Everywhere Beauty Is Harlem

October 15, 2023
Grades 2-4 Surprisingly, none of the illustrations in this loving tribute to African American photographer DeCarava--not even the three actual photos in the end matter--are examples of his work. Instead, Lewis gives a selection of DeCarava's subjects, such as a close-up of a crushed can, longer views of Harlem street scenes, and an isolated figure in wedding whites, original treatments that focus more on atmosphere than documentation and so make suitable companions for Golio's impressionistic profile. "There's a boy on his hands and knees, / drawing chalk on the sidewalk. / He looks up and grins. / SNAP! / Roy keeps on walking." The author captures both his titular theme and his subject's sensibility in well-chosen direct quotes, and along with adding a brief overview of DeCarava's career, closes by urging readers to "look slowly," as he did, to discover "what you love where you live." Prints of his photos are available in exhibition catalogs, but a recent reprint of Langston Hughes' Sweet Flypaper of Life makes a better sampling newly available for younger lookers.

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Starred review from November 20, 2023
In an image-centered picture book that summons the senses, the creators navigate Harlem through the lens of photographer Roy DeCarava (1919–2009). Muted watercolor illustrations lend a snapshot quality to each structurally composed scene, beginning with a metropolitan sidewalk: “It’s five o’clock. Work is over. Roy’s time is his own now.” Camera in hand on the subway, he photographs a dozing man; aboveground, a boy drawing with sidewalk chalk: “SNAP!” An artist displaying paintings on the street next catches DeCarava’s eye, then a mother photographing her son. Brief descriptive snippets, peppered with quotations from the book’s subject, accompany each image, exploring how the photographer “sees so much beauty everywhere,” from a crumpled soda can to “Black and brown bodies/ shining bright” in the wash of a fire hydrant. DeCarava captures it all—and so too do Golio and Lewis—in this luminous tribute. Includes more about the subject and a bibliography. Ages 7–10.

Starred review from November 1, 2023
A day in the life of photographer Roy DeCarava shows readers the joy of the everyday in Harlem. Roy DeCarava (1919-2009) gets off work, and now his "time is his own." He loads a roll of film in his camera and pays attention to what he sees around him in Harlem. Relying on his senses, he takes in the city. With his camera, he captures a variety of sights. A boy drawing on the sidewalk with chalk. An artist showing his paintings as the sunlight catches his hat. A mother and son: the love in the boy's eyes. A crushed soda can. And then there are the sights he can't catch. A man holding a child as the bus pulls in front and blocks the photographer's shot. Lewis' watercolors, while not an obvious choice to echo the realism of photography, successfully capture the magical relationship between DeCarava and his subjects. With skillful use of line, light, and depth, Lewis transports readers and conveys the vision of an artist honoring the city he loves. Golio's understated text makes judicious use of profound quotes from DeCarava himself on beauty and truth. Present-tense narration carries the energy of a vibrant neighborhood as seen through the attentive eyes of a brilliant visionary, while artistic details connote the period-specific portrait DeCarava drew of mid-20th-century Harlem. This memorable offering is one readers will return to for moments of inspiration. (more information on DeCarava, timeline, bibliography, list of museums featuring DeCarava's work, photos, photo credits) (Picture-book biography. 4-9)

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January 1, 2024
"SNAP!" The camera clicks on a young boy creating chalk art. "SNAP!" The camera finds a crumpled soda can on the street. Photographer DeCarava (1919�? 2009) depicts the people, places, and spirit of Harlem. A spare, poetic text emphasizes his love for the neighborhood where he grew up, which was the subject of his long, prolific career. In addition to his photography and other artwork, DeCarava also taught for more than three decades. Lewis's realistic illustrations take on a painterly tone with soft, muted colors and effective play between light and shadow. The watercolors create a fluid, dreamy world where DeCarava could quietly snap away while walking the streets of Harlem on a warm, sunny afternoon. The pictures portray a neighborhood in motion, not directly aware of the artist who spent a lifetime reflecting the vibrancy of a place and people. Back matter gives biographical information and a timeline of the artist's life, providing a more complete picture of one of the most influential Black photographers of our time. Monique Harris

(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

January 26, 2024

K-Gr 3-Veteran creators and collaborators Golio and Lewis (Dark Was the Night) spotlight the experience and perspective of Harlem artist Roy DeCarava. Known for his black-and-white photographs of scenes of everyday life, DeCarava said he showed "the strength, the wisdom, the dignity of the Negro people." Lewis's watercolors play with light in an ode to that work, though where DeCarava is known for deep blacks and complex greys, Lewis's watercolor illustrations are soft and light. Golio's prose is swift, providing a single snapshot of words on each page, devoid of excess. While each element of this book is beautiful and skillfully executed, there is a disconnect between DeCarava's work and this interpretation. Only three photographs grace the pages, all in the back matter: a portrait of DeCarava, a photo of his first camera, and a photo outside a Harlem apartment by an unknown photographer. The intensity-in emotion, tonality, and composition-of DeCarava's work is absent here and a disservice to readers. Ultimately, this love letter to an incredible artist needs the scaffolding of an extended biography. VERDICT Consider only for larger libraries and robust art/biography collections.-Taylor Worley

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2024
"SNAP!" The camera clicks on a young boy creating chalk art. "SNAP!" The camera finds a crumpled soda can on the street. Photographer DeCarava (1919-2009) depicts the people, places, and spirit of Harlem. A spare, poetic text emphasizes his love for the neighborhood where he grew up, which was the subject of his long, prolific career. In addition to his photography and other artwork, DeCarava also taught for more than three decades. Lewis's realistic illustrations take on a painterly tone with soft, muted colors and effective play between light and shadow. The watercolors create a fluid, dreamy world where DeCarava could quietly snap away while walking the streets of Harlem on a warm, sunny afternoon. The pictures portray a neighborhood in motion, not directly aware of the artist who spent a lifetime reflecting the vibrancy of a place and people. Back matter gives biographical information and a timeline of the artist's life, providing a more complete picture of one of the most influential Black photographers of our time.

(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)