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    What Shall We Tell You?

    Author Wade Hudson
    Illustrated by Tonya Engel
    Hardcover
    $19.99 US
    Astra Publishing House | Astra Young Readers
    9"W x 10"H
    On sale Oct 27, 2026 | 32 Pages | 9781662621109
    Preschool - 3
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    A much-needed poem of hope and love for children facing adversity due to bigotry, bullying, violence, or other causes.

    This moving picture book from Black creators Wade Hudson and Tonya Engel empowers children ages 4-8 to face life’s challenges with courage and confidence.

    “What shall we tell you / when our world / sometimes seems / dark and uninviting?”

    What do we say to children when they encounter exclusion, hatred, or cruelty? In this poem, Wade Hudson uses a series of questions and answers to reassure children that despite the very real problems we sometimes face, “love, like cream in milk, / will rise to the top.”

    Accompanied by Tonya Engel’s lush illustrations, Hudson sensitively delivers his message of hope, love, and inclusivity. He affirms that every child belongs, can be themselves, and is strengthened by kindness.
    Wade Hudson is the author of numerous books for children, including the memoir Defiant: Growing Up in the Jim Crow South, and is also the co-editor of the critically acclaimed collection Recognize!: An Anthology Honoring and Amplifying Black Life. He and his wife Cheryl are not only frequent co-authors, but also the co-founders and publishers of Just Us Books, a company dedicated to publishing books geared toward Black children. He lives in East Orange, New Jersey. Visit eblewis.com. View titles by Wade Hudson
    Tonya Engel is an award-winning artist and illustrator of more than 30 children’s books, many of which feature Black women in history. Her titles include Because Claudette by Tracey Baptiste, Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly, Rise! From Cages Bird to Poet of the People, Maya Angelou by Bethany Hegedus, A Voice Named Aretha by Katheryn Russell-Brown, Ida B. Wells, Voice of Truth by Michelle Duster, and many others. In addition to children’s books, Tonya’s art can be found on prints, greeting cards, and textiles. She lives in Houston, Texas. Visit tonyaengel.com. View titles by Tonya Engel

    About

    A much-needed poem of hope and love for children facing adversity due to bigotry, bullying, violence, or other causes.

    This moving picture book from Black creators Wade Hudson and Tonya Engel empowers children ages 4-8 to face life’s challenges with courage and confidence.

    “What shall we tell you / when our world / sometimes seems / dark and uninviting?”

    What do we say to children when they encounter exclusion, hatred, or cruelty? In this poem, Wade Hudson uses a series of questions and answers to reassure children that despite the very real problems we sometimes face, “love, like cream in milk, / will rise to the top.”

    Accompanied by Tonya Engel’s lush illustrations, Hudson sensitively delivers his message of hope, love, and inclusivity. He affirms that every child belongs, can be themselves, and is strengthened by kindness.

    Author

    Wade Hudson is the author of numerous books for children, including the memoir Defiant: Growing Up in the Jim Crow South, and is also the co-editor of the critically acclaimed collection Recognize!: An Anthology Honoring and Amplifying Black Life. He and his wife Cheryl are not only frequent co-authors, but also the co-founders and publishers of Just Us Books, a company dedicated to publishing books geared toward Black children. He lives in East Orange, New Jersey. Visit eblewis.com. View titles by Wade Hudson
    Tonya Engel is an award-winning artist and illustrator of more than 30 children’s books, many of which feature Black women in history. Her titles include Because Claudette by Tracey Baptiste, Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly, Rise! From Cages Bird to Poet of the People, Maya Angelou by Bethany Hegedus, A Voice Named Aretha by Katheryn Russell-Brown, Ida B. Wells, Voice of Truth by Michelle Duster, and many others. In addition to children’s books, Tonya’s art can be found on prints, greeting cards, and textiles. She lives in Houston, Texas. Visit tonyaengel.com. View titles by Tonya Engel

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