Scholar Kendi adapts a short story published by Hurston in the Spokesman in 1925.

The Mighty River tells the whimsical, mischievous Brook the story of Bentley, who flees slavery for a Florida forest where Black and Native people live free together as Maroons. Bentley marries Swift Deer, a Cherokee woman who escaped the Trail of Tears, and they have a daughter named Magnolia Flower, who “came at the time of the flowers opening.” When the Civil War ends, Magnolia falls in love with John, a Black man whom Bentley dislikes because he is poor. Bentley locks John up in their house to keep him away from Magnolia, but one night, Magnolia frees John and escapes with him by boat, making the Mighty River a part of their story. The tale comes full circle when Magnolia and John return 47 years later to reflect on and affirm their love. Deeply committed to sharing Hurston’s writing with young readers, Kendi writes in his author’s note about the elements of Black folklore in the story, such as making nature a speaking character. And, as he stresses in a historical note, the tale is a powerful example of Black and Native resistance—an aspect of history that far too often goes undiscussed. Wise’s earth-toned, opalescent illustrations make the trees, water, and flowers feel just as key to the tale as the humans. The excellent marriage between lyrical text and stunning visuals makes for a moving, memorable story. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

An artfully rendered tale of life and love that also conveys an essential but often overlooked chapter in U.S. history. (Picture book. 5-10)

-Kirkus Review

As Ibram Kendi writes in a note at the end, this book is adapted from a short story by Zora Neale Hurston published in 1925.

The story is told by a river to a brook, wanting to know about people in love. The river complies, and begins to tell the brook about Magnolia Flower, a girl born of an escaped slave and a Cherokee woman four years before the Civil War.

When Magnolia Flower grew up, she fell in love with a man named John.

“John had taught Magnolia to read strange marvels with her dark eyes, and she had taught John to sing with his.”

But Magnolia’s father disapproved of John - this poor man of words instead of guns, and the young couple had to flee, taking a boat northward: “‘That happened more than forty years ago, as humans reckon time,’ River said.”

But River still knew of them: “The tide brought all their tears to me. And their joy. And their love. Their love is Mighty and ever flowing like me.”

What happens at the end of the story is beautiful.

Lush, gorgeous illustrations by Loveis Wise bring the setting alive and add a magical quality.

The book concludes with an historical note and an author’s note. In the latter, Kendi writes:

“Love is a consistent theme in Hurston’s work and again in this book. Love is conveyed as a formative force, a binding force, an eternal force, marking this book as another moving Hurston love story. A love story of freedom. A love story of nature. A love story of Afro-indigenous resistance. A love story of home.”

The book is bracketed by luxuriant and exquisite magnolia flowers on the end papers.

Evaluation: Readers aged 4 and over will pour over the narration and pictures in this stunning and moving book. In addition, the story will introduce many readers to the pre-Civil War existence of colonies of free Blacks and relocated Native peoples, and how their fates sometimes intertwined. ( )

This children's book is about a young girl that is born to two parents that had escaped slavery. Magnolia Flower finds a young man who she falls in love with and this results in her going on a long journey. ( )