Stunning and unforgettable. Kwame Alexander’s poem accompanied by Kadir Nelson’s illustrations is a magical combination of thoughtful art. You can download a free audio version of his poem at hmhbooks.com/freedownloads, access code UNDEFEATEDEnjoy it yourself. Donate copies to schools. Ask your library to buy it. Read it to your kids’ classrooms. Whatever you do, revel in it, ponder it and then share it. And keep on sharing it.

If Kwame Alexander’s thought provoking prose doesn’t get you, Kadir Nelson’s illustrations will. Tears on this one. Couldn’t hold them back. No words, just read this please.

Powerful and poetic look at black Americans who always remained undefeated in their hearts. If you know a young African American child who is having a hard time trying to deal with identify then this book will help. They will see that there are many who have struggled with the same issues they are facing - struggled and then ultimately won.

Celebrated poet and author Kwame Alexander, whose children's novel in verse, The Crossover , was awarded the Newbery Medal in 2015, presents a "love letter to black America" in this new picture-book, published as part of his new "Versify" imprint with Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. His poem, which highlights many heroic and noteworthy people of African-American descent - people from many different professions, who lived in different times - is an ode to "the dreamers and doers" that have left the...

Book Reviewed on www.whisperingstories.comThe Undefeated is a poetry picture book featuring the words of Kwame Alexander together with the watercolour illustrations of Kadir Nelson.The poem was initially written by Kwame for his new daughter back in 2008 and for Ex-President Obama too. The words are powerful and are made more poignant by the beautiful illustrations that adorn nearly every page. As daft as it might sound the one page that didn’t have any illustrations felt the most powerful out o...

Kwame wrote this poem when Barack Obama was elected to office. It is a poem, a powerful poem, about the tenacity and strength of heritage of the African American. He wanted to make sure that things left out of history books like slavery and Jim Crow are not forgotten and he wanted to show the strength of character so many people have had to make it into our consciousness. Michael Brown of Ferguson MO is mentioned as are the great Jazz artists and athletes in history. It is an ode to a people who...

All year I have been reading about civil rights in honor of the 100th anniversary of Jackie Robinson’s birth. The year is about to end, but I think I found the best civil rights book yet. The Undefeated was nominated for Goodreads best picture book in 2019. With a collaboration between Kwame Alexander and Kadir Nelson, two American treasures, going in I knew I was in for a treat. Preconceived notions or not, they did not disappoint. What I would write here would not do Alexander justice. I do no...

Update: January 2021 -- Even more powerful in the wake of 2020. A prescient book. Original Review:Rich oil portraits by Kadir Nelson illustrate this ode to African Americans past, present and future by poet Kwame Alexander. A minimal approach to page design -- lots of white space, as Alexander puts it -- emphasizes the power, beauty, and sometimes, the terrible impact, of each painting with only a few words or lines of poetry. This is for the unafraid. The audacious ones who carried the red, whi...

I cried in the middle of the library while reading this book.

My family reads all the Goodreads-award-nominated picture books every year. This is book #10 (of more than 20) of 2019, and we thought it was good. It's not a narrative, but a kind of poetic depiction from Kwame Alexander of a range of "undefeated" African-Americans across history, beautifully illustrated by Kadir Nelson. The illustrations don't identify the people, but this comes with a short description of them in an appendix.Hank (13): 3. Sending a good message for everyone but too repetitive...

Kids learn American history through a process of osmosis, long before they’re taught the basics in elementary school. They pick up bits and pieces of it in a million different places, but never in any kind of a linear fashion. Thanks goodness WWI and WWII were consecutive, since otherwise my children would have no idea which happened when. Of course, when it comes to the history of race in America, the disjointed nature of what children learn is complicated incredibly by any number of factors. I...

Simply beautiful, the poem is great and the illustrations are amazing and powerful. A great book to read during Black History Month and throughout the year.

The poem is dedicated to the African Americans who were undefeated, unforgettable, survived, died, undenied, unflappable, shined, and marched. It reminds us of the unspeakable acts committed against blacks and the talent, dreams, and bravery from the slaves to the celebrated. Black lives matter to all of us. Let us celebrate their rich heritage and endurance through this prose of the past and the future.For a free audio version of the poem, go to hmhbooks.com/freedownloads and enter UNDEFEATED a...

Two artists create a masterpiece.The first few times I held this book and opened to a random page, I knew it and I needed a bit of solitude to become acquainted. Too easily distracted in a crowd, I didn't want my attention divided from the experience. A poem of American history, illustrated to ring its message.

2020 Newbery honor, my committee year!

This book is a poem about African American history, with accompanying illustrations. It definitely had an emotional impact, but I do wish it taught more. It has info about the people in the pictures, but it is located in the very back of the book. I think it would've had been more dynamic if the info was actually on the pages, with the line of poetry that it refers to, rather than being added as an afterthought that is all too easy to miss. As an adult I'll read the back of the book, but I don't...

This book is an illustrated poem, written by poet/author Kwame Alexander and illustrated by the talented Kadir Nelson. It is an ode to black Americans through history: both the "dreamers" and the "doers," who have made a difference, despite the many injustices endured and challenges faced. I was disappointed in myself for not recognizing more of these important contributors to social change and justice, and would have liked the people identified on each page (since the book was oversized anyway....

Powerful. Vital. Necessary. For all school and classroom libraries.

This book. Kwame's amazing poetry with Kadir's stirring illustrations will leave you with a lot of feelings. I can't describe how powerful this book is, other than to say you must read it and feel it.

With the passing of Walter Dean Myers in 2014, a question arose: who was the heir apparent to his literary legacy? Myers wrote proudly about black America from Colonial times to twenty-first century urban New York, yet wasn't afraid to challenge its culture where needed. His sophisticated understanding of art, philosophy, history, and social dynamics infused his writing with depth, emotion, and originality. Who could fill his shoes? Some might suggest Nikki Grimes, Marilyn Nelson, Derrick Barnes...