全”，前者是一种心理、生理和精神上的感觉，即使在不安全的环境中也能存在，而后者是客观存在的保护。这本书不仅指出错误，更重要的是庆祝可以正确的事情，提醒我们身体可以是正确的事情。这本书也希望治愈成年人，让他们看到自己脸上的喜悦，并传递给需要安全感的孩子。 Sascha Alper: 这本书的意义已超越气候危机，它也关乎希望，给孩子们在充满挑战的世界中带来希望。 Brian Pinkney: 我接手父亲未完成的绘本项目，并努力完成它，尽管这对我来说是一个挑战，因为我父亲是一位技艺精湛的动物插画家。从小在父亲的工作室长大，学习他的绘画技巧，虽然我的风格有所不同，但我对他的技巧非常了解。我父亲的绘画风格比我更精细，而我的风格更流畅、更具印象派风格，笔触更宽广，也无法画得像他那样精细。我结合了父亲的绘画结构和自己的笔触，并使用了他在一些经典作品中使用的调色板，完成插图。

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Chapters
Kiese Laymon's children's book, 'City Summer, Country Summer,' delves into the emotional experiences of three Black boys during a transformative summer in the South. Laymon discusses the importance of exploring Black boy softness, touch, play, and experimentation, highlighting the emotional depth and vulnerability often overlooked in depictions of Black boyhood. The narrative focuses on the boys' journey of self-discovery and the healing power of nature and community.
  • Explores the emotional tenderness of Black boys
  • Focuses on the importance of Black boy touch, play, and experimentation
  • Highlights the healing power of nature and community

Shownotes Transcript

Two new picture books explore how the outside world can transform our relationships with our communities and ourselves. First, Kiese Laymon is out with a children's book about three Black boys who connect during a transformative summer in the South. With City Summer, Country Summer, Laymon says he wanted to explore the experience of getting lost as a kind of experimentation. In today's episode, the author speaks with NPR's Michel Martin about his wish to write a book about the emotional tenderness of Black boys. Then, *The Littlest Drop *is Sascha Alper's debut children's book, based on a parable from the indigenous Quechua people of South America. Brian Pinkney took over illustrations for the project after his father, Jerry Pinkney, died in 2020. In today's episode, NPR's Ayesha Rascoe brings Alper and Brian Pinkney together in conversation. The author and illustrator discuss the collaboration between father and son and Alper's desire to broaden the story beyond the climate crisis.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices)NPR Privacy Policy)