IF DOMINICAN WERE A COLOR by Sili Recio, illus. by Brianna McCarthy - Shelf Awareness Review
Shelf Awareness | October 2, 2020
“Author-illustrator duo Sili Recio and Brianna McCarthy bring to life If Dominican Were a Color, a vibrant celebration of the Dominican Republic that makes for a splashy debut.
Recio breaks down the diverse Caribbean island's palettes, starting with the sky: ‘If Dominican were a color.../ it would be the sunset in the sky,/ blazing red and burning bright.’ The narrator's family history is explained through a set of grandmothers: one has ‘mahogany skin’ and the other shares the narrator's ‘yellow tint.’ Recio incorporates the Dominican Republic's complicated history with Haiti by including a color that is ‘the Haitian black on my Dominican back.’ Everything from the color of natural lips to the texture of hair is not just present on the page, but celebrated as beautiful. The rhymes have a quiet pace, like the soft tapping of drums. Spanish is woven into the text and elevates the big picture of what Dominican looks like, as in, ‘It'd be the maíz coming up amarillo with green.’ Though some native English speakers might reach for a translation, the illustrations paired with the text give enough context. The sparse text makes the double-page spreads rendered in McCarthy's jewel-toned mixed-media illustrations feel larger than life. Blues and greens of the Caribbean Sea and trees, reds and browns of dancing and coffee invite readers to linger in each frame. The varying shades of white, brown and Black skin hues emphasize the title, breaking down the idea that there is a single way to ‘look’ Dominican.
The author's note gives personal insight to the racism and colorism Recio faced and offers a balm to children who may be experiencing the same.”
Follow the link above to read the full glowing review of If Dominican Were a Color by Sili Recio!