Poetry: Change Sings by Amanda Gorman

 I have only heard of Amanda Gorman once before, when she delivered her poem "The Hill We Climb" at Joe Biden's inauguration on January 20, 2021. In watching her speak, I was incredibly moved and inspired. As I looked into her and her website further, I found that we were both born around the same time (she's less than a month older than me!). Seeing someone so accomplished at the same age as me is incredibly impressive, and I couldn't help but be inspired by her incredible writing ability. She seems to write words so freely and powerfully, and learning that she published a children's book definitely perked my interest. I've mentioned it in plenty of blogs prior to this one, but my husband and I have been curating a collection of books in preparation of our son's arrival, and I instantly knew this one would be a necessary addition.

I'm very happy to say that after reading her book, I was absolutely right. Change Sings was written by Amanda Gorman, illustrated by Loren Long, and published in 2021 as Gorman's first children's book. The story and illustrations follow a child who inspires others to make changes for the better with her words, her music, and her actions. She befriends a boy early on, and they move throughout different scenes helping various groups of people with tasks. There is incredible diversity throughout the book, and one line reads, "I also walk our differences, to show we are the same". The various scenes of change include the pair picking up trash, feeding a (presumably) family in poverty, fixing a wheelchair ramp, cleaning and repainting a storefront, and a parade of children playing their instruments as they go. Finally, one illustration shows a large mural that reads "We are the change". The book ends with a request, "We all hear change strumming, won't you sing along?", asking children if they hear the music and want to be part of the change.

I do think this would be an incredible piece to have in any library, as it inspires and shows children that anyone can be the change that the world needs. While the book does include some themes that children may not pick up on, it's a very easy read that can definitely be understood at the surface level. There are some deeper references to the recent political climate that can be addressed, though I don't think that would be very useful to use in teaching this book to children because they may be too far out of their cognitive level. Still, the illustrations make it incredibly easy to understand that despite how difficult it may look to change the world, it can be easy if you put your mind to it and have a support system helping you. Overall, I think it's a wonderful book to read aloud with a class, and the discussions that follow can help young students better understand the content. The poetry flows easily, making it a great way to introduce poetry to young students.

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