Weatherford and her son have created a poetic meditation on the process of researching ancestry, with a specific focus on those who are descended from those who were enslaved. . . Poems include chilling information drawn from primary sources . . . Dramatic scratchboard illustrations throughout the book allow the tone of the poems to switch swiftly from lighter to darker topics. . . A unique book that will be appreciated by the right readers, especially those familiar with Kwame Alexander’s The Door of No Return.

– School Library Journal

"With lacerating beauty, Weatherford offers up a series of poems that both document and are inspired by her search to trace her heritage beyond her enslaved ancestors’ arrival in the Americas. . . Jeffery Boston Weatherford’s stunning, scratchboard art highlights the dignity of the enslaved people while indicting those that enslave them; closeups of hands picking fruit and arms enveloping babies emanate with humanity while bright eyes peer at the reader with fierce determination. This is not an easy read, but it is gorgeously rendered and, when paired with Henderson’s Dear Yesteryear, can show how art reckons with history better than any textbook."

– The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"The lineage of a Black family comes to life through powerful poems. . . the author pieces together the history of enslavement, her strength and resolve palpable as she tells of her family’s triumphs despite the conditions they were forced to bear. Raw, stark, digitally rendered scratchboard illustrations multiply the depth of her profound words. . . A striking work that reshapes the narrative around enslavement."

– Kirkus Reviews

"The lineage of a Black family comes to life through powerful poems. . . the author pieces together the history of enslavement, her strength and resolve palpable as she tells of her family’s triumphs despite the conditions they were forced to bear. Raw, stark, digitally rendered scratchboard illustrations multiply the depth of her profound words. . . A striking work that reshapes the narrative around enslavement."

– Kirkus Reviews

* "Carole Boston Weatherford deftly weaves a myriad of locations, entities, and mindsets into her imaginative and moving chronicle . . . Jeffery Boston Weatherford’s scratchboard and digital black-and-white renderings match the poems’ intensity, with the compositions’ points of view being as dynamic and varied as the styles of verse. Fans of Bryan’s Freedom over Me and Nelson’s Heart and Soul will appreciate this extensively researched and deeply felt genealogical exploration."

– Horn Book Magazine, STARRED REVIEW

"The Weatherfords—a mother-son duo—pay tribute to their enslaved ancestors’ pain and resilience across generations in this moving collection of illustrated poems, inspired by Alex Haley’s Roots. . . a layered text that highlights the perseverance of the Weatherfords’ ancestors and the horrors that they endured. . . a harrowing and motivational addition to enslaved peoples’ history."

– Publishers Weekly

"Through historical records and Weatherford’s rhythmic, imaginative style, her ancestors come to life, as does the reader’s journey through time . . . Weatherford’s work here is an impressive feat that nicely supplements any nonfiction work on the Middle Passage through the Civil War. The stark line illustrations on alternating black and white pages are a searing accompaniment to the verse, bringing these figures out of the darkness and deepening the humanity that glows in the pages. For fans of Kwame Alexander, Ashley Bryan, and Faith Ringgold."

– Booklist