I Can Write the World

by Joshunda Sanders, Charly Palmer (Illustrator)

Eight-year-old Ava Murray wants to know why there’s a difference between the warm, friendly Bronx neighborhood filled with music and art in which she lives and the Bronx she sees in news stories on TV and on the Internet. When her mother explains that the power of stories lies in the hands of those who write them, Ava decides to become a journalist.

I Can Write the World follows Ava as she explores her vibrant South Bronx neighborhood - buildings whose walls boast gorgeous murals of historical figures as well as intricate, colorful street art, the dozens of different languages and dialects coming from the mouths of passersby, the many types of music coming out of neighbors’ windows and passing cars. In reporting how the music and art and culture of her neighborhood reflect the diversity of the people of New York City, Ava shows the world as she sees it, revealing to children the power of their own voice.

Genres: Picture Books, Art, Cultural, History, Music, Writing, Childrens

40 pages, Hardcover

First published June 15, 2019

About the author

Joshunda Sanders is the author, most recently, of a debut novel forthcoming soon from Park Row Books, two children's books including I Can Write the World, the story of a budding journalist named Ava Murray. She also wrote The Beautiful Darkness: A Handbook for Orphans (2016) and How Racism and Sexism Killed Traditional Media: Why The Future of Journalism Depends on Women and People of Color (2015). A speechwriter and long-time book lover and critic, she has taught writing for the School of the New York Times Summer Academy, Lehman College, the New School, the University of Texas at Austin and various other institutions. She lives in The Bronx, her hometown.

Reviews

[Joshunda Sanders · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, I mean. I feel like it’s incredible but obviously I have some biases. The beautiful illustrations are by the vastly talented Charly Palmer.

[Shiloah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful written. Wonderful lessons taught.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous. Loved learning about how so many cultures converged together in the Bronx.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this to my class today because it's a #ClassroomBookADay spotlight book for January and I am prioritizing those this year!

This was the story of Ava Murray, a fictional (as far as I can tell) 8-year-old from the Bronx. She hears stories of her neighborhood on the news, but they don't reflect the place that she knows as home. Her mom tells her that journalists report the news, and so she wants to become a journalist. She interviews her mom who tells her a little more about the Bronx. The end suggests another book in the series!

The writing was really nice - it had a good flow and the author's descriptions really came to life. I think, for that reason, it makes for a good read-aloud. I also appreciated the colorful illustrations.

The book mentions Grandmaster Flash and Kool Herc, and that caught the attention of one of my students because his grandma listens to them, and so he gave this book 10/10! I'd read it again next year!

[Marian P · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Can Write the World is Joshunda Sanders’ marvelous children’s book debut depicting 8- year old Ava Murray and her dreams of becoming a journalist. The engaging story, illustrated beautifully by Charly Palmer, centers Murray who observes daily life in the Bronx at odds with the representations of it that she encounters on the news. This leads to a thoughtful discussion between Ava and her mother who clarifies the gap between lived experiences and news stories, “ ‘Sometimes the way the world sees us is different from how we see ourselves.’”

This insightful story shows the importance of #ownvoices stories. The shrewd storytelling by Sanders can help one engage in media literacy. A must-read for children, parents, aspiring journalists, and anyone interested in the Bronx. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Jana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gorgeous artwork along with uplifting text come together in this picture book that helps young readers see that everyone's story is important and everyone has the power to share their's with the world. The little girl in the story is growing up in the Bronx and her world is filled with amazing colors, sights, sounds, smells that all come together to make her home uniquely wonderful to her. But when she watches stories on the news, an all together different picture takes shape - one that's told through a negative lens. A school writing assignment gives her the opportunity to tell her story and present her neighborhood's story from her own experience. This would be a terrific book to inspire young writers, especially at the beginning of the school year.

[Alisha Saucedo · Rating 5 out of 5]

The depth of this book was phenomenal. I connected to main character so deeply with this shared sense of pride in their community which is depict as malcious and dangerous. The illustrations demonstrated a contrast between the way the main character perceives the world, using bright colors and small stokes. I felt empowered reading this story, to tell the stories of my communities as I understand them. There were so many larger societal issues alluded to in this short story. Political brutality, criminalization of African Americans, educational inequity, deception/exaggeration of media and most largely, graffiti. The gravitated art work told such a detailed story as it often does in person as well. I felt my mind open to the nature of graffiti and recognize its beauty.

[Raeanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am biased because Joshunda is a dear friend, BUT! This is a wonderful, wonder-filled book. It's bright and beautiful and captures 8-year-old Ava's world in a vivid way. The writing is like poetry but not; it's approachable and fun to read. And it gives a message not just to little girls of color, who always need more representation in children's books and toys, but to all children. All kids hear the messages of you can't do this, that's not how that is done, just stay right here. Ava's mom shows her that she can do things and dream big dreams. I recommend this for kids from birth to maybe 10 and also to all adults!

