Review by Booklist Review
"Bianca and I are almost twins," burbles Keira, unconcerned that her best friend is white and she is Black. But there's a Confederate flag on a tall pole in Bianca's yard. A "celebration of courage and pride," say Bianca's parents; a "hate flag," say Keira's. After Keira sees scary images from the civil rights era, after her parents explain things "Black people have to do every day to stay safe" even now, and after arguing with Bianca, she breaks off the friendship. The two girls' hurt and sadness come through clearly in Smith's subdued illustrations. In earnest of a hope expressed on the title page that the episode will spark "transformative conversations," the author ends on a note of reconciliation after Keira, astonished, meets Bianca and her parents at a candlelight vigil for two Black victims gunned down by white terrorists, and along with a note of apology from Bianca, the flag disappears. A brief afterword unpacks the flag's inherently racist origins. The message is unmistakable and, yes, likely to spark strong responses from readers.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Fryer Brown introduces a Black child narrator named Keira and her white best friend Bianca. "Almost twins," they both wear their hair in braids and play four-square at recess. They're inseparable--until they leave school for home, on the same street, where Bianca's family flies the Confederate flag. Keira's parents call it a "hate flag" and a "symbol of violence and oppression," and bar their child from visiting Bianca's house, while Bianca's family calls it "a heritage flag" and a "celebration of courage and pride." A field trip to the Southern Legacy Museum opens Keira's eyes to the history of "that flag," and makes her reconsider the friendship. Following a hate crime that involves the flag, Bianca's family takes theirs down, presenting Keira with a new choice. Smith's painterly digital illustrations foreground individuals and historical spreads in a book, per back matter, about "acknowledging the entire truth of our history." A contextualizing note and creators' notes conclude. Ages 6--10. (Jan.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 4--Best friends Keira and Bianca have two very different reactions to the Confederate flag while on a school trip. Keira, who is Black, sees the very heart of racial hate and violence, from slavery to Selma, from segregation to the Ku Klux Klan. Bianca, who is white and whose family has a Confederate flag waving outside their home, sees it as a "heritage flag. A celebration of courage and pride." These two very different points of view hold until racial violence makes the news, as does an appearance by that flag. Brown gives readers a child's-eye view of fear and confusion as Keira struggles to understand why Bianca is unaffected by the images on display at the museum; Smith's digital illustration captures these emotions with darker muddled colors where the bright colors of the Confederate flag shine through. Back matter includes information on the history of the Confederate flag, notes from the author and illustrator, and source notes and recommended reading. VERDICT A brave and deeply affecting story about friendship, perspective, anti-racism, and the importance of understanding history. This may be an essential book about a cultural flashpoint.--Rosemary Kiladitis
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
The friendship between two youngsters is challenged by a symbol that means different things to each of their families. Best friends Keira and Bianca share many similarities and enjoy their time together. However, that time is restricted to school even though they live on the same street. Keira, who is Black, isn't allowed to visit Bianca, a White child whose parents fly a Confederate flag in their yard. When their class takes a field trip to the Southern Legacy Museum, Keira's father volunteers to join, and he uses that time to show and explain incidents from Black history and "that flag." Keira develops an understanding and begins to feel differently toward Bianca, especially when they return to school and Bianca seems totally unaffected by what they saw during their field trip. It takes a violent incident to cause a change of heart in Bianca's parents. Keira then has a difficult decision regarding their friendship. This is a prime example of how a picture book can help younger readers understand difficult topics. The roles the adults assume in this story are realistic and demonstrate how early Black children must confront the unpleasant realities in society. Smith's digital illustrations are especially effective in portraying various emotions that Keira experiences. The art has a smudgy, painterly feeling, Smith's use of light and color enhancing the storytelling as it conveys life-changing events. The backmatter, which includes author and illustrator notes, provides helpful information for adults on the Confederate flag. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A thoughtful and age-appropriate exploration of a somber subject. (Picture book. 6-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
