A solid volume on these four great black trailblazers, but the thumbnail biographies of other notable figures at the end beg...
Biographies of Harriet Tubman, Jackie Robinson, Rosa Parks, and former President Barack Obama in one volume.
The introduction provides a broad overview of black U.S. history starting with the trans-Atlantic slave trade in the 1600s and ending in 2013 with the genesis of the Black Lives Matter movement. The biographies are presented chronologically beginning with Harriet Tubman, “A Woman of Courage.” While her famous code name, “Moses,” is, oddly, never mentioned, the rest of her life is examined, beginning with her childhood (as all the biographies do). In addition to her heroic role on the Underground Railroad, her lesser-known exploits as a scout, nurse, and spy during the Civil War are also chronicled. Next is athlete Jackie Robinson, “Strong Inside and Out.” Emphasis is placed on Robinson’s courage and rightly so, though the idea that he had “guts enough” not to fight back is problematic. Third is “Civil Rights Icon” Rosa Parks. Previous challenges to segregation laws (like Claudette Colvin’s) that paved the way for Parks go unmentioned, but Parks’ lifelong commitment to civil rights is evident. Last is Barack Obama, “First African-American President.” Obama’s childhood as a minority in Hawaii and Indonesia is presented as foundational to his ability to connect with a variety of people, eventually helping him to become president. Photos and historical snippets help add context.
A solid volume on these four great black trailblazers, but the thumbnail biographies of other notable figures at the end beg the question, isn't it time for lesser-known heroes to have their moment to shine? (timelines, glossary, index) (Collective biography. 9-14)Pub Date: Dec. 19, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-68330-012-0
Page Count: 192
Publisher: Liberty Street/Time Inc. Books
Review Posted Online: Sept. 17, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2017
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 sincere, genuine, and uplifting book that affirms the importance of being true to yourself.
Middle school drama hits hard in this coming-of-age graphic memoir.
Natural competitor Misty has faced off against the boys for years, always coming out on top, but now they’re moving on without her into the land of full-contact football. Never one to back away from a challenge, Misty resolves to join the team and convinces her best friend, Bree, to join her. While Misty pours herself into practicing, obviously uninterested Bree—who was motivated more by getting to be around boys than doing sports—drifts toward popular queen bee Ava, creating an uneasy dynamic. Feeling estranged from Bree, Misty, who typically doesn’t think much about her appearance, tries to navigate seventh grade—even experimenting with a more traditionally feminine gender expression—while also mastering her newfound talent for tackling and facing hostility from some boys on the team. Readers with uncommon interests will relate to the theme of being the odd one out. Social exclusion and cutting remarks can be traumatic, so it’s therapeutic to see Misty begin to embrace her differences instead of trying to fit in with frenemies who don’t value her. The illustrations are alive with color and rich emotional details, pairing perfectly with the heartfelt storytelling. The husband-and-wife duo’s combined efforts will appeal to fans of Raina Telgemeier and Shannon Hale. Main characters present as White; some background characters read as Black.
A sincere, genuine, and uplifting book that affirms the importance of being true to yourself. (Graphic memoir. 9-13)Pub Date: Sept. 27, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-06-306469-0
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: June 21, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2022
PERSPECTIVES
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