Shines a light on Black pioneers who not only made a difference, but broke boundaries for those who followed.
Bessie Coleman, Toni Morrison, and Barack Obama are among the individuals covered in this collection of Black biographies.
People in a variety of fields, among them activism, politics, arts, culture, and business, demonstrated perseverance and vision. The subjects range from Phillis Wheatley, who published her first poem before the United States existed as a country, to Vice President Kamala Harris and Misty Copeland, who dances with the American Ballet Theatre, where she made history as its first Black female principal dancer. Some names will likely be more well known, such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., while others will be less so—for instance, Diane Nash, who organized and participated in many pivotal events in the civil rights movement. Singer Mahalia Jackson and actor Sidney Poitier are recognized for both their contributions to their fields and their commitment to social change. Also profiled is Dick Gregory, who wove politics, racism, and other issues into his comedy act. Among the athletes covered are boxing champion Muhammad Ali and Olympic gold medalist Florence Griffith Joyner, whose blend of glamour and speed expanded the idea of what a sports personality could be. Entries are enhanced with colorful illustrations, quotes from the subjects, and sidebars with additional information. This lively and pertinent narrative makes familiar stories feel fresh while also highlighting potentially lesser-known individuals.
Shines a light on Black pioneers who not only made a difference, but broke boundaries for those who followed. (Collective biography. 10-14)Pub Date: Sept. 20, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-5248-7477-3
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
Review Posted Online: Aug. 30, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2022
A breezy, bustling bucketful of courageous acts and eye-popping feats.
Why should grown-ups get all the historical, scientific, athletic, cinematic, and artistic glory?
Choosing exemplars from both past and present, Mitchell includes but goes well beyond Alexander the Great, Anne Frank, and like usual suspects to introduce a host of lesser-known luminaries. These include Shapur II, who was formally crowned king of Persia before he was born, Indian dancer/professional architect Sheila Sri Prakash, transgender spokesperson Jazz Jennings, inventor Param Jaggi, and an international host of other teen or preteen activists and prodigies. The individual portraits range from one paragraph to several pages in length, and they are interspersed with group tributes to, for instance, the Nazi-resisting “Swingkinder,” the striking New York City newsboys, and the marchers of the Birmingham Children’s Crusade. Mitchell even offers would-be villains a role model in Elagabalus, “boy emperor of Rome,” though she notes that he, at least, came to an awful end: “Then, then! They dumped his remains in the Tiber River, to be nommed by fish for all eternity.” The entries are arranged in no evident order, and though the backmatter includes multiple booklists, a personality quiz, a glossary, and even a quick Braille primer (with Braille jokes to decode), there is no index. Still, for readers whose fires need lighting, there’s motivational kindling on nearly every page.
A breezy, bustling bucketful of courageous acts and eye-popping feats. (finished illustrations not seen) (Collective biography. 10-13)Pub Date: May 10, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-14-751813-2
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Puffin
Review Posted Online: Nov. 10, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2015
A tragic, gripping, and inspiring story.
In 1979, 11-year-old Norman was the only survivor of a plane crash in Southern California: This is his true story.
This book for middle-grade readers, co-authored with Kiely, covers much of the same material as Ollestad’s 2009 memoir for adults, Crazy for the Storm. Flying in a four-seater Cessna with his father, his father’s girlfriend, Sandra, and the pilot, Norman was excited to reach Big Bear to receive his ski-racing trophy. (As a vivid example of his busy childhood, they’d driven the 300 miles there yesterday for Norman to compete—and then driven back to Topanga Canyon in the evening for his hockey game.) But the plane tragically crashed on a mountain in a blizzard. Nothing is sugarcoated; readers encounter graphic descriptions of the pilot and Norman’s dad, who died, and Sandra, who suffered a gaping head wound. Eventually accepting that he had to figure things out on his own, Norman drew upon the extreme training his father had put his “Boy Wonder” through—training that had bullied Norman into facing difficult physical and mental challenges that he feared and resented. During his trek to safety, Norman performed incredible mental and physical feats and encouraged the barely functioning Sandra—until she fell to her death. Norman’s conflicted feelings about the father he’d both idolized and resented are nuanced and satisfyingly resolved. Readers who enjoy nail-biting wilderness stories will be riveted.
A tragic, gripping, and inspiring story. (Nonfiction. 10-14)Pub Date: Oct. 28, 2025
ISBN: 9780374392611
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: Aug. 29, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2025
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