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Let It Shine: Stories of Black Women Freedom Fighters
Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus and sparked a boycott that changed America. Harriet Tubman helped more than three hundred slaves escape the South on the Underground Railroad. Shirley Chisholm became the first black woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.
The lives these women led are part of an incredible story about courage in the face of oppression; about the challenges and triumphs of the battle for civil rights; and about speaking out for what you believe in--even when it feels like no one is listening. Andrea Davis Pinkney's moving text and Stephen Alcorn's glorious portraits celebrate the lives of ten bold women who lit the path to freedom for generations. Includes biographies of Sojournor Truth, Biddy Mason, Harriet Tubman, Ida B.Wells-Barnett, Mary McLeod Bethune, Ella Josephine Baker, Dorothy Irene Height, Rosa Parks, Fannie Lou Hamer, and Shirley Chisholm.
Sojourner Truth --
Biddy Mason --
Harriet Tubman --
Ida B. Wells-Barnett --
Mary McLeod Bethune --
Ella Josephine Baker --
Dorothy Irene Height --
Rosa Parks --
Fannie Lou Hamer --
Shirley Chisholm
The lives these women led are part of an incredible story about courage in the face of oppression; about the challenges and triumphs of the battle for civil rights; and about speaking out for what you believe in--even when it feels like no one is listening. Andrea Davis Pinkney's moving text and Stephen Alcorn's glorious portraits celebrate the lives of ten bold women who lit the path to freedom for generations. Includes biographies of Sojournor Truth, Biddy Mason, Harriet Tubman, Ida B.Wells-Barnett, Mary McLeod Bethune, Ella Josephine Baker, Dorothy Irene Height, Rosa Parks, Fannie Lou Hamer, and Shirley Chisholm.
Sojourner Truth --
Biddy Mason --
Harriet Tubman --
Ida B. Wells-Barnett --
Mary McLeod Bethune --
Ella Josephine Baker --
Dorothy Irene Height --
Rosa Parks --
Fannie Lou Hamer --
Shirley Chisholm
107 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2000
About the author
Andrea Davis Pinkney
54 books305 followersAndrea Davis Pinkney is the New York Times bestselling author of more than 20 books for children, including the Caldecott Honor Book and Coretta Scott King Honor Book Duke Ellington, illustrated by Brian Pinkney; Let it Shine: Stories of Black Women Freedom Fighters, a Coretta Scott King Honor Book and winner of the Carter G. Woodson Award; and Alvin Ailey, a Parenting Publication Gold medal winner.
Pinkney's newest books include Meet the Obamas and Sojourner Truth's Step-Stomp Stride, which has garnered three starred reviews and has been named one of the "Best Books of 2009" by School Library Journal. In 2010, Andrea's book entitled Sit-In: How Four Friends Stood Up By Sitting Down, was published on the 50th anniversary of the Greensboro, North Carolina, sit-ins of 1960.
Her mother is a teacher and her father is a great storyteller, so growing up surrounded by books and stories is what inspired Andrea Davis Pinkney to choose a career as an author. The first official story she remembers writing was in second grade — it was about her family. Pinkney was born in Washington, D.C., and raised in Connecticut. She went to Syracuse University, where she majored in journalism. After college, she followed her dream and worked as an editor for Essence magazine, but after watching her husband, Caldecott Award-winning artist Brian Pinkney, illustrate children's books, she decided to switch jobs and became involved in book publishing.
Andrea Davis Pinkney currently lives in Brooklyn, New York.
For more information, please see http://www.answers.com/topic/andrea-d...
Pinkney's newest books include Meet the Obamas and Sojourner Truth's Step-Stomp Stride, which has garnered three starred reviews and has been named one of the "Best Books of 2009" by School Library Journal. In 2010, Andrea's book entitled Sit-In: How Four Friends Stood Up By Sitting Down, was published on the 50th anniversary of the Greensboro, North Carolina, sit-ins of 1960.
Her mother is a teacher and her father is a great storyteller, so growing up surrounded by books and stories is what inspired Andrea Davis Pinkney to choose a career as an author. The first official story she remembers writing was in second grade — it was about her family. Pinkney was born in Washington, D.C., and raised in Connecticut. She went to Syracuse University, where she majored in journalism. After college, she followed her dream and worked as an editor for Essence magazine, but after watching her husband, Caldecott Award-winning artist Brian Pinkney, illustrate children's books, she decided to switch jobs and became involved in book publishing.
Andrea Davis Pinkney currently lives in Brooklyn, New York.
