America, My Love, America, My Heart: A Powerful Picture Book About Race and Identity for Children

by Daria Peoples-Riley

America, do you love me?

Acclaimed author-artist Daria Peoples-Riley invites readers to answer timely—and timeless—questions beating inside the hearts of children across America. Exquisitely illustrated, with a powerful, lyrical text, America, My Love, America, My Heart will challenge readers of all ages to examine and evaluate personal beliefs and attitudes toward the many different colors of America.

America, do you love me? My black. My brown. My pride. My crown.

What begins as a single question from a single child multiplies as America, My Love, America, My Heart sweeps across the country with every page turn, inviting in more and more children of color—and their questions. Does America love them when they speak? Or whisper? Or shout? When they stand? Does America love them just as they are?

Inspired by the questions of her own childhood, author and artist Daria Peoples-Riley has created a powerful and important book for Americans of all ages—an essential addition to every bookshelf and classroom. Her poetic text encourages readers to confront bias, prejudice, and discrimination and invites readers to reflect and respond with their own answers, while honoring the identities of black and brown children and people of color.

The unforgettable monochromatic oil paintings incorporate patriotic colors—red, white, and blue—to evoke deeply felt emotion and unique perspective. This rich, resonant book is a conversation starter for children, for families, for classrooms, and for communities. 

Genres: Picture Books, Social Justice, Childrens, Poetry, Equality, African American, American

40 pages, Hardcover

First published April 6, 2021

About the author

Daria Peoples-Riley’s first job was at nine years old, in the children’s section of her hometown library. Much later, she became a teacher, and now she is a full-time author and illustrator. This Is It is her first picture book, inspired by her daughter, her rich cultural background, and their first visit to New York City. She lives with her family in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Reviews

[Rod Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just did not connect with the poetic cadence and the murky, grayish art. It's one of those picture books where the Author's Note is the most interesting part of the book.

(Another project! I'm reading all the picture books and graphic novels from NPR's Books We Love 2021: Kids’ Books list.)

[Shelli · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wish the afterward had been at the beginning and woven throughout the deficient text. There is good meaning within this book that I’m sure would resonate for many children, but the execution is not going to connect that message to a younger audience.

[Moonkiszt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Featured in a grandma reads session.

A grey-black-white-red-blue book pronouncing patriotic feelings and demonstrating joy at the season of reading (July 4th weekend). Was a natural choice and the kids enjoyed it. Author mentions growing up as a child of color, and having a grandmother who spoke only Creole, and other family members speak Spanish. All children in the book are brown, but in our discussion, I'm not even sure that all registered with my listeners. When I asked about the kids in the book, they mentioned nothing about color.

Perfect for our holiday!

[Jillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. Powerful. Every educator needs to read & deeply reflect on this book and their own interactions with students and the culture they set in their classrooms.

From the author's note at the end:
"...Unfortunately, I often changed who I was to fit in. I also pretended that the way I was treated didn't bother me. But it did. It broke my heart.
Every morning our class recited the Pledge of Allegiance. It was a time to be quiet, to reflect. But as the only brown girl in most of my classes, I didn't feel free to be myself in my school, in my classroom, or with my teachers and classmates. My country, America, didn't feel free to me.
I wrote this book because maybe you feel the same way sometimes. And I never want you to make my mistake and feel like you have to change any part of who you are, to fit in with people who don't love all of you.
Those people are the ones who need to change. It is their responsibility to learn how to love all of you better–your skin color, your language, your culture, your religion, and anything else that makes you different from them. And the best way you can help them is to always be yourself. You are not wrong to be you."

[Tegan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read to us by the amazing Daria Peoples-Riley at July 2021 residency.

[Tasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

America is our country, but does it love everyone? Does it love people of different colors from the outside in? Does it love us no matter what language we speak? Does it love our various histories, from all over the world and across the nation? Does it love the way we worship? Does it love the sound of our voices, when we whisper and when we shout? Does it love children who stand up and stand out? What will it take for our nation to love all of us equally?

Voiced in the first person, this picture book takes an interesting approach to racism and bias in America. It shows how our nation itself doesn’t love equally. The words may be simple, but they are profound and deep as well. They point out how children of color must change themselves to fit in, not call attention to themselves. It firmly places the responsibility on our nation itself, rather than on the children to change. The text is laced with Creole and Spanish, showing exactly how language itself can be a barrier and an opportunity.

