Sulwe is an affirmative and empowering children’s book by Lupita Nyong’o with vivid illustrations by Vashti Harrison. Sulwe is a young girl born with skin “the color of midnight.” Enduring name-calling and loneliness, Sulwe longs to be the same color as her lighter-complected sister. From rubbing herself with an eraser to eating only the lightest colored foods in the pantry, Sulwe does all she knows to lighten her skin. Through her mother, Sulwe learns the meaning of her name is “star” and that brightness comes not from the skin but from one’s being. In a dream, Sulwe learns the history of sisters Night and Day and how both are essential and equally beautiful. Sulwe arises the next morning beaming, finally recognizing her beauty and worth.

Sulwe can be a powerful tool for counselors working with young children, particularly Black girls struggling with a negative self-image due to their darker complexion. Children benefit from seeing themselves represented in the books they read - when books can act as affirmative mirrors (Bishop, 1990). Sulwe addresses issues of colorism that are evident and internalized even in childhood. Using this book in counseling can help foster a positive self-image in young Black girls. Seeing the book’s successful and similarly complected author on the back cover serves to reinforce this notion. Counselors can read this book with children and explore how the child makes sense of the character and her experiences. With the help of Sulwe, children can experience the value and beauty that lie within themselves.