For more information, please see http://www.answers.com/topic/andrea-d...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
April 9, 2012
CATEGORY SATISFIED: Nonfiction/Informational
Unless you're more than a casual connoisseur of American history—and I'm not—you probably don't know a lot about Sojourner Truth except for her famous phrase, "Ain't I a woman?" And unless you're an expert in the civil and women's rights movements—and I'm not—you probably don't know who Biddy Mason or Ida B. Wells-Barnett were. I didn't, and so reading Pinkney's brief biographies of black women freedom fighters (accompanied by colorful and inspiring illustrations by Stephen Alcorn) was both an informative and enjoyable experience for me.
Pinkney's goal was to put a new spin on some women (such as Harriet Tubman) that we "already know," but also for us to meet others "for the very first time," and she has succeeded admirably at this. Biographies range from the quintessential (i.e. Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, etc.) to some women whose contributions were significant but who, at least for me, were little-known figures. (I knew nothing about Shirley Chisholm, for example, which might be surprising to some people. I was very interested by her rise from a child born in relative poverty to being the first black woman to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives.)
The text of the book is pretty straightforward, but there are some aspects that remind me of storytelling and that use more descriptive, poetic language. For example: "When the good Lord was handing out the gift of conviction, he gave a hefty dose to Sojourner Truth. . . [she] was as black as the blackest ebony wood, rich and dark and beautiful." It might have been my imagination, but I think Pinkney's language became less poetic as she discussed people who lived closer to our own day (like Chisholm), probably because more information is known about these latter figures and there's less room for interpretation.
The stories were engaging, and even though this is a piece of nonfiction about events that have already happened, I was still interested enough to wonder what would happen next to these women, and I kept on reading. (It was good of Pinkney to not tell us from the get-go what these women would accomplish—it made the stories more of, well, stories, and I appreciated that.)
The book describes itself as being for all ages, and I'd agree with that, though I think it would be more appreciated by junior high and high schoolers. The stories are told fairly simply, but they aren't dumbed-down, which I appreciated. If you're looking for a fairly straightforward and easy-to-read account of influential African American women, look no further than Let it Shine.
Unless you're more than a casual connoisseur of American history—and I'm not—you probably don't know a lot about Sojourner Truth except for her famous phrase, "Ain't I a woman?" And unless you're an expert in the civil and women's rights movements—and I'm not—you probably don't know who Biddy Mason or Ida B. Wells-Barnett were. I didn't, and so reading Pinkney's brief biographies of black women freedom fighters (accompanied by colorful and inspiring illustrations by Stephen Alcorn) was both an informative and enjoyable experience for me.
Pinkney's goal was to put a new spin on some women (such as Harriet Tubman) that we "already know," but also for us to meet others "for the very first time," and she has succeeded admirably at this. Biographies range from the quintessential (i.e. Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, etc.) to some women whose contributions were significant but who, at least for me, were little-known figures. (I knew nothing about Shirley Chisholm, for example, which might be surprising to some people. I was very interested by her rise from a child born in relative poverty to being the first black woman to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives.)
The text of the book is pretty straightforward, but there are some aspects that remind me of storytelling and that use more descriptive, poetic language. For example: "When the good Lord was handing out the gift of conviction, he gave a hefty dose to Sojourner Truth. . . [she] was as black as the blackest ebony wood, rich and dark and beautiful." It might have been my imagination, but I think Pinkney's language became less poetic as she discussed people who lived closer to our own day (like Chisholm), probably because more information is known about these latter figures and there's less room for interpretation.
The stories were engaging, and even though this is a piece of nonfiction about events that have already happened, I was still interested enough to wonder what would happen next to these women, and I kept on reading. (It was good of Pinkney to not tell us from the get-go what these women would accomplish—it made the stories more of, well, stories, and I appreciated that.)
The book describes itself as being for all ages, and I'd agree with that, though I think it would be more appreciated by junior high and high schoolers. The stories are told fairly simply, but they aren't dumbed-down, which I appreciated. If you're looking for a fairly straightforward and easy-to-read account of influential African American women, look no further than Let it Shine.
March 17, 2010
Let It Shine is organized chronologically and covers the lives of ten women: Sojourner Truth, Biddy Mason, Harriet Tubman, Ida B. Wells-Barnett, Mary McLeod Bethune, Ella Josephine Baker, Dorothy Irene Height, Rosa Parks, Fannie Lou Hamer, and Shirley Chisholm. The first page of each of the ten biographies are of paintings of each woman. The paintings reflect each freedom fighter's accomplishments.
I do feel that there should have been more pictures to accompany each biography, but I do recognize that the book is for older children (in middle or high school). Overall, very informative!
I do feel that there should have been more pictures to accompany each biography, but I do recognize that the book is for older children (in middle or high school). Overall, very informative!
