Hardcover, 384 pages
English language
Published Jan. 11, 2022 by Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing.
Jason Reynolds and his best bud, Jason Griffin had a mind-meld. And they decided to tackle it, in one fell swoop, in about ten sentences, and 300 pages of art, this piece, this contemplation-manifesto-fierce-vulnerable-gorgeous-terrifying-WhatIsWrongWithHumans-hope-filled-hopeful-searing-Eye-Poppingly-Illustrated-tender-heartbreaking-how-The-HECK-did-They-Come-UP-with-This project about oxygen. And all of the symbolism attached to that word, especially NOW.
And so for anyone who didn’t really know what it means to not be able to breathe, REALLY breathe, for generations, now you know. And those who already do, you’ll be nodding yep yep, that is exactly how it is.
A moving poem about the summer of 2020 and all the pain and loss and breathing that raises up, with iterative raw illustrations, some of which evoke so much in a ragged shadow or stroke when paired with a phrase or lone word. Would have made a stunning museum installation, I'm not entirely sure how well it works as a 15-minute 300 page hardback.
So beautiful. If you have a chance to read this one, do it.
Absolutely stunning.
