Review Detail

Justice Rising: 12 Amazing Black Women in the Civil Rights Movement

Kids Nonfiction 424

Great Introduction to Black Women Activists

June 06, 2023

Overall rating

4.0

Writing Style

4.0

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

4.0

Learning Value

4.0

There are very good bibliographic citings that could be useful for students doing research. There are great lists of resources for each woman (as well as for Freedom Marchers) mentioned, both in print and on the internet. There's also a page of quotations from each woman.

The artwork is very realistic and brightly colored; the outfits the women wear are captured particularly well. The backgrounds give great context for the sort of work being done. My favorite illustrations, however, might be the end papers, which have cameos of the women interspersed with buttons with slogans on them.

I know that I was enthralled with biographies as a child, and this is a great book for children who aren't quite ready to sit still through the Rockridge Press' The Story Of biographies or the Penguin Workshop Who Was books. It's also an excellent addition to a multicultural collection of biographies such as Yang's Yes We Will: Asian Americans Who Shaped This Country, Albee's Troublemakers in Trousers or the Wallace's First Generation: 36 Trailblazing Immigrants and Refugees Who Make America Great.

Good Points

This picture book offers an overview of 12 women and girls who were influential in the Civil Rights movement in the 1950s and 60s. Each two page spread highlights a woman activist, some more well known (Coretta Scott King, Ruby Bridges, Claudette Colvin, Rosa Parks) and some lesser known (Sheyann Webb, Bernice Johnson Reagon, Dorothy Cotton). There is basic informaion about what each woman was interested in, and what she accomplished for civil rights. There is occasionally personal or professional details, but this is a great introduction to biographies for younger readers and would be perfect for read alouds or pleasure reading.