When I made a trip from Florida to visit a newsgal pal, Deborah, who lived in New York City in the 1980s, one day I arranged to ride a bus to one of the city’s most fascinating neighborhoods, Harlem.
Harlem is connected to Florida in many ways but especially because Zora Neale Hurston, James Weldon Johnson, Augusta Savage and other talented cultural icons we share about with our kiddos in school, home & at the library, went from Florida to NYC & then onward in their great careers.
At that time, the only place
for them to be
in NYC
was Harlem.
Our Harlem tour was mighty fine. I have news of a new tour, with these introductory words by poet Carole Boston Weatherford:
Sugar Hill Sugar Hill
Where life is sweet
And the neighbors smile
At all they greet!
The is from a rhyming tribute to a part of Harlem, Sugar Hill elegantly portrayed in images by artist R. Gregory Christie.
Both the poet and illustrator have earned a block full of children’s literature awards. Not only have I given some of their books as gifts, but I was also fortunate to hear Ms. Weatherford read her poetry once.
If you are like me, you’ll want to read more of the rhymes. Until you can find this brand new picture book, here are some of Christie sketches for SUGAR HILL, HARLEM’S HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD, through the courtesy of the artist and, Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast. Hope you book your tour.
Bookseedstudio 
2 responses to “SUGAR HILL”
I clicked the link and wow, what simple, yet powerful illustrations. Thanks Jan!
I have heard Carole speak as well. A fine lady.
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There is no picture book without the pictures & SUGAR HILL proves that. The artist’s process of sketch into art seems to me to evolve in the same way the writer’s words are created, scratched, pulled, pushed, redone. It would be fun for young writers to have a copy in their hands of a mighty fine picture book, like SUGAR HILL, where in the back, original sketches & original manuscript text pages for that very p.b., were also nestled, for them to use as a mentor text. Thank you for always visitng Bookseedstudio, Adrian.
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