July 8, 2014
I have been thinking a lot about what it means to be black and what it means to be white. Chimimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Nigerian author of Americanah, says in her pod cast, that there is not just one story. I think my path, in the last couple of years, has been to be able to find some of those other stories, so that when I see them I know them.
Let it Shine, Stories of Black Women Freedom Fighters, written by Andrea Davis Pinkney and beautifully illustrated by Stephen Alcorn and only distributed through the school market, is 10 stories of 10 brave black women, 6 of whom, I had never heard of before. Each sentence in this book, is a storyteller's sentence. I can just hear some deep, powerful, confident, woman telling these stories.It might have been Sojourner Truth herself writing down these words to give hope like she did in her "Aint I a woman?" speech.
Biddy Mason became free when her owner moved to California (1855). There she midwifed and healed. She saved enough money to buy a house, and then to buy more lots of land for the blacks of Los Angelos.
Ida Be Wells-Barnett in 1982 wrote an article that described and enumerated the lynchings in Tennessee.
Mary McLeod Bethune formed the National Council of Negro Woman in 1935 and became a good friend of Eleanor Roosevelt.
Ella Joshephine Baker became (1942) the national director of branches of the Naacp.
Dorothy Irene Height said "black woman are the blackbone of every institution."She became president of the NCNW.
Fanny Lou Hamer fought for black voting right in the South.
Andrea and her husband, Davis Pinkney have a similar volume of ten African American men who made history called Hand in Hand.
These are not the books that kids might pick up on their own. But they are the kind of books, that their teachers need to read and hear as well as the students.
Let it Shine, Stories of Black Women Freedom Fighters, written by Andrea Davis Pinkney and beautifully illustrated by Stephen Alcorn and only distributed through the school market, is 10 stories of 10 brave black women, 6 of whom, I had never heard of before. Each sentence in this book, is a storyteller's sentence. I can just hear some deep, powerful, confident, woman telling these stories.It might have been Sojourner Truth herself writing down these words to give hope like she did in her "Aint I a woman?" speech.
Biddy Mason became free when her owner moved to California (1855). There she midwifed and healed. She saved enough money to buy a house, and then to buy more lots of land for the blacks of Los Angelos.
Ida Be Wells-Barnett in 1982 wrote an article that described and enumerated the lynchings in Tennessee.
Mary McLeod Bethune formed the National Council of Negro Woman in 1935 and became a good friend of Eleanor Roosevelt.
Ella Joshephine Baker became (1942) the national director of branches of the Naacp.
Dorothy Irene Height said "black woman are the blackbone of every institution."She became president of the NCNW.
Fanny Lou Hamer fought for black voting right in the South.
Andrea and her husband, Davis Pinkney have a similar volume of ten African American men who made history called Hand in Hand.
These are not the books that kids might pick up on their own. But they are the kind of books, that their teachers need to read and hear as well as the students.
December 7, 2011
1.Biography
2.Let It Shine is a lovely collection of ten biographies of black women involved in the fight for racial, political, and economic freedoms. Biographies date from the life of Sojourner Truth in the early 1800’s to that of Shirley Chisholm‘s bid for the presidency in the 1970’s.
3.A. Illustrations B. Stephen Alcorn has created rich and colorful oil based portraits of each woman featured in this biographical collection. The paintings are full of symbolic references of each woman’s accomplishments and her impact on the freedom movement. C. Harriet Tubman’s portrait is of a black women kneeling on railroad tracks pointing up to the North Star. Other black figures are climbing on her outstretched arms walking across her shoulders toward the star and of course freedom. Mary McLeod Bethune is drawn as the face of a sunflower holding books and a pencil above the school she founded. As a teacher, she shined the gift of knowledge to countless young black girls and helped the country grow in their understanding of this need. And in the last chapter, Shirley Chisholm is seen in a brightly colored dress climbing a ladder to the White House. She is reaching for the ‘American’ dream. The portraits are all beautifully bold representations of the women who were equally beautiful and bold with the work that they did to advance the causes of civil rights.
4.The biographies lend themselves to excellent read alouds. The stories of hardship that many of these women experienced at such an early age are important for students to understand. The individual portraits by Alcorn can also be used in a study of symbolism and as introduction to the study of historical figures like Tubman that are often part of U. S. history curriculum.
2.Let It Shine is a lovely collection of ten biographies of black women involved in the fight for racial, political, and economic freedoms. Biographies date from the life of Sojourner Truth in the early 1800’s to that of Shirley Chisholm‘s bid for the presidency in the 1970’s.
