We Are Joy

Chrystal D. Giles is a champion for diversity and representation in children’s literature. She is the critcally acclaimed author of Take Back the Block and Not An Easy Win, which both received multiple accolades, best of lists, and starred reviews. Chrystal lives outside Charlotte, North Carolina, with her husband and son and is currently working on her next middle-grade novel.Kitt Thomas (they/them) is a #1 New York Times be­stse­lling illustrator and two time NAACP Image ­Award winner. They are a first-generation Lucian American, an author, and  a graduate of the Ringling College of Art and Design with a BFA in visual studies. Kitt’s mission is to celebrate Black culture with their drawings and to encourage inclusion in all forms of art, as they found it hard to see themself properly represented in the media they enjoyed growing up. Kitt has illustrated many picture books including Stacey's Extraordinary Words, Patchwork Prince, and My Fade is Fresh.

★ "A colorful celebration of Black childhood joy....Persistently lovely and hopeful, a potent mirror." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review★ "This uplifting tribute to ancestry, advocacy, and aspiration aptly meditates on the sustaining power of joy." —Publishers Weekly, starred review★ "In Giles’s debut picture book, readers ride a lyrical wave of sights and sounds that celebrate growing up as a Black child in a space that reflects beauty, resilience, and connection...A notable addition to children’s literature that affirms joy as enduring, communal, and rooted in culture and identity." —School Library Journal, starred review