Going Down Home With Daddy

I heard about this book after it received a Caldecott Honor at the ALA Awards this January.  A family heads out for the yearly trek to their Dad's childhood home for a reunion.  Lil Alan can not think of any way to pay tribute to their family at the celebration until he looks into his heart and speaks of the gifts the land has given them.  There is also a deep knowledge of the past, the history of cotton and slavery, and its impact on their ancestors. The techniques and colors by Daniel Minter were glorious.  Among other various techniques, background heart shapes on every page, I learned, harkened to a West African symbol of love and a reminder to learn from the past.   It was a beautiful, moving read celebrating African American history and culture.  (PIC LYO)