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"Remember"

Written by Joy Harjo                Illustrated by Michaela Goode

       
        The purpose of the poem "Remember", turned picture book, is best explained in the author's note. "'Remember' came into the world to remind me who I am as a human being living on this generous earth. We all need to be reminded to remember." As a member of the Mvskoke Nation, Harjo is qualified to adequately fulfill the purpose she intended. The intended audience is children but is also a powerful message for anyone to hear at any age. This poem is best used when paired with this picture book, as the illustrations help enhance the language Harjo uses.
        Harjo uses repetition in this poem. The word, remember, appears on almost every spread. This repetition really drives home the importance of remembering where you came from and honoring those before you. There is one to three sentences per spread. This really highlights the importance of the sentence and highlights the illustrations.
        Michaela Goade's watercolor, goatee and colored pencil illustrations use every inch of the spreads. Goade's illustrations use deep, almost monochrome color pallettes with flowing lines. These deep illustrations are contrasted with bright white highlights that provide a spiritual mood that flows from page to page. The illustrations beautifully highlight Harjo's words of the world and our past being connected to us. Goade is a member of the Tlingit Nation and clearly understood the power of these relationships and beautifully illustrated them.
 

Harjo, Joy. Remember. Illustrated by Michaela Goade. Random House Studio, 2023. 32 pages. TR. $10.73, ISBN 978-0-593-48484-5.
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