A Wreath for Emmett Till

I wrote about Emmett Till back in the summer here. Recently, I was told about this new book telling the story of Emmett Till's brutal murder. The book is written as an heroic crown of sonnets - 15 sonnets where the first line of each sonnet is the last line of the previous one. The last sonnet is composed of each of the first lines of each of the previous sonnets. The imagery in both words and illustrations is haunting, horrific, and at the same time beautiful. The sonnets are complex in their symbolism, challenging the reader to think. Due to the nature of the crime, this book is not appropriate for small children. But, when the time comes, it is a story that must be told to them, lest we revert to a time and place where this brutality becomes the norm again.