Hey You!: An empowering celebration of growing up Black

Dapo Adeola

Jun 2021 · Penguin UK

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"It distils the fierce heartache of racist injustice as well as a passionate sense of joy and hope for the future."
The Guardian

"From the pain of systemic racism to the hope of the future, it's an honest but largely uplifting read, aimed at children particularly."
Evening Standard

"A series of clever and witty illustrations matched with informative text guides the reader through a series of situations where they might encounter prejudice, and how to form strategies to overcome a situation before it becomes a problem."
The Independent

"This beautiful book also serves as a brilliant directory of work from black illustrators."
BookTrust

This groundbreaking picture book is a lyrical, inspirational exploration of growing up Black, written by award-winning illustrator Dapo Adeola, and brought to life by some of the most exciting Black illustration talents working today.

Remember to dream your own dreams
Love your beautiful skin
You always have a choice

This book addresses - honestly, yet hopefully - the experiences Black children face growing up with systemic racism, as well as providing hope for the future, delivering a powerful message to a new generation of dreamers. It's a message that is both urgent and timeless - and offers a rich and rewarding reading experience for every child.

To mirror the rich variety of the Black diaspora, this book showcases artwork from Dapo and 18 incredible Black illustrators in one beautiful, powerful, and cohesive reading experience.

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Dapo Adeola is an award-winning illustrator and designer who creates characters and images that challenge expectations around race and gender in a fun and upbeat way. He is the co-creator and illustrator of bestselling picture book Look Up! - winner of the Waterstones Children's Book Prize and the number 1 debut picture book of 2019.
London born and bred but of Nigerian heritage, when he's not busy cooking up new characters and adventures you can find Dapo running illustration and character design workshops with children or organising events to help highlight the possibilities of a career in illustration to underrepresented members of the Black diaspora.