3.A. Illustrations B. Stephen Alcorn has created rich and colorful oil based portraits of each woman featured in this biographical collection. The paintings are full of symbolic references of each woman’s accomplishments and her impact on the freedom movement. C. Harriet Tubman’s portrait is of a black women kneeling on railroad tracks pointing up to the North Star. Other black figures are climbing on her outstretched arms walking across her shoulders toward the star and of course freedom. Mary McLeod Bethune is drawn as the face of a sunflower holding books and a pencil above the school she founded. As a teacher, she shined the gift of knowledge to countless young black girls and helped the country grow in their understanding of this need. And in the last chapter, Shirley Chisholm is seen in a brightly colored dress climbing a ladder to the White House. She is reaching for the ‘American’ dream. The portraits are all beautifully bold representations of the women who were equally beautiful and bold with the work that they did to advance the causes of civil rights.
4.The biographies lend themselves to excellent read alouds. The stories of hardship that many of these women experienced at such an early age are important for students to understand. The individual portraits by Alcorn can also be used in a study of symbolism and as introduction to the study of historical figures like Tubman that are often part of U. S. history curriculum.
December 7, 2015
Andrea Pinkney’s inspirational text describes the lives of ten courageous and bold women who ignited a fire of freedom for later generations to experience. Some of the biographies include Harriet Tubman, Ella Josephine Baker, Sojourner Truth, Rosa parks and many more. This informative and educational book highlights the decisions made by ten brave women throughout the course of history. Their actions and choices are displayed in detail throughout the book. The first page of each biography has a painting of each woman symbolizing the freedom fighters accomplishment. This book is very moving as it highlights the exploration of their individual childhoods, while at the same time giving respect to their accomplishments as adults. These women stood for the causes of abolition, civil rights and women’s rights and Andrea Pinkney did them justice as she accounts for their biographical attributes while still managing to maintain a young readers attention. My only comment about the book would have been a desire for more illustrations. But I can in fact see myself as a future teacher using this book to bring about awareness for African American history along with the importance of women history. For example, students could get in groups and focus on one freedom fighter. Groups could create a timeline and plot important dates that correlate to their lives. Students could also choose two freedom fighters and compare and contrast them both together. This would be a great way to get the whole class working in small groups to achieve a common goal, yet still would allow for the exploration and learning of ten very influential women.
May 8, 2018
I used this book as a starting point to then look up more in-depth histories of the women I didn't know very well. Which was most of them. I learned so much about not just each individual freedom fighter, but how they were all influenced by the women who came before them, or were on the same team/organization in later years. It really felt like a story about one person at a time who was able to affect change by making one seemingly simple or small choice at the right moment, and then joining with others to build upon those actions. Personal responsibility and community and inter-connectedness.
Small biographies beautifully written and illustrated for the following women:
Sojourner Truth
Biddy Mason
Harriet Tubman
Ida B.Wells-Barnett
Mary McLeod Bethune
Ella Josephine Baker
Dorothy Irene Height
Rosa Parks
Fannie Lou Hamer
Shirley Chisholm
I worried that using "Let It Shine: Stories of Black Women Freedom Fighters" to kickstart reasearch would lessen the poetry aspect of the writing, and that happened a little bit. When I went back to reread all the essays, the poetry returned, but with greater depth behind the words.
It was cool to read about Andrea Davis Pinkney, who is an influential Black Woman author in her own right. And the illustrations by Stephen Alcorn were lovely companions to Pinkney's words.
This is a solid starting point for learning about women you may or may not already know about, but need to know.
Small biographies beautifully written and illustrated for the following women:
Sojourner Truth
Biddy Mason
Harriet Tubman
Ida B.Wells-Barnett
Mary McLeod Bethune
Ella Josephine Baker
Dorothy Irene Height
Rosa Parks
Fannie Lou Hamer
Shirley Chisholm
I worried that using "Let It Shine: Stories of Black Women Freedom Fighters" to kickstart reasearch would lessen the poetry aspect of the writing, and that happened a little bit. When I went back to reread all the essays, the poetry returned, but with greater depth behind the words.
It was cool to read about Andrea Davis Pinkney, who is an influential Black Woman author in her own right. And the illustrations by Stephen Alcorn were lovely companions to Pinkney's words.
This is a solid starting point for learning about women you may or may not already know about, but need to know.
February 5, 2018
Lovely collection of stories of African American women who fought for equal rights and the abolition of slavery in the United States. I especially enjoyed the stories of the lesser known activists focused on access to education and their achievements.
Each historical figure is portrayed with a gorgeous illustration, and a couple of pages of biography.
Ideal for grades 3/4/5.
Each historical figure is portrayed with a gorgeous illustration, and a couple of pages of biography.
Ideal for grades 3/4/5.