The illustrations are powerful, beginning with the American flag with the Pledge of Allegiance on it. The illustrations are painted using a color palette of gray, red, white and blue that sings at times of power and patriotism while other times the shadows gather using mostly gray.

A call for change around racism and bias in our nation. Appropriate for ages 5-8.

[Veronica McFarlin]

The narrator poses questions to America. They wonder if America loves their traits and characteristics that are diverse and unique. They end the book by stating that they are America, and America is them.

It would be a good read around 4th of July, when America is the focus of attention. It asks a lot of questions that are important to consider about what makes someone an American. It prompts a good discussion about how America is made up of lots of different people, and all of them belong and are Americans.

[Emmy Menner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had few words, but was extremely impactful. The illustrations are in hues of red, white/grey, and blue. This story touches the sensitive topic of what it means to be a person of color in America. Our all different races and cultures embraced? Are they accepted? It also touches on conditional acceptance, which I find to be very important. I think this is an absolute must read for parents and primary teachers!

[June · Rating 5 out of 5]

A person of color's challenge and response to America for the racism and treatment of people of color, encouraging young people today to not change who they are to fit in.

For those who are willing to challenge and question ideals of acceptance, equality, and inclusion.

[Adele · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is very gray, literally and figuratively. It probably didn't help that my husband read this aloud using a harsh confrontational voice, and I was predisposed not to like it thanks to the epigraph from Romans.

[Emma Falduto · Rating 4 out of 5]

The questions in this book make for a great read aloud with chances for student participation. It also helped that some of the book was in Spanish to include other cultures that we see in America. The images were drawn in such an eye-catching way.

[Tiffany (OomilyReads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

America My Love American My Heart written & illustrated by Daria Peoples-Riley

PUB DATE: April 6, 2021

The illustrations are exquisite oil paintings that incorporate patriotic colors – red, white & blue. It evokes emotions of patriotism and love for America but also to ask, does America love us back?
Have you ever felt that for as much as we love America – do we ever feel neglected? When will America love us fully? This is a question I asked myself the other day. With all that’s happening, I question how much I am truly accepted here. With all our rich culture, diversity, different ethnicities, different languages & different colors – does America love us as we are & to protect all of us and our identities?

In her authors note, Daria Peoples-Riley said that she didn’t feel loved or accepted when she was growing up. This made her change herself and ultimately broke her heart. She didn’t feel America loved her for all that she is & she vowed never to change herself again. We must reflect, respond & confront bias, prejudice, and discrimination because there should be no room for that here in America.

The message is lyrical, powerful & a must-read in all young classrooms but challenges readers of all ages to examine & evaluate their personal beliefs & attitudes toward the many different colors of America.

[Peacegal · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars -- BIPOC children express ambivalence about whether their country loves them back. I really like the spirit of the book, and some of the text was truly insightful, but other parts seemed a bit too esoteric. Should provoke some good conversations!

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

In response to the "Pledge of Allegiance," a Black child poses challenging questions like, "Are we really one nation, with liberty and justice for all?" It brings to mind Langston Hughes's "Let America Be America Again." A great book for encouraging children to ask questions and discuss deep issues like equality, justice, and what is the true meaning of patriotism.

[Baby Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review was originally written for The Baby Bookworm. Visit us for new picture books reviews daily!

Hello, friends! Our book today comes to us from our friends at The Equal Opportunity Book Box: America My Love, America My Heart by Daria Peoples-Riley, a sensitive examination of how to love your country when it doesn’t always seem to love you back.

An unnamed narrator opens the title with a powerful question: “America, the Brave. America, the Bold. […] Do you love me?” As artwork depicting children and families of color across multiple settings – a city, a beach, a school, the Capitol, etc. – the narrator wonders if America loves them the way that young Americans are taught to love it. Does it love their languages: English, Spanish, and Creole? Does it love their skin? Their voice? Their thoughts and ideas? “America, I am you,” the narrator concludes. “America, you are me.”

