That Flag, written by Tameka Fryer Brown, illustrated by Nikkolas Smith, and published by HarperCollins.

That Flag, written by Tameka Fryer Brown, and illustrated by Nikkolas Smith, is a perfect collaboration of words and illustration that, in the words of the author and illustrator, “foster transformative conversations that lead to change.” Fryer Brown and Smith come together as a powerful duo to shed light on the power of representations and symbols. Two best friends, across different cultures and races, are confronted by the differences in the symbolic representation of their cultures that deliver a relational divide. We see the humanity of the journey that Keira and Bianca partake in as they walk through the awareness of the history of the confederate flag. Fryer Brown utilizes the character development of Kiera’s father at the confederate exhibit to invite us all to interrogate “something we need to see.” Keira’s present-day freedom to sit at the front of the bus while she grapples with the past, uncovered by the collision of the sighting of the confederate flag, speaks to the reality of the complexities of the freedom we still fight for today.

Author: Tameka Fryer Brown
Illustrator: Nikkolas Smith
Award: 2024 Honor Picture Book Category

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