July 20, 2024
This is a well deserved read about Black Women who have shaped America by their determination, courage, and integrities. May their voices ring out forever.
1. Sojourner Truth
2. Biddy Mason
3. Harriet Tubman
3. Ida B. Wells-Barnett
4. Mary McLeod Bethune
5. Ella Josephine Baker
6. Dorothy Irene Height
7. Rosa Parks
8. Fannie Lou Hamer
9. Shirley Chisholm
Quote:
We understood that as it pertains to the pursuit of racial justice, freedom means so much more than freedom from slavery.
Before long, word spread through Mayesville that Samuel and Patsy McLeod had themselves a child who was blessed with the reading and writing gift.
Dorothy once said, "Black women are the backbone of every institution, but sometimes they are not recognized as even being there, even in the civil rights movement."
Once, a white politician came to Brooklyn College to speak to the students. In his speech he said, "Black people will advance someday, but black people are always going to need white people leading them."
1. Sojourner Truth
2. Biddy Mason
3. Harriet Tubman
3. Ida B. Wells-Barnett
4. Mary McLeod Bethune
5. Ella Josephine Baker
6. Dorothy Irene Height
7. Rosa Parks
8. Fannie Lou Hamer
9. Shirley Chisholm
Quote:
We understood that as it pertains to the pursuit of racial justice, freedom means so much more than freedom from slavery.
Before long, word spread through Mayesville that Samuel and Patsy McLeod had themselves a child who was blessed with the reading and writing gift.
Dorothy once said, "Black women are the backbone of every institution, but sometimes they are not recognized as even being there, even in the civil rights movement."
Once, a white politician came to Brooklyn College to speak to the students. In his speech he said, "Black people will advance someday, but black people are always going to need white people leading them."
December 6, 2021
Let It Shine: Stories of Black Women Freedom Fighters is an autobiography written by Andrea Davis Pinkney and illustrated by Stephen Alcorn. It was published in 2000 by Clarion books. The public intended for this reading are children around six to nine years old. The novel won the Cornetta Scott King Honor. Let It Shine: Stories of Black Women Freedom Fighters presents chronologically in verbal portraits that capture faith, determination, and strength of these women in the middle of racial injustices. The brief biographies of black woman are informative, enjoyable, and necessary are the perfect combination for the amazing colorful illustrations making this book a must read. The novel provides a great experience while acquiring knowledge from the past in a straightforward format. The stories are engaging, keeping our attention in check to see what comes next. Even though it is indicated to be for children between six to nine it can easily be used for older groups than the suggested age. Easy to read, I would suggest to any group age as it can be used in the classroom for many activities or as part of the summer reading. I rated it a five because it is an inspirational reading and a reading that can be multiage useful.
April 29, 2022
An excellent book about the contributions of Black women in particular. Even in histories of freedom fighting and civil rights that focus on Black people, women are all too often marginalized and their contributions unmentioned or minimalized - this book sets out to correct that by giving some Black women the spotlight they deserve. Some *should* already be familiar, like Harriet Tubman, but some were new to me, sadly. Anyway, really well done, and highly recommended. Towards the end, the book speculates about the possibility that one day there could be a Black or woman (or Black woman!) POTUS, so I checked - the book was published in 2000, just 8 years before the first Black President, and 21 years before the first woman of color VP (still no woman president as of this writing, however) - progress marches on!
May 4, 2023
Do you want to learn about some of the most influential black women in history? This book tells the story of 10 black women freedom fighters that influenced change in our world. This book has received multiple awards including the Notable books for a greater society award and the Corretta Scott King award. The illustrations that are spead through the book is amazing. I specially like the one on the title page and the front cover. This book is definitely meant for fluent reads so if your child is not, then I would recommend reading this to them in a read aloud. I hope that you learn something new about these great women as you read this book.
March 16, 2020
Such powerful women. Students need to hear these stories. This is a book teachers will need to share because, at least my students, would not pick this up on their own. It would be nice if it were updated, and I wish it had more illustrations. Great first background information for students doing reports. We all need to remember and learn from these women because if we do not learn from history we are destined to repeat it. Love Chisholm’s quote. “...someday, somehow, someone other than a white male could be president.“
August 9, 2020
Loved this story of 10 black women freedom fighters who fought slavery, Jim Crow, and lynchings and who worked for civil rights and equality.
Some I knew like Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman, and Ida B Wells. Others, like Biddy Mason, were new to me.
I liked the color given to the story by the words the author chose. The book begins "When the Good Lord was handing out the gift of conviction, he gave a hefty dose to Sojourner Truth." That's a sample of the writing style that continues through the book. It feels like a story teller speaking to a group of eager listeners.