Powerful. Candidly, it’s been a turbulent time for Americans these last few months, and leaves many of us going into the 4th of July holiday feeling pretty unpatriotic. That’s one of the reasons that a book like this, which allows children to question a complicated relationship with their country of origin and/or residency based on its treatment of their cultural identities. Peoples-Riley’s lyrical text gently and elegantly – yet firmly – points out the injustice of asking a country asking compulsory allegiance of its citizens when it does not treat those same citizens with equality, in a way that affirms the readers who may be experiencing similar wonderings. The strikingly lovely illustrations, done in grayscale with pops of white, red, and blue, ties into this theme perfectly, while also visually dovetailing with the hopeful ending lines. The length is perfect for a storytime, and JJ and I both really liked this one. This is an absolutely stunning one, that tackles a serious issue with grace and artistry, and reminds readers that love and loyalty, even for one’s home, must flow both ways. Emphatically Baby Bookworm approved.

(Note: A copy of this book was provided by The Equal Opportunity Book Box in exchange for an honest review of their monthly subscription box, which highlights diverse characters and creators in kidlit. Check out the link here for more information!)

Be sure to check out The Baby Bookworm for more reviews!

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting but sometimes stark illustrations created with oil and graphite accompany rhyming text that ponders how long its speakers, several of them children, will have to wait for acceptance. It's clear from the images and the lines that much love is shared by these speakers about America, but it's also equally clear that they often feel unvalued, unappreciated, unaccepted, and at times even unseen and that perhaps this nation is not living up to its promises. After all, as the last two pages state, the country is made up of various individuals, and those individuals are the country so why does it often seem that some folks matter more than others? I really liked the idea behind this picture book, but the execution didn't work for me. The plaintive words are touching but sometimes the rhymes seem strained. Readers will want to read the back matter to learn more about the author's personal connection to this topic and these questions. Using this book in a classroom with students of various ages will surely prompt deep discussion and some critical thinking and questioning.

[Rick Hribko · Rating 4 out of 5]

The purpose of this book as stated by the author is to let kids know that they should never try to be anyone else to appease other people. She states in her afterword that kids need to be who they are and be proud of themselves; she reiterates that other people need "to learn how to love all of you better--your skin color, your language, your culture, your religion, and anything else that makes you different." With that said, there are some pretty haunting images and powerful questions that bring attention to the possibilities of prejudice due to race. It made me wonder about how very young children could feel the effects of racism. It is very sad to think of how racism could be experienced at such a young age which gives us all the more reason to have books like this for kids (and adults) to read.

[Erin O'Halloran · Rating 4 out of 5]

America, My Love, America, My Heart uses poetic language and incorporates both Spanish and English (Spanglish). This book is about patriotism by showing love for America throughout the book. However, the author does not just focus on the positive of America it also focuses on the challenging parts of it. I think what the author was getting at through her writing is she wants readers to embrace who they are no matter their culture. In the future I can ask children what they love about their community. I can do this activity two ways one by having children share out loud. Two by having children can draw pictures about what they love which I then will hang up in the classroom. If I know all children do not live in district I can also have children answer what they love about their school community.

[Molly Boyd · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is about a Black child who is basically asking the country as a whole (America), if it loves "my Black" or "my brown", and various other diverse questions. The child shares how beautiful and amazing they think America is, and how much they love it, however the child still wonders if or when America will ever show the same appreciation or love back. I thought this book discussed a very serious topic in a more light-hearted way, while still getting the main idea across, which was in the last line of the book, "America, I am you. America, you are me". This is a book I would love to read to my future students at any time of the year, however I think maybe during Black History Month or if we are doing a specific unit about equality and celebrating diverse backgrounds.

[Victoria Whipple · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspired by her own experiences, Peoples-Riley has written/illustrated a moving consideration of what it means to be a BIPOC child in a country that is supposed to be open and accepting of all--but isn't always. She reassures readers that they should be confident in who they are, and it is the people who are not welcoming are the ones who need to change. "And the best way you can help them is to always be yourself. You are not wrong to be you." The oil and graphite illustrations are done in shades of white, grey, red, and blue accentuating feelings of loss, belonging, doubt and strength. Beautiful.

