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Mohrbooks Literary Agency
Sebastian Ritscher
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English
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THE 1619 PROJECT: BORN ON THE WATER

Nikkolas Smith Nikole Hannah-Jones Renee Watson

The 1619 Project's lyrical picture book in verse chronicles the consequences of slavery and the history of Black resistance in the United States, thoughtfully rendered by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones and Newbery honor-winning author Renée Watson.
A young student receives a family tree assignment in school, but she can only trace back three generations. Grandma gathers the whole family, and the student learns that 400 years ago, in 1619, their ancestors were stolen and brought to America by white slave traders.
But before that, they had a home, a land, a language. She learns how the people said to be born on the water survived.

And the people planted dreams and hope,
willed themselves to keep
living, living.

And the people learned new words
for love
for friend
for family

for joy
for grow
for home.

With powerful verse and striking illustrations by Nikkolas Smith, Born on the Water provides a pathway for readers of all ages to reflect on the origins of American identity.

Nikole Hannah-Jones is a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter covering racial injustice for The New York Times Magazine and creator of the landmark 1619 Project. In 2017, she received a MacArthur Foundation Fellowship, known as the Genius Grant, for her work on educational inequality. She has also won a Peabody Award, two George Polk Awards, three National Magazine Awards, and the 2018 John Chancellor distinguished journalism award from Columbia University. In 2016, Nikole co-founded the Ida B. Wells Society for Investigative Reporting, a training and mentorship organization geared towards increasing the numbers of investigative reporters of color.

Renée Watson is a New York Times bestselling author. Her young adult novel, Piecing Me Together (Bloomsbury, 2017) received a Newbery Honor and Coretta Scott King Award. Her books for young readers include Harlem's Little Blackbird: The Story of Florence Mills, which was nominated for an NAACP Image Award, and Ways to Make Sunshine, which received the SCBWI Golden Kite Award. She has given readings and lectures at many renown places including the United Nations, the Library of Congress, and the U.S. Embassy in Japan and New Zealand. Renée is on the Council of Writers for the National Writing Project and is a member of the Academy of American Poets' Education Advisory Council. Renée grew up in Portland, Oregon, and splits her time between Portland and New York City. To learn more about Renée's work, visit her at www.reneewatson.net

Nikkolas Smith, a native of Houston, Texas, is an Artivist, picture book author, and Hollywood film illustrator. He is the author/illustrator of The Golden Girls of Rio, nominated for an NAACP Image Award, My Hair Is Poofy And That's Okay, and World Cup Women. As a Black illustrator, Nikkolas is focused on creating captivating art that can spark important conversations around social justice in today's world and inspire meaningful change. Many of his viral, globally shared and published sketches are included in his book Sunday Sketch: The Art of Nikkolas. Nikkolas also speaks on his Artivism at conferences, workplaces, and schools around the world, and leads workshops in digital painting, character, and movie poster design. He lives in Los Angeles, California. Learn more here: www.NIKKOLAS.art
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Published 2021-11-16 by Kokila

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THE 1619 PROJECT: BORN ON THE WATER is An Instant #1 New York Times bestseller TIME's 10 Best YA and Children's Books of 2021 Publishers Weekly Best Books of 2021 School Library Journal Best Books of 2021 Barnes & Noble Best Books of 2021 Amazon Best Books of 2021 NPR Books We Love 2021 New York Public Library Best Books of 2021 Chicago Public Library Best Books of 2021 The News & Observer's Best Books of 2021 for Kids Bookshop holiday gift guide: inspiring picture books

Publishers Weekly published an article of RENÉE WATSON in conversation with Brendan Kiely. Read more...

A celebration of Black Americans for young readers, derived from Hannah-Jones' 1619 Project... Smith's evocative, vibrant art is full of emotion and motion... Overall it is a tremendous achievement.

BORN ON THE WATER is a 2022 ALA Notable Children's Books (excluding the ALA award winners), which identifies "the best of the best in children's books"!

Hannah-Jones and Watson give each moment its due with melodic poems that convey mood... Paired with Smith's gorgeous, painterly art, the book allows readers to see not just the inhumanity of enslavement but also the terrible loss of a deeply connected community... This would make an excellent pairing with Clarke's When We Say Black Lives Matter to simultaneously acknowledge Black intergenerational trauma while celebrating resilience.

