Rating: WORTHY!
This is from an advance review copy for which I thank the publisher.
This is a charmer of a book for young children, told by Vegara, and illustrated in charming simplistic color by Sorlet, it tells the spectacular story of Freda Josephine McDonald, a dirt poor girl from St Louis Missouri, who became known to the world as Josephine Baker, dancer, actor, and World War Two hero, who spoke out against racism and adopted a rainbow family of children to put her actions where her mouth was.
This book is part of a series (Little People, Big Dreams) aimed at young children, and relating the lives of outstanding people including:
- Maya Angelou
- Jane Austen
- Agatha Christie
- Marie Curie
- Amelia Earhart
- Ella Fitzgerald
- Anne Frank
- Jane Goodall
- Audrey Hepburn
- Frida Kahlo
- Ada Lovelace
- Georgia O’Keefe
- Emmeline Pankhurst
- Rosa Parks
- Harriet Tubman
The list seems sadly more biased towards the arts than ever it is towards the sciences or engineering, or military or other public service, for that matter, but that really just reflects what a disproportionate influence celebrities have upon in modern society, doesn't it?
However, this book in particular tells a stirring story worth telling, and worth children learning, and I recommend it highly.