Some I knew like Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman, and Ida B Wells. Others, like Biddy Mason, were new to me.
I liked the color given to the story by the words the author chose. The book begins "When the Good Lord was handing out the gift of conviction, he gave a hefty dose to Sojourner Truth." That's a sample of the writing style that continues through the book. It feels like a story teller speaking to a group of eager listeners.
Read
April 29, 2023Do you know the stories of these ten black women freedom fighters?
This book explains the stories of ten women and their fight for freedom. The book received Notable Books for Global Society recognition in 2008. It also received the Coretta Scott King Book Award in 2017. The glossary shows where to find the information on each woman. The illustrations did a wonderful job expressing the stories. The illustrator created them using the artistic media of oil on a canvas. Overall, this great read would be perfect for fluent readers.
This book explains the stories of ten women and their fight for freedom. The book received Notable Books for Global Society recognition in 2008. It also received the Coretta Scott King Book Award in 2017. The glossary shows where to find the information on each woman. The illustrations did a wonderful job expressing the stories. The illustrator created them using the artistic media of oil on a canvas. Overall, this great read would be perfect for fluent readers.
Read
August 2, 2023has the dimensions of a traditional book but is not a traditional picture book. short biographies (around ten pages each) of ten black women who worked toward greater civil rights in the US. the beginning of each woman's section features a full-page illustration, and then about half of the women have an additional smaller illustration somewhere in their section. I'm trying to think what the best age range for this book be; maybe kids growing out of picture books and working their way onto shorter chapter books?
December 27, 2016
This book features so many phenomenal women. I can't recommend it enough. Some names were familiar, others were new to me. These are the sort of women we should emulate and look up to, brilliant, brave and determined. I was going to write that we don't have female role models like that anymore, but I think the truth is that there are a lot of remarkable women doing remarkable things these days. We just need to shift the spotlight in their direction.
February 19, 2019
This is a solid introductory collection of Black women freedom fighters that is well worth the read for all ages. The casual storyteller tone of it makes for easy and enjoyable reading. The author manages to include a broad variety of women, ranging from the expected to the little known.
Definitely recommended.
Definitely recommended.
April 4, 2023
If you want a great overview of women in Black history, this is it! Pinkney tells the stories of ten Black women who contributed to civil rights. I knew about half of them, but half were new to me and wonderful to read. The writing is action-filled and uplifting. It's clear that education made a big difference in all their lives. Once you have learned, no one can take that knowledge from you.
March 24, 2024
Excellent. Love the art too. However, the facts seemed a little off in the Rosa Parks section (wasn’t her sitting in the white section a well supported endeavor/not just her own plan decided upon last second?) which makes me wonder about the other bios.
My favorite was the part on Sojourner. I learned so many new facts about her life. Made me want a longer in-depth bio on her.
My favorite was the part on Sojourner. I learned so many new facts about her life. Made me want a longer in-depth bio on her.
June 8, 2020
I’m going to have a hard time putting into words how great this book is! I learned so much from reading it. It challenged my thinking on so many issues in good ways! The writing is superb! I will be reading more Andrea Davis Pinkney for sure!
June 8, 2020
Accessible stories of 10 Black Women Freedom Fighters, som you know and some you may not. I was most interested in learning about Fannie Lou Hamer and Shirley Chisholm. Great resource. Beautiful art. Inspiring.
November 13, 2021
This is a great book with a series of simple biographies of Black women who fought for justice. It's written for children but doesn't shy away from the issues the women were fighting against. I will definitely be looking for a copy for my shelves.
March 16, 2022
Good selection of subjects, and some really interesting information, but a little too wordy for a short book.
There either needed to be more pictures or it needed to be longer and more in-depth to be just right, but that doesn't make it bad.
There either needed to be more pictures or it needed to be longer and more in-depth to be just right, but that doesn't make it bad.
Read
February 23, 2020Very uplifting story of the women who fought for civil rights.
June 5, 2020
Solid collection. I wish it had forgone some of the super well-known names in favor of lesson known women or a queer woman.
Read
July 25, 2009Pinkney, A.D. (2000). Let It Shine: Stories of Black Women Freedom Fighters. New York: Harcourt, Inc.
015201005x
Oh, that Pinkney family. One after another, successful children’s authors and illustrators.
A Coretta Scott King Honor book, Let It Shine chronologically shares the stories of ten black woman who have fought for freedom and civil rights throughout American history. The stories are not so much complete biographical accounts of the women, but rather use child-friendly language to share relevant aspects of their lives. While the accounts are organized chronologically, but do incorporate some overlap in time and even interaction.
