Author: B.K. Fulton
Illustrator: Salaam Muhammad
Publisher: Owl Publishing
Genre: Children
Price: $9.95
Book 1: The First Day of School
Book 2: Science Project
Book 3: Secret Places
Book 4: My Favorite Thing
Book 5: Smart Guy Glasses
Book 6: The Cow
Book 7: Represent
Brian Keith (B.K.) has just started at a new school. He faces bullying on his very first day, and needs to learn how to handle it in the best way. He faces racism, and realizes he doesn’t have to worry about what others think about him as long as he likes himself. He learns to defend his “secret places” but also knows when he is safe. He takes something that doesn’t belong to him, and tries to make things right. He starts to wear glasses, and realizes they actually make him smarter. He speaks his mind and makes someone unhappy, but learns that the right words can fix things. And he learns that he needs to be himself, even if he feels like he’s not fitting in, especially when those people are actually looking up to him.
Little B.K. is a smart black boy who tries to the right thing. He dresses nicely, is kind to his parents and others, and he wants to be a good student. While the plots are a little thin in these books, B.K. is a great role model for black children on how to live a good, productive life. I admire the author for creating these books, and I would recommend them to anyone who feels their children may need to hear these messages.
Reviewer: Alice Berger
Bergers Book Reviews 