The story, written by actor Lupita Nyong'o, is about a little girl named Sulwe, whose skin is darker than anyone else's in her family, and who is teased and called names -- Blackie, Darky -- at school. She longs to be paler, and tries a number of methods to lighten her skin, such as eating pale-coloured food and using makeup. Then a star comes into her room one night and takes her on a journey exploring the origins of Night and Day, cosmic sisters who are beautiful in their different ways. As her mother has told her, the beauty within is as important as external beauty, and darkness has its own beauty. Sulwe accepts her dark skin and her own beauty.
Beautifully illustrated: Sulwe is shown with very expressive eyes, and the different skin tones are rich and varied. The mythic tale of Day and Night has a distinctly African flavour, and the whole book has deep, vivid purple and blue tones. In an afterword, Lupita Nyong'o tells of the teasing she endured because of her own dark skin, and reinforced the message that 'it's important to feel good about yourself when you look in the mirror, but what is more important is working to be beautiful inside'. While I, a white woman, have not experienced prejudice based on my skin colour, I am thoroughly in accord with the message of 'beauty inside' and feeling good about your appearance.
Read for the 'Picture Book by a BIPOC Author' rubric of the Reading Women 2020 Challenge, concluding the challenge with a whole day to spare!
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