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Kadir Nelson
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Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans Kindle Edition

by Kadir Nelson (Author, Illustrator) Format: Kindle Edition
4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 839 ratings
Teachers' pick
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The story of America and African Americans is a story of hope and inspiration and unwavering courage. In Heart and Soul, Kadir Nelson's stirring paintings and words grace 100-plus pages of a gorgeous picture book—a beautiful gift for readers of all ages, a treasure to share across generations at home or in the classroom.

Heart and Soul is about the men, women, and children who toiled in the hot sun picking cotton; it's about the America ripped in two by Jim Crow laws; it's about the brothers and sisters of all colors who rallied against those who would dare bar a child from an education. It's a story of discrimination and broken promises, determination, and triumphs.

Kadir Nelson's Heart and Soul—the winner of numerous awards, including the Coretta Scott King Author Award and Illustrator Honor, and the recipient of five starred reviews—is told through the unique point of view and intimate voice of a one-hundred-year-old African-American female narrator.

This inspiring book demonstrates that in striving for freedom and equal rights, African Americans help our country on the journey toward its promise of liberty and justice—the true heart and soul of our nation.

Previous page
  1. Reading age
    8 - 12 years, from customers
  2. Print length
    112 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Grade level
    1 - 5
  5. Lexile measure
    1050L
  6. Publisher
    Balzer + Bray
  7. Publication date
    July 14, 2020
  8. Page Flip
    Not Enabled
  9. Word Wise
    Not Enabled
  10. Enhanced typesetting
    Not Enabled
  11. Sticky notes
    Not Enabled
  12. ISBN-13
    978-0061730795
  13. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

The dramatic oil paintings heighten the dignity of this story, whether they are of well-known historical figures, common folk or landscape…This intimate narrative makes the stories accessible to young readers and powerfully conveys how personal this history feels for many African-Americans. (Kirkus Reviews (starred review) )

Nelson effectively creates a voice that is at once singular and representative. A tour de force in the career of an author/artist who continues to outdo himself. (Horn Book (starred review) )

As in WE ARE THE SHIP, Nelson knits together the nation’s proudest moments with its most shameful, taking on the whole of African-American history. He handles this vast subject with easy grace. [Nelson’s] jaw-dropping portraits radiate determination and strength. A tremendous achievement. (Publishers Weekly (starred review) )

Nelson…adds to his notable titles with this powerful view of African American history. Illustrated with 44 full-page paintings, this handsome volume is told in the fictionalized, informal voice of an African American senior looking back on her life and remembering what her elders told her. (Booklist (starred review) )

Provocative and powerful, this book offers a much-needed perspective for individuals of all ages seeking to understand America’s past and present. (School Library Journal (starred review) )

From the Inside Flap

The story of America and African Americans is a story of hope and inspiration and unwavering courage. This is the story of the men, women, and children who toiled in the hot sun picking cotton for their masters; it's about the America ripped in two by Jim Crow laws; it's about the brothers and sisters of all colors who rallied against those who would dare bar a child from an education. It's a story of discrimination and broken promises, determination, and triumphs.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08BZPZYCT
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Balzer + Bray; Reprint edition (July 14, 2020)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ July 14, 2020
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 40442 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Not enabled
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 112 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 839 ratings

About the author

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Kadir Nelson

Kadir Nelson

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Kadir Nelson is a two-time Caldecott Honor Award recipient. He has received an NAACP Image Award, a CASEY Award, the 2009 and 2014 Coretta Scott King Author Award, and the 2009 Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award. Among Mr. Nelson's other awards are gold and silver medals from the Society of Illustrators. His work has appeared in The New York Times, Sports Illustrated, and The New Yorker. He lives in Los Angeles, CA. Learn more about Kadir Nelson at www.kadirnelson.com.

Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
4.8 out of 5
839 global ratings
Solid introduction; beautiful artwork
5 Stars
Solid introduction; beautiful artwork
This is such a great introduction to the struggles and contributions of African Americans. It’s honest, authentic, heartbreaking and hopeful. We used it in combination with the audiobook (Debbie Allen’s reading was also amazing!) and really enjoyed listening while taking in the breathtaking art. This will definitely have a permanent spot on our bookcase and will be revisited often.
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Top reviews from the United States

Terri Drake
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book
Reviewed in the United States on December 18, 2023
Verified Purchase
Gave as a gift and they loved the illustrations
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful book!
Reviewed in the United States on February 7, 2023
Verified Purchase
Beautifully illustrated book. Ordered to use in our American studies. Spanning through the birth of the nation and all the contributions made and not always appreciated or acknowledged. Great seller!
2 people found this helpful
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Jess
5.0 out of 5 stars "Hope, Inspiration & Unwavering Courage"
Reviewed in the United States on May 1, 2013
Verified Purchase
What a beautifully illustrated book with images that appear to be so realistic. It really adds to the nature of the text, which provides a valuable overview of United States history and the lives of African Americans from the Revolutionary War era to the present day. This allows the reader to "travel back in time to find out about people, places and events from long ago" (Temple, Martinez, & Yokota, 2011, p. 360). The book is interesting as it gives several inspirational stories from real families and individuals that had an impact in shaping the history. The journey and progress of the African American culture is portrayed in a different nature then how most children learn about history through textbooks, which I think gives this book great appeal!

References:

Nelson, K. (2011). Heart and soul: The story of America and African Americans. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers
Temple, C., Martinez, M., & Yokota, J. (2011). Children's books in children's hands: An introduction to their literature. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.
2 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Love the book, the illustration is beautiful.
Reviewed in the United States on March 23, 2023
Verified Purchase
I love the book, the illustration is beautiful. The stories are powerful and educational.
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JC Davenport
5.0 out of 5 stars Do you remember . . .
Reviewed in the United States on September 6, 2012
Verified Purchase
Do you remember the kids books that you will simply never forget? For me it was always the pictures. If the pictures weren't good . . . the book wasn't good. Curious George . . . Where the Wild Things Are . . . Dr. Seuss . . . it's the pictures that grab you, then the story that holds you.

This whole book is a work of art, without being artsy. The pictures are just astonishing. Really. This book would be worth buying even without words. I can't imagine the time put into it and wonder if some of the illustrations are part of larger exhibits, on a mural somewhere etc. I also like the personal folksy story telling tone - although it sometimes seems to have a southern accent and sometimes doesn't.

At 100 pages and 12 chapters it's not a one night bedtime story for young kids . . . But in my mind it is totally deserving of required reading status for say ages 8 through . . . 108?
7 people found this helpful
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Diane B. Cloud
5.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring book for young and old alike
Reviewed in the United States on April 21, 2014
Verified Purchase
Kadir Nelson's illustrations are perfection. His art work gives life to the history and contributions of African Americans in America. I purchased 32 copies of this book for members of a Girl Scout tropp ( ages 8 - 12) as a part of their Black History project. The girls loved the book and learned a great deal about some of most important people and events in history. The troop leaders and parents were fascinated with the book and wanted to know where to get addidtional copies. Although Nelson's gives a broad brush approach to three decades of African American history, this beautifully crafted book highlights significant events and is a wonderful introduction to the history African Americans in our country. I highly recommend Heart and Soul: The Story of American and African Americans to teachers, librarians and parents.
3 people found this helpful
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A. Prentice
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful paintings, compelling prose
Reviewed in the United States on November 27, 2011
Verified Purchase
This is a book to pour over. When you first pick it up, the beautiful portraits command your attention, and you treat it like a gorgeous coffee-table book. Then you read the story,told through the fictional voice of the author's grandmother, and her story takes your attention away from the paintings and then back to them again. African-American faces and voices both famous and unrecorded in history fill the pages as Nelson's tale walks you through almost 400 years of American history. And the cover image, of an American Madonna, links the book to the rest of the world as well. The book's size and the quality of the illustrations make it a wonderful gift for adults as well as for children from fourth grade and older. A distinctive accomplishment of a book - highly recommended.
8 people found this helpful
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Marvin W
4.0 out of 5 stars Good Book
Reviewed in the United States on February 25, 2015
Verified Purchase
Another purchase for relatives back home. Positive feedback was received and im happy since this can only help to broaden the scope of our young generation that's hooked on facebook and text messaging. Whatever happened to the art of "reading"?
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