What Shall We Tell You?

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.