Let It Shine does include some well-known freedom fighters, but it also incorporates many lesser-known women whose stories are important to know. One of the ways to make this book particularly relevant to current events, is through the account of Shirley Chisholm’s political experiences and run for the Presidency. Pinkney was wise (lucky?) enough to feature Chisholm’s quote “Someday, somewhere, somehow, someone other than a white male could be President” (p. 95). Pinkney goes on to include in her conclusion to Chisholm “It proved to everyone else that a little girl from Brooklyn , whose parents could not afford to buy a home, could dare to dream of becoming the number-one tenant of the White House. Shirley had been right: America was changing” (p. 104). Hahaha. And America kept on changing…preparing for Obama to step into that White House. Wonderful conversation starter.
Each account shares only a few if any historical dates or events beyond the dates of birth and death, so a teacher would have to provide support over the setting and significant influences of the time (or have students research them in groups).
The illustrations are bright, colorful and often metaphorical. And while there are not pictures present on every page, enough are distributed throughout the chapters to provide students with breaks and keep them motivated.
Activities to do with the book:
If students were assigned to do reports or presentations on these women, the relevant chapter for that student could be invaluable. A teacher could also incorporate facts from this book into their history lessons.
A teacher could draw out the fact that several of these women had to drop out of school as young children and work to help keep their families together (Fannie Lou Hamer is one example). This fact could help get students to contemplate the evolving expectations and treatments of children throughout history.
Students could examine this book (or Nelson’s We Are the Ship, reviewed previously) for personalized language that helps make information books like these ones seem more engaging and familiar.
This is a great resource to keep on the shelf as a reference book or to assign to students on a chapter-by-chapter basis or as recommended reading.
Favorite Quotes:
“On August 28, 1963, one month before I was born, my father stood on Washington D.C.’s great lawn and listened with rapt attention to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivering his unforgettable “I Have a Dream” speech. Just blocks away, in my parents’ tiny apartment in southeast Washington, my pregnant mother watched the history-making even on television. Mom says I kicked and squirmed inside her belly throughout Dr. King’s powerful speech. And though I was yet to be born, the March on Washington became my earliest experience with the civil rights movement. But there would be countless others” (p. ix).
“[Soujourner Truth:]’s voice to a fiery boom of truth—her truth…”You say Jesus was a man, so that means God favors men over women. Where did your Christ come from?” she asked. Then she summoned her father’s backbone strength and stood tall to answer her own question. “Jesus came from God and a woman. Man had nothing to do with him” (pp. 6-7).
“By this time America had slipped into what was called the Great Depression. Times were hard; there weren’t many jobs. Formerly rich folks and poor folks, black folks and white folks, stood together in the same unemployment lines” (p. 49).
For more of my reviews, visit sjkessel.blogspot.com.
015201005x
Oh, that Pinkney family. One after another, successful children’s authors and illustrators.
A Coretta Scott King Honor book, Let It Shine chronologically shares the stories of ten black woman who have fought for freedom and civil rights throughout American history. The stories are not so much complete biographical accounts of the women, but rather use child-friendly language to share relevant aspects of their lives. While the accounts are organized chronologically, but do incorporate some overlap in time and even interaction.
Let It Shine does include some well-known freedom fighters, but it also incorporates many lesser-known women whose stories are important to know. One of the ways to make this book particularly relevant to current events, is through the account of Shirley Chisholm’s political experiences and run for the Presidency. Pinkney was wise (lucky?) enough to feature Chisholm’s quote “Someday, somewhere, somehow, someone other than a white male could be President” (p. 95). Pinkney goes on to include in her conclusion to Chisholm “It proved to everyone else that a little girl from Brooklyn , whose parents could not afford to buy a home, could dare to dream of becoming the number-one tenant of the White House. Shirley had been right: America was changing” (p. 104). Hahaha. And America kept on changing…preparing for Obama to step into that White House. Wonderful conversation starter.
Each account shares only a few if any historical dates or events beyond the dates of birth and death, so a teacher would have to provide support over the setting and significant influences of the time (or have students research them in groups).
The illustrations are bright, colorful and often metaphorical. And while there are not pictures present on every page, enough are distributed throughout the chapters to provide students with breaks and keep them motivated.
Activities to do with the book:
If students were assigned to do reports or presentations on these women, the relevant chapter for that student could be invaluable. A teacher could also incorporate facts from this book into their history lessons.
A teacher could draw out the fact that several of these women had to drop out of school as young children and work to help keep their families together (Fannie Lou Hamer is one example). This fact could help get students to contemplate the evolving expectations and treatments of children throughout history.
