Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre

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Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre
Unspeakable - The Tulsa Race Massacre.jpg
Author Carole Boston Weatherford
Illustrator Floyd Cooper
LanguageEnglish
Genre Picture book
Publisher Carolrhoda Books, an imprint of Lerner Publications
Publication date
February 2, 2021
Publication placeUnited States
Pages32
Awards
ISBN 978-1-5415-8120-3

Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre is a picture book written by Carole Boston Weatherford and illustrated by Floyd Cooper. Published on February 2, 2021, by Carolrhoda, it tells the history behind the Tulsa race massacre in verse.

Contents

The book was praised by critics, receiving several starred reviews, and was the recipient of a Caldecott Honor and the Coretta Scott King Award in both the author and illustrator categories.

Reception

Reviews

Eboni Njoku, writing for The Horn Book Magazine , commented on how Weatherford took "[g]reat care" to describe the community that lived in what was known as the "Black Wall Street" and praised the "[s]mall details" present in the writing, which "add to the authenticity of the narrative". Njoku also praised Cooper's illustrations, due to "the sepia-toned images resembling historical photographs." [1] A review published in The School Library Journal further adds that the "illustrations are infused with a personal connection", as Cooper's grandfather would tell him stories about the Tulsa race massacre. [2]

Publishers Weekly highlighted the fact the book focuses not only on "the attack, but also on the positive achievements of the Black business owners, lawyers, and doctors". [3] Kirkus Reviews called Unspeakable a "somber, well-executed addition to the history as the incident approaches its 100th anniversary." [4]

Awards and honors

Unspeakable is a Junior Library Guild book. [5]

In 2021, Kirkus Reviews , [6] The New York Times Book Review , [7] the New York Public Library, [8] and NPR named Unspeakable one of the best picture books of the year. [9] The Horn Book Magazine named it among the year's best nonfiction books, [10] and the Chicago Public Library named it among the year's "Best Informational Books for Older Readers". [11]

The same year, Booklist included Unspeakable on their "Booklist Editors' Choice: Books for Youth" list. [12] The following year, they included it on their "Top 10 History for Youth" list. [13] It was also considered a notable children's book by the Association for Library Service to Children, [14] Capitol Choices, [15] and the International Literacy Association (CL/R SIG). [16]

Awards for Unspeakable
YearAwardResultRef.
2021 Boston Globe–Horn Book Award for NonfictionHonor [17]
Kirkus Prize for Picture BooksFinalist [18]
National Book Award for Young People's Literature Longlisted [19] [20]
2022 Caldecott Medal for AuthorHonor [21] [22]
Carter G. Woodson Book Award (Middle Level)Won [23]
Coretta Scott King Award for Author and IllustratorWon [24] [25]
Kids' Book Choice Award for Book of the Year: 3rd to 5th GradeWon [26]
2022 Sibert Medal Won [22]

Controversy

Oklahoma passed House Bill 1775 (2021), which restricts teaching concepts that could cause students to feel "discomfort, guilt, anguish or any other form of psychological distress on account of his or her race or sex". Unspeakable has been restricted because of this bill in the very state where this riot took place. [27]

References

  1. ↑ Njoku, Eboni. "Review of Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre". The Horn Book . Archived from the original on November 8, 2022. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
  2. ↑ Piehl, Kathy. "Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre". School Library Journal . Archived from the original on November 8, 2022. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
  3. ↑ "Children's Book Review: Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre by Carole Boston Weatherford, illus. by Floyd Cooper". Publishers Weekly . Archived from the original on November 8, 2022. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
  4. ↑ "UNSPEAKABLE". Kirkus Reviews . Archived from the original on February 7, 2022. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
  5. ↑ "Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre". Junior Library Guild . Archived from the original on June 3, 2024. Retrieved 2024-06-02.
  6. ↑ "Best of 2021". Kirkus Reviews . Archived from the original on October 23, 2023. Retrieved 2024-06-02.
  7. ↑ "New York Times / New York Public Library Best Illustrated Children's Books". New York Public Library . Archived from the original on June 3, 2024. Retrieved 2024-06-02.
  8. ↑ "Best Books for Kids 2021". The New York Public Library . Archived from the original on March 8, 2023. Retrieved 2024-06-03.
  9. ↑ "Books We Love". NPR . Archived from the original on July 8, 2020. Retrieved 2024-06-02.
  10. ↑ "Horn Book Fanfare 1938 to present". The Horn Book . Archived from the original on May 17, 2023. Retrieved 2024-06-02.
  11. ↑ ChiPubLib_Kids. "Best Informational Books for Older Readers of 2021". Chicago Public Library . Archived from the original on January 24, 2024. Retrieved 2024-06-02.
  12. ↑ "Booklist Editors' Choice: Books for Youth, 2021". Booklist . 2022-06-01. Archived from the original on January 27, 2022. Retrieved 2024-06-02.
  13. ↑ Reagan, Maggie (2022-02-01). "Top 10 History for Youth: 2022". Booklist . Archived from the original on February 10, 2022. Retrieved 2024-06-02.
  14. ↑ "Notable Children's Books: 2022". Booklist . 2022-03-15. Archived from the original on November 4, 2023. Retrieved 2024-06-02.
  15. ↑ "Reading Lists". Capitol Choices. 2017-09-02. Archived from the original on June 9, 2023. Retrieved 2024-06-02.
  16. ↑ "NBGS Lists". CL/R SIG. Archived from the original on June 2, 2024. Retrieved 2024-06-02.
  17. ↑ "Past Boston Globe–Horn Book Award Winners". The Horn Book . Archived from the original on January 14, 2023. Retrieved 2024-06-02.
  18. ↑ "Awards: Washington State Book Winners; Kirkus Finalists". Shelf Awareness . 2021-09-17. Archived from the original on May 31, 2023. Retrieved 2024-06-02.
  19. ↑ "Carole Boston Weatherford". National Book Foundation . Archived from the original on February 23, 2024. Retrieved 2024-06-02.
  20. ↑ "National Book Award Longlists: Young People's Literature, Translated Literature". Shelf Awareness . 2021-09-16. Archived from the original on December 21, 2022. Retrieved 2024-06-02.
  21. ↑ Roback, Diane; Kantor, Emma (2022-01-24). "Barba Higuera, Chin, Boulley Win Newbery, Caldecott, Printz Awards". Publishers Weekly . Archived from the original on January 24, 2022. Retrieved 2024-06-02.
  22. 1 2 Price, Tirzah (January 24, 2022). "The 2022 ALA Youth Media Awards Are Announced". Book Riot. Archived from the original on November 8, 2022. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
  23. ↑ "Carter G. Woodson Book Award Winners and Honorees". National Council for the Social Studies . Archived from the original on April 27, 2019. Retrieved 2024-06-02.
  24. ↑ "Coretta Scott King Awards". American Library Association . 2019. Archived from the original on October 10, 2017. Retrieved 2024-06-01.
  25. ↑ "ALA's Youth Media Award Winners". Shelf Awareness . 2022-01-25. Archived from the original on February 23, 2024. Retrieved 2024-06-02.
  26. ↑ Jones, Iyana (2022-12-08). "2022 Kids' Book Choice Awards Announced". Publishers Weekly . Archived from the original on February 13, 2024. Retrieved 2024-06-02.
  27. ↑ Mauro, By Tony (2022-11-16). "How A Famed Author Of Children's Literature Is Facing The Book Banning Trend". Freedom Forum. Retrieved 2025-10-16.
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