"I've read five books this year that are really telling history from an African American point of view," Wilde said. "There's a bunch of retellings that are amazing... They're just strong and powerful and giving a more balanced view of our world

Meena Harris penned an op-ed for The Washington Post on "If your schools won't teach anti-racism, here's what you can do at home," saying of the book: "Born on the Water" chronicles the same horrors of slavery as its original New York Times companion - but through the lens of a young Black student, searching for answers as part of a family tree assignment... it begins by highlighting and celebrating the free lives Africans led before being brought to America - and emphasizes the resilience, rather than the suffering, that Black Americans have shown for centuries since." Read more...

Strong poems. Necessary history. Extraordinary art.

Written in lovely and loving verse, with dynamic, expressive, and expansive illustrations that convey the emotional journey of a resilient people, this book provides a moving, informative answer to an essential question.

[A]ccessible to all ages.It's a story vital to the U.S.'s survival as a nation, because what the grandmother tells her family regarding their ancestors is true for everyone who lives in the U.S. today: "Their story is our story." And it needs to be heard. This picture book account of the rich, proud origin story of Black Americans, adapted from the 2020 Pulitzer Prize-winner, is both profoundly joyful and deeply painful.

[D]escribed in the coauthors' heartfelt poems and captured in apposite, full-color representational pictures... The coauthors bring necessary expertise to this important story and celebrate the resilient spirit that informed these individuals' lives... Together, they capture essential facets of and variety within Black experiences in America. The relevancy of the topic and clout of The New York Times will put this powerhouse title on everyone's radar.

...overwhelmed by the power of this breathtaking book... The narrative free verse used to tell the story is magnificent. Every title, line, and word flow flawlessly... enriched even more by Nikkolas Smith's jaw-dropping illustrations... will inspire pride, empathy, and, hopefully, activism in readers. Read more...

Los Angeles Times interviewed Nikole Hannah-Jones and mentioned the book in their article, "Book Club: Get to know Nikole Hannah-Jones and 'The 1619 Project.'" Read more...

Born on the Water isn't just a reframing of American history; it reframes how children, especially Black children, are taught their own history.

THE 1619 PROJECT: BORN ON THE WATER is one of Evanston Public Library's 101 Great Books for Kids List of 2021: A class assignment to "trace your roots" leads one Black child to ask her grandmother about their family history. Grandma tells the story of Black pride, history, and what it means to come from a resilient people that have loved, resisted, and persevered. Read more...

Oprah Daily mentioned BORN ON THE WATER in an article about Nikole Hannah-Jones expanding on her celebrated "1619 Project." Read more...

Good Morning America" spoke with Nikole Hannah-Jones about the launch of THE 1619 PROJECT, including a mention of BORN ON THE WATER and the book cover on the Times Square jumbotron! Read more...

[I]nspiring, emotional, informative, and real.

The View interviewed Nikole Hannah-Jones and included mention of THE 1619 PROJECT: BORN ON THE WATER (8:36 minute). Read more...

THE 1619 PROJECT: BORN ON THE WATER is a Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2021: "...Smith's emotionally evocative art ranges from images of peace and joy to those of violence and grief in a powerful volume that emphasizes perseverance and hope." Read more...

[B]eautifully reparative... [and] necessary for not only Black children, but all children.

Nikole Hannah-Jones graces the cover of the November/December issue of Essence. Read more...

Book Reveal - THE 1619 PROJECT: Born on the Water and THE 1619 PROJECT: A New Origin Story Read more...

A stunning work, providing a glimpse into the history of the Black experience before and after the slave trade; the poetic language and breathtaking artwork will have a lasting effect on readers.

THE 1619 PROJECT: BORN ON THE WATER is one of eight finalists for Barnes & Noble's 2021 Book of the Year distinction, which is voted on annually by B&N booksellers, and the only children's/picture book to make the list. Read more...

Smith works in a saturated palette to create emotionally evocative scenes.While detailing the specifics of an often-obscured history and its effects, this volume powerfully emphasizes that Black history is not merely a story of slavery and suffering but one of perseverance and hope.

The Reid Out interviewed Nikole Hannah-Jones and featured BORN ON THE WATER. Read more...

The Horn Book published an in-depth Q&A with NIKOLE HANNAH-JONES, RENÉE WATSON, and NIKKOLAS SMITH. Read more...