Students could examine this book (or Nelson’s We Are the Ship, reviewed previously) for personalized language that helps make information books like these ones seem more engaging and familiar.
This is a great resource to keep on the shelf as a reference book or to assign to students on a chapter-by-chapter basis or as recommended reading.
Favorite Quotes:
“On August 28, 1963, one month before I was born, my father stood on Washington D.C.’s great lawn and listened with rapt attention to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivering his unforgettable “I Have a Dream” speech. Just blocks away, in my parents’ tiny apartment in southeast Washington, my pregnant mother watched the history-making even on television. Mom says I kicked and squirmed inside her belly throughout Dr. King’s powerful speech. And though I was yet to be born, the March on Washington became my earliest experience with the civil rights movement. But there would be countless others” (p. ix).
“[Soujourner Truth:]’s voice to a fiery boom of truth—her truth…”You say Jesus was a man, so that means God favors men over women. Where did your Christ come from?” she asked. Then she summoned her father’s backbone strength and stood tall to answer her own question. “Jesus came from God and a woman. Man had nothing to do with him” (pp. 6-7).
“By this time America had slipped into what was called the Great Depression. Times were hard; there weren’t many jobs. Formerly rich folks and poor folks, black folks and white folks, stood together in the same unemployment lines” (p. 49).
For more of my reviews, visit sjkessel.blogspot.com.
September 5, 2020
Ages 6 and up. Biographies of African-American women who became icons of U.S. Civil Rights history, beautifully rendered by my friend Stephen Alcorn. This book won the Coretta Scott King Award.
April 22, 2016
This book tells the stories of ten black women living in times of slavery, discrimination, and oppression, and how they cam to fight for their freedom and push the act civil rights forward. We see the stories of Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, and other significant black women, some we may have known about and some that we don't recognize.
The author gives a personal touch to each story, such as sometimes adding in what the thoughts each woman was having at the moment, even though the author couldn't have known exactly what they were thinking at the time. By doing so the reader can have more of an idea of what each woman must have been thinking or feeling at the time, and has them connect with them.
The illustrations were also amazing. Each picture corresponded to the accomplishment of each woman, and next these illustrations were the beginning of the story they went with, which also included a quote form each woman. This helps readers actually picture what these woman were like, and understand their accomplishments.
The author gives a personal touch to each story, such as sometimes adding in what the thoughts each woman was having at the moment, even though the author couldn't have known exactly what they were thinking at the time. By doing so the reader can have more of an idea of what each woman must have been thinking or feeling at the time, and has them connect with them.
The illustrations were also amazing. Each picture corresponded to the accomplishment of each woman, and next these illustrations were the beginning of the story they went with, which also included a quote form each woman. This helps readers actually picture what these woman were like, and understand their accomplishments.
May 6, 2008
Summary (CIP): The stories of ten African American women who challenged authority in the freedom issues of their times, arranged chronologically from mid 1800's to modern times.
REVIEW: Pinkney includes a personal preface that traces her family background growing up in the civil rights movement and its effects on her. The selection of familiar and not so well known women lets the women speak in their own words with many quotes and includes personal details. Blending bibliographic information with colloquial and storytelling language makes for an intimate and engaging writing style that will hold readers’ attention. The artwork contributes very strongly to the strength of the image of each woman, being somewhat allegorical.
SLJ: Positive. "This excellent collection is a must for every library."
Booklist: Positive. "The immediacy of the text and the spacious design of the large volume make this a natural for reading aloud."
REVIEW: Pinkney includes a personal preface that traces her family background growing up in the civil rights movement and its effects on her. The selection of familiar and not so well known women lets the women speak in their own words with many quotes and includes personal details. Blending bibliographic information with colloquial and storytelling language makes for an intimate and engaging writing style that will hold readers’ attention. The artwork contributes very strongly to the strength of the image of each woman, being somewhat allegorical.
SLJ: Positive. "This excellent collection is a must for every library."
Booklist: Positive. "The immediacy of the text and the spacious design of the large volume make this a natural for reading aloud."
December 8, 2015
The book describes the lives of ten courageous and bold women who ignited a fire of freedom for later generations to experience. Some of the biographies include Harriet Tubman, Ella Josephine Baker, Sojourner Truth, Rosa parks and many more. This informative and educational book highlights the decisions made by ten brave women throughout the course of history. This is another great book to use to show the achievements of African-American people in our nation's history. I would definitely use this book in a unit of the civil rights era and maybe even have students study each woman and their contribution to society. As I was reading this I felt as if I got to know the women better and I gained an appreciation for everything that they did to fight for the rights of African-Americans and women's rights as well. I think this would be a great book to have in any classroom as it teaches real-life events and people, and very important social issues in general.
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