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A young girl wonders why her neighborhood is portrayed in a negative light when what she sees is full of joy and life and history. A powerful connection is made to the musical history of rap and hip hop and to graffiti; all expressions of own voices experience that the external world has responded to with lack of understanding and hostility. Useful for exploring perspective shift, bias and importance of own voices. Set in the Bronx with lots of specific imagery. I found the connection of graffiti to Egyptian hieroglyphics intriguing but not substantiated and think in such a short book it would have been better left off.

[Cara Byrne · Rating 5 out of 5]

"What matters most is that we know we are connected to people who have always made the most of the world they were given making visible the beauty that otherwise might be hidden." This book follows Ava, an eight year old Bronx native who lives in a very different Bronx than the one presented by reporters on her TV. This inspires her to talk to her wise mother and write her own story about her neighborhood and its history. Beautiful, bold illustrations and well-written prose make this picture book a really engaging read.

[Aolund · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ava Murray, depicted with dark brown skin and black hair held in jaunty puffs and pigtails in turn, is 8-years-old and already aware that the way her neighborhood, the Bronx, is depicted on the news doesn't always match her own perceptions drawn from living there. Inspired to tell her own stories of her neighborhood, Ava listens to her mother's stories, writes down histories and neighborhood cultural practices including music, parties, dancing, and graffiti, and decides to become a journalist so that she can write the world.

Themes: Writing, Home, Family, History, Empowerment
Age range: 5-9

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Creativity is using what you have
To make a map of your dreams
What you see in your mind
Or feel in your heart
Can come out in dance, colors, or beat.”

Ava wonders about what she sees on the news about how her neighborhood is portrayed. Through her discussions with her mother, she understands that sometimes journalists don’t cover what is positive about the world but “tell the stories they think we should know.” So Ava is determined to tell her story about the neighborhood from inside the neighborhood, starting with the story of when her mother was a girl.

[Laura Giessler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Colorful book that essentially addresses the impact of the racial frame. "See the frame around the window? It shapes everything you see below...They tell the stories they think we should know." "Sometimes the way the world sees us is different from how we see ourselves." So the girl in the book takes it upon herself to write about her hometown and tell the story of the Bronx that she knows and loves. This is an upbeat, hopeful book, empowering and inspiring us to tell our own stories.

[Sedwilkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really, really wanted to like this book. After all, it's about a girl who wants to write! - and I do, it's a good, solid approach to the subject and encouraging for the child reader.

But WHAT WAS THE DESIGNER THINKING?? Palmer's artwork is vibrant, colorful, noisy, very very much Brooklyn. But the text is imposed on all that chaos in a font which is sometimes black, sometimes white, and frequently very difficult to read. Disappointing.

[Kristine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful book about telling your own story, with stunning artwork to match. As a journalist myself I extra appreciate getting little ones tuned into the way news media represents you - and noticing how and when it doesn't. I normally don't have this issue but the book was actually physically a challenge to read for me, with especially the white text blending into the artwork. I would struggle to read this aloud.

[Rosemary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read for the 2020 Read Harder Challenge. Category: picture book with a human main character from a marginalized community. Both text and art are stunning. As a former journalist, I appreciate that Saunders (also a journalist) does not demonize the media who tell only part of the story but allows her character to expand and illumine the rest of her world.

[Kate Hastings · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grades 4+ A girl watches the news, It is filled with stories of crime and bad things happening in her neighborhood. Its not the neighborhood she knows. So she uses her voice to change the dialogue.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

A kid reporter that asked her mom about the Bronx and how the things happening are not portrayed in a positive light. This leads to talk about the beginning of hip-hop and graffiti. Great read-aloud

[Maria Caplin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the feel of this story it feels like the Bronx. The story shares how an 8 year old wants to understand where she lives as she watches the news. Relevant real and right now application for this PB

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Creativity is highlighted here. Some Hip hop history, some journalism history, some graffiti. What is highlighted on the news isn't always the accurate picture of people of color. Charly Palmer is the artist!

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes how people see our world is not reality. Sometimes we can change viewpoints, or even give positivity to others! Vibrant artwork.

[Kathleen]

Queer content: none

[Marcie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love te text and message, but somehow the illustrations did not resonate with me. Also the fact that the Bronx is unfamiliar may be why I didn't have the reaction I had hoped for.

[Jo Oehrlein · Rating 3 out of 5]

About an 8 year old who decides to become a journalist to tell positive stories of the world she knows (in the Bronx). Emphasizes the story of hip-hop/rap and graffiti as art forms.

[Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the art and I love the story

[Miss Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

An elementary and up picture book about a young girl exploring everything her bronk New York area has to offer especially compared to the image it has in the news.

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bronx - graffiti- journalism- Black culture

[Andrea Greene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book!

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent. The story is a great place to start a lot of conversations. Beautiful illustrations.

[BK The Creative · Rating 5 out of 5]

10/10 recommend for adults and children alike.

I Can Write the World renewed my hope and vision for my future and the world around me. Ava Murray’s optimism and outlook made it the perfect book to open the 2023 new year.

Read my full review here: https://bkthecreative.com/2023/02/02/...