[Kate Y · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a poetic book meant for readers to reflect on questions which they asked in the book such as, "Do you Love Me?". It's meant to reflect on America and ways that love is not always shown in America to everyone. This book requires deeper thinking and depending on the age of children, background knowledge would need to be shared and explained to children for them to fully understand the context. This story had Louisiana Creole and Spanish language sprinkled in it which is a good touch for children to be exposed to another language. I would use this book in the classroom for that purpose as well to introduce the topic of bias that is prevalent in America at times.

[Joey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about a child you is asking questions to America as a whole. The book uses poetry and artistic writing to ask all these questions about America's love for the child. The child asks questions such as id America loves their skin tone, eye shape, language, and so many other aspects about the child and their life. This book would be good to use in the classroom to show that we should welcome everyone regardless of their differences. It shows the importance of being loving towards everyone in the country no matter where they come from or what they look like. This book could teach students about the importance of respecting and accepting different cultures.

[Shelby Schrock · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book discusses and explores the topic of POC and their relationship with inequality and injustices in the school system. This book takes on a child of color's perspective on America and how they view the injustices. This book is great to incorporate into a classroom as it puts into words the injustices many students may face during their daily life. I would use this book to have students voice their feelings about injustices they may face throughout their lives and reaffirm their feelings behind them. It is important for students to be heard and receive validation behind their concerns and emotions.

[Alissa Tsaparikos · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a picture book that plays an important part in the narrative of today's America. With pointed and honest questioning it tackles American patriotism and the hypocrisy of those platitudes in the face of the racism that plagues so many BIPOC American citizens. This is an important picture book that comes with some heavy content. The author includes an author's note explaining how she grew up as one of those children who felt the sting of racism and wondered if she did not belong in the country she called home.

[Andrea Devers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Louisiana Creole,too!

This book reflects a lot of how I have been feeling about America all of my 50+ years. As a young girl in school, the Pledge of Allegiance meant a lot to me. “Justice for all” felt like a promise (yet unfulfilled) for our country. I loved that this book starts with that. Including the Creole language made this extra special to me as this was my parent’s first language and I grew up surrounded by these words but made to feel that the language was “not for me” and that it would somehow hinder me.

[Autumn Foster · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this book to be a little rough in the sense of its overall topic. I know its a topic that must be understood and taught so it can be a topic that no longer has to exist in our todays world so nobody will ever have to go through these things but also think that again school is meant to be a place where love and education and imagination co exits and find that this book might be a little too dark, but the subject overall is horrible and dark so it could be a good fit for a library but maybe for older kids

[Alize Benitez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was very powerful and relayed a message that could bring you to tears. It used both Spanish, English, and Creole. I think it sets the stage for addressing what America believes it stands for and questions of those values are genuinely true. I think it stands up for equality and the fact that equality is not just a word but an action. I feel like this book might be for kids a little older than kindergarten however if I were to use this I would try to implement how we all should be ourselves and love each other no matter what.

[Kaylee Acton · Rating 5 out of 5]

America, My Love, America, My Heart is a very moving and inspirational book. It is an interrogation against America as a whole. Throughout the book it asks many questions about the love, freedom, and respect that is promised and asked of everyone. The question is if all of those attributes are provided to all of the people equally or just to certain groups. I would read this book as a read aloud and offer conversation starters at the end of the reading. This may be a harder topic, but it is something that needs to be asked and addressed.

[Sophia Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

To start, I think this book is an essential addition to every bookshelf and classroom. This book would be a great conversation starter for children, classrooms, and for families to talk about. This piece encourages us to confront and tackle bias, prejudice, and discrimination, while acknowledging in mind the unique experiences and identities of black and brown children and people of color. I would love to have this in my classroom to address and confront any bias or discrimination in my classroom and to encourage all students to stand up for what is right.

[Mirallegro, Marissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

"America, My Love, America, My Heart" is a story that talks about America and asks questions such as "Do you love me?" under different circumstances such as when she speaks Spanish. She asks how long it will take for America to love her unconditionally. I think this is a good book to show kids how there are people that struggle in this country because of things they cannot control which is unfair. I think this is an important message to share in the classroom. Additionally, I really like the rhythm of the text because it kept me engaged in the story the whole time.