A new picture book by hip-hop group the Alphabet Rockers, based on a song from their latest Grammy-nominated album, reminds kids that they always belong and encourages them to celebrate themselves, support each other across differences, and speak out against injustice.
You Are Not Alone, by the Alphabet Rockers (Kaitlin McGaw and Tommy Soulati Shepherd) and illustrated by Ashley Evans, is based on the song “Not Alone,” from their 2019 album The LOVE. They smartly don’t make the book just a transcript of the song lyrics, however. Instead, they take the themes of the song—empowerment, allyship, social justice—and demonstrate them through various vignettes, through lyrical prose infused with touches of hip-hop rhythm. The book opens with a young Black boy telling readers, “You don’t know me,” and asking them to “really SEE ME” as they journey together. We see a scene in which a White shop owner looks angrily at him as he explains, “I don’t always feel safe here. And I don’t know you, but I hope you never have to feel that way.” Those who really know him, though, see the powerful and brave person that he is.
Several other children with marginalized identities then share their hopes, creativity, and encounters with injustice—but also stress the power of self-awareness, friends, and allyship. A Southeast Asian girl explains that no one says her name right at school. “No one is learning to see me,” she says—except for her friend, the Black boy, who says her name right and corrects those who get it wrong. An Asian girl who has a prosthetic arm is a DJ and makes music that tells kids “there is no limit to being you.” This inspires another Black boy to feel less alone and to imagine he is shining like a new constellation. An indigenous girl speaks of her lineage, helping her community and the planet, and standing up for others. In return, she asks others to remember that they are on her community’s land. (The book itself, like the album on which it is based, includes a land acknowledgement at the beginning.) A White, nonbinary child asks readers to become aware of “which questions feel like friendship and which ones feel like ‘ouch.'” They express their appreciation for a friend who understands the difference and wants to know what it’s like being nonbinary, but “doesn’t ask about my body parts.” The friend also checks in with them when teachers stumble on their pronouns. “Can you get on board with us for the ride?” they ask readers.
Throughout, the original narrator reminds readers of the need for all of us to explore our own feelings, learn each others’ histories, and listen to each others’ stories, so that we can each realize that we are not alone. The final page stresses the importance of stories and encourages readers to tell theirs, through words, songs, or beats, because “You and your community deserve to be seen.”
Images throughout the book include Black Lives Matter, LGBTQ, transgender, and nonbinary iconography.
The book covers a lot of ground—self-love, allyship, looking beyond the surface, listening to others, sharing our own stories, the importance of community, and addressing injustice—but also shows how all of them tie together and impact children’s well being and sense of themselves. It manages to do so, however, without getting bogged down in definitions or explanations, instead simply letting each child’s personal story connect with readers on an emotional level. The book is like a warm hug of support and validation, but also a nudge for us all to do more to listen to and uplift each other. The lessons here are among the most important we can teach our children.
(Also see my review of the intergenerational music album on which this is based, full of songs on gender, race, allyship, social justice, and more (including one about trans, gender non-conforming, and two-spirit heroes)!
Here’s the music video for the book, slightly different than the original from the music album. Neither one is identical to the book’s text (though a few bits overlap), so make sure to check out the book as well!
