The Dolls Tell All in the New Nonfiction Picture Book The Doll Test by Carole Boston Weatherford and Illustrated by David Elmo Cooper
MINNEAPOLIS, MN— This November, Carolrhoda Books®, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group™, presents The Doll Test: Choosing Equality written by Young People’s Poet Laureate Carole Boston Weatherford and illustrated by David Elmo Cooper. In their so-called doll test, pioneering Black psychologists Kenneth Clark and Mamie Clark investigated the effects of segregation by presenting children with two Black and two white baby dolls. “Show me the doll that you like best,” they said. “Show me the doll that looks like you.”
During the first half of the twentieth century, schoolchildren in many parts of the United States were segregated—Black children and white children could not legally attend the same schools. During their pivotal research, Kenneth Clark and Mamie Clark presented Black and white baby dolls to children and asked them questions to determine racial perception and preference. The research showed that segregation harmed Black children and their sense of self-worth. Kenneth later testified before the US Supreme Court as part of Brown v. Board of Education, helping to bring an end to legal segregation in 1954.
Narrated by dolls, this book-length poem uses the power of perspective to give an unconventional view into racial bias and highlight the stories that made Civil Rights history. Complex and textured illustrations by David Elmo Cooper bring out extra layers of emotion while also aiding the text to bring to light an untold but crucial excerpt from the Civil Rights Movement. The story of the doll test will resonate with readers and help them understand the importance of self-love and belonging especially in the classroom.
Praise for The Doll Test:
“This powerful picture book effectively documents the research that validated the substantial damage to generations of students wrought by segregationist, separate-but equal education policies . . . Suitable for kids, but deserving of a much wider audience, award winners Weatherford and Cooper have created an impactful and compelling book.”—starred, Booklist
“Cooper’s visuals enhance Weatherford’s assured storytelling, creating a harmonious blend that amplifies the story’s impact. Weatherford’s elegant and relatable explanation of the significance of the Clarks’ work is more than a recounting of facts; this book is a call to action, prompting readers to consider the ongoing pursuit of equality and justice.”—Horn Book Magazine
“An astonishing and solid purchase for libraries looking for history books about racial segregation.”—School Library Journal
About the Author and Illustrator
Carole Boston Weatherford was named the 2025 and 2026 Young People’s Poet Laureate for her dedication to writing poetry for children. She is the author of numerous books, including Caldecott Honor winners Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre, illustrated by Floyd Cooper; Freedom in Congo Square, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie; Voice of Freedom, illustrated by Ekua Holmes; and Moses, illustrated by Kadir Nelson. A Sibert Honor winner and two-time NAACP Image Award recipient, she won a Newbery Honor for Box, illustrated by Michele Wood, a Coretta Scott King Award for Unspeakable, and a Coretta Scott King Honor for Kin. Her writing spans the slavery and segregation eras and covers such topics as jazz and photography. When she’s not traveling or visiting museums, Carole is mining the past for family stories, fading traditions, and forgotten struggles. The daughter of educators, she has a passion for rescuing events and figures from obscurity by documenting American history. She lives in Maryland.
David Elmo Cooper, hailing from Brooklyn, New York, discovered his love for art, specifically comic books and graffiti, at a young age. After earning his BFA in Communication Design from Pratt Institute in 2000, he pursued successful careers as a photo director, illustrator, and educator. To create the art in this book, David studied historical photographs and took his own photographs of vintage Effanbee Twinkie dolls, the last known dolls used in the Clarks’ doll test. His work has been recognized by the Society of Illustrators, Society of Publication Designers, American Illustration, and 3×3 Magazine.
About the Publisher
Carolrhoda Books, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group™, has been publishing high-quality, award-winning books since 1959. Our picture books spark children’s imaginations and offer new ways of looking at the world. Our middle-grade books stand out not only for their quality, but also for the breadth of genres encompassed, from coming-of-age stories to exceptional nonfiction to mysteries. Carolrhoda authors and illustrators have been honored with awards such as a Caldecott Honor, the Coretta Scott King Book Award, the Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal, and the Jane Addams Children’s Book Award. We believe that all children should be able to find themselves in the pages of a book.
Media contacts:
Lindsay Matvick
Publicity Director
800-328-4929, x385
lmatvick@lernerbooks.com