Thinking about what adults she knows do for a living, a young African American girl ponders her own future with the repeated refrain, “What will I be, Lord? What will I be?” Many types of work and many kinds of choices are treated with respect and dignity in Vaunda Micheaux Nelson’s lively narrative. The girl’s great-grandmother was white and worked as a housewife, her grandpa is a preacher, her grandma is a teacher, her uncle is a pool shark, her cousin is a jazzman and a dreamer (who flips burgers at Dizzy’s Diner by day), her daddy is a car man, her mama is a mama. The girl talks about each individual with fondness, and the details she provides about the work they do and the lives they lead or have lead are engaging and child-centered, even as they also reflect information that she has learned from adults around her. Nelson’s fine writing is paired with appealing and distinctive illustrations by Sean Qualls. Highly Commended, 2010 Charlotte Zolotow Award (Ages 5–8)

A lyrical story about how looking back is helpful when you start looking forward. . . .

A young girl thoughtfully considers her family tree and the vibrant ancestors who populate it. As each family member’s story is revealed, her quiet meditation—about what kind of person she’ll be when she grows up—transforms into a testament to the importance of sharing family stories.

The simple, elegant narrative combined with Sean Qualls’s evocative art makes for a wonderful read-aloud experience.