America, My Love, America, My Heart

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.

During the course of her education, Daria Peoples-Riley seldom felt loved as a student of color. Over the years, she got tired of waiting for things to change and decided to do something about it. She hopes her books will bring schools and families together to create action plans, repair harm, and prevent race-based trauma from ever happening again.

Daria Peoples-Riley is the author and illustrator of the picture books This Is It
and I Got Next, and the illustrator of Gloria Takes a Stand, by Jessica M. Rinker. She lives with her family in Las Vegas, Nevada. www.dariapeoples.com