Inspiring, powerful, and compelling are just a few words to help describe author Kai Naima Williams’ newest book, called The Bridges Yuri Built: How Yuri Kochiyama Marched Across Movements, illustrated by Anastasia M. Williams. Upon first opening these pages, I was impressed with the detailed but simple illustrations that were easy to look at and helped me follow along with the story itself. Once I got into the story, it felt like I was watching Kochiyama’s story come to life with how well-detailed it was for a picture book.
The Bridges Yuri Built also has a really good flow in terms of how the story progresses, especially since Kochiyama’s life had many major moments that defined her career as an activist. Being able to link key moments together to show readers her motivations helped tie the story up nicely. As in the title, The Bridges Yuri Built emphasizes the idea that Yuri held throughout her life: to build bridges instead of walls. The book showcases this in many ways through the community activism and outreach she did, the many letters she wrote to imprisoned activists, and how she even used her own house as a place to stay for many others. Kochiyama always had a heart and was dedicated to making as many connections as possible so that a community could rally together to fight the racist policies that put down people of color.
The Bridges Yuri Built really speaks volumes to who Kochiyama was as an activist, leader, and someone who never rested and never backed down from what she thought was right. It emphasizes why we should build bridges instead of walls, which is a message that kids in this era should hear, especially as political turmoil reaches an all-time high. If you see this book on the shelves of your local bookstore or library, it is a must-read for all young audiences and a way for kids to be inspired by the message Kochiyama shared with the world.
