Sulwe

By: Lupita Nyong'o

Narrated by: Lupita Nyong'o

Length: 13 mins

Publisher's summary

A New York Times best seller!

Recipient of a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Award

Recipient of an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Children’s Literary Work

From Academy Award-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o comes a powerful, moving picture book about colorism, self-esteem, and learning that true beauty comes from within.

Sulwe has skin the color of midnight. She is darker than everyone in her family. She is darker than anyone in her school. Sulwe just wants to be beautiful and bright, like her mother and sister. Then a magical journey in the night sky opens her eyes and changes everything.

In this stunning debut, actress Lupita Nyong’o creates a whimsical and heartwarming story to inspire children to see their own unique beauty. 

©2021 Lupita Nyong'o (P)2021 Listening Library

Beautiful story!

It is a very short story, but it has all the elements to make it perfect for children going through emotions that they don't understand. Bravo to Lupita N.

A Shared Story

Absolutely beautiful!!! I felt this way compared to my siblings and parents. Everyone was more yellow and I was dark brown. People would ask if I was adopted. It took years to see my own beauty.

A beautiful lesson for all ages

My eyes waters and a few tears fell within one minute of this thirteen minute story. The author takes you to a place of heartbreak for Sulwe who wanted to be something other than what God made her. Sulwe didn’t want her dark skin and the things she did to get rid of it hurt me to my heart, but when she meets of the sisters Day and Night, she learns the importance of loving herself. When Day told Night: “when you are darkest is when you are most beautiful, it’s when you are most you”, is when Sulwe realizes she doesn’t need to change, she is beautiful inside and out and had been all along.

It saddens me when our Black and Brown children (and adults) do not know or understand the beauty that is them, the beauty that is their skin, and the beauty they hold within. This was such a sweet and emotional story. The words and depiction were so beautifully articulated and inspiring building self confidence to love yourself for who you are.

The illustration in this book was absolutely amazing and the narration by Lupita Nyong’o brought it home. Her tone and inflections were warm, patient, and kind. A perfect voice of narration that felt like a lullaby. I highly suggest this for children and adults. I listened to it three times and it’s a beautiful beautiful beautiful story.

awesome!

i enjoyed this sweet and powerful story that spoke so deeply into my heart! Thank you!

Love this book

My grandson received this book as a gift and he adores it. We bought the audio book as soon as it was available so he can "read along" anytime. the story about Sulwe is beautiful and gives us (a mostly white family) a doorway into talking about differences of all kinds. A story of the importance of differences and embracing them in ourselves and appreciating them in others.

She wanted to change

Was proud of who she was being and what I just like is that she wants to change her color you should be who you are

Beautiful Story

Every child and adult must read this book. It's a Beautiful interpretation of loving yourself just the way you are!

Beautiful story

wonderful story about loving oneself and not letting others define you, and pitting you in a box.

Not a parent but building the book list for when I am

As a person who wants to be a parent one day, I love reading books that instill something deep into young children. Sulwe I think is one of these books! It’s not preachy, it’s not overstated, it’s pure & easily understood. The language is simple enough for a child to read on their own but also for a parent to them & dive in more if they choose to. 100 percent will recommend.

amazing illustration

definitely a story worth listening to. Can inspire a child to be happy with your Melanin.