"Peaches" Hard Cover

This scan features Peaches, written and illustrated by Dindga McCannon. The book is an autobiographical narrative told from the perspective of a young Black girl growing up in Harlem who dreams of becoming an artist. Revisiting her own childhood at age twelve or thirteen, McCannon draws from lived experience, including family dynamics, neighborhood life, and formative memories of community, where “the grapevine” ensured that mothers often knew of children’s mischief before they arrived home. 

The illustrations reflect McCannon’s early fascination with sun motifs and collage, layering radiant shapes throughout the compositions. The book is dedicated to Nina Simone, particularly the song “Four Women,” whose final figure emerges as a revolutionary warrior, foreshadowing McCannon’s recurring theme of the warrior woman. Dedication lines also reference family, friends, and members of Where We At (WWA), the Black women artists’ collective of which she was a founding member. Following publication, McCannon was told she could not illustrate a book centered on white characters, reflecting the racial constraints of the publishing industry at the time.