Little Leaders

Visual artist Harrison introduces 40 trailblazing black women from United States history in this inspiring volume for young readers.The book just begs to be picked up, with its handy trim size and its attractively simple cover design featuring smiling brown girls in various historical outfits. Each leader is described in a one-page minibiography that faces a full-page illustration of the woman in clothes and a simplified setting that represent her role and her era. Each concise biography includes the leader's background as a child or youth, touches on her major accomplishments, and ends with her legacy. Some of the women featured are household names, such as Harriet Tubman and Oprah Winfrey. Others are less well-known, including Mamie Phipps Clark and Alice Ball. Whether wearing flying gear or a long ruffled dress, each "little leader" appears utterly approachable. Their surroundings in the pictures capture the diverse accomplishments and personalities of these bold black women, while their small figures and sweet, round faces invite child readers to imagine themselves in such roles. The effect is purely magical.Perfect for exploring together at bedtime or for children to browse independently, a gorgeous invitation for children of all backgrounds, and especially for black girls, to learn about black women who were pioneers. (Collective biography. 6-12)

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November 5, 2018
In a board book companion to Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History, Harrison offers an uplifting celebration of black leaders from past and present. The subjects include scientists, artists and authors, performers, media figures, politicians, and athletes. Harrison introduces the figures
in groups of three (“Be bold like Josephine, Shirley, and Maya”) before presenting the individual women. Josephine Baker, appearing in furs and pearls, “was a singer, a dancer, and a spy.” Shirley Chisholm “ran for president,” and Maya Angelou “used her voice every way she could.” Among the other figures are dancer Raven Wilkinson, journalist Gwen Ifill, and Nichelle Nichols, who “trekked through the stars on TV.” While Harrison’s illustrations show the subjects as adults, they have a childlike quality that may appeal to young readers. Ages up to 3.

February 1, 2018
Grades 1-3 Harrison introduces 40 outstanding black women in one-page biographies. They range from the well-known (Ida B. Wells, Ella Fitzgerald, Shirley Chisholm) to women whose names are lesser known but just as important: Rebecca Lee Crumpler, a nineteenth-century physician; Marcelite Harris, an airline pilot; and Julie Dash, a filmmaker. But it's not the short bios that attract the most attention; it's the delightful full-page artwork that faces the text. Each subject is drawn identically, almost like a paper doll, but with her own hair, dress, and accouterments. Most are posed the same, centered in the middle of the page, full-faced, eyes closed. Despite the similarities, each woman is fully unique. Children will be inspired by these women, all of whom, in some way, had to overcome adversity or roadblocks to achieve their goals. Just one question: why are all the eyes closed? These trailblazers led their lives with their eyes wide open.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2018
What aesthetically appears to be a collective picture-book biography for young children is probably better suited to slightly older kids; the one-page vignettes of famous black women are in small, densely packed print. Each woman is interchangeably illustrated with down-glancing posture and distinguishable only by hair and clothing--per Harrison's introduction, for the reader "to see yourself in any one of them." Reading list, websites.

(Copyright 2018 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

Starred review from January 1, 2018

POPK-Gr 4-An artist's social media sensation is lovingly brought to life in this standout title. Initially a personal project for Black History Month, Harrison's collection highlights 40 notable black women throughout U.S. history. Each entry includes two to three paragraphs of biographical text, opposite which nearly identical figures (most are drawn facing forward with cherubic smiles and closed eyes) hold center stage of their full-page portrait, framed by simple yet clever backgrounds that contextualize their achievements. Audre Lorde, for example, stands before muted brown bookshelves-keen eyes will discern that the books displayed feature her poetry and prose. Leadership is embraced in forms past and present and across various disciplines; renowned abolitionists Harriet Tubman and Sojourner Truth are joined by Air Force General Marcelite J. Harris and filmmaker Julie Dash. A concluding "More Little Leaders" segment addresses the difficulty of selecting 40 women to represent a historical legacy and offers miniature renditions of additional icons, including Gabby Douglas, Lorraine Hansberry, and the Williams sisters. Useful back matter provides multimedia sources for inevitably curious readers. The amount of information included makes this book ideal for budding researchers or for small groups, although the heartwarming digital images will garner a younger audience, too-kids of all ages will love poring over Harrison's tender artwork. VERDICT Beautifully designed and chock-full of information, this is a fantastic survey of black women who made and continue to make history. A must-have for youth nonfiction collections.-Ashleigh Williams, School Library Journal

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.