I am Jackie Robinson, I am Rosa Parks

I am Jackie Robinson, I am Rosa Parks
(Ordinary People Change the World)
by Brad Meltzer
illustrated by Christopher Eliopoulos
Dial Books for Young Readers, 2015. Biography (unpag.)

February is Black History Month. These new picture book biographies celebrate two famous people who worked for racial equality. Rosa Parks, a quiet middle-aged black woman, inspired the Montgomery Alabama bus strike when she refused to give up her seat on the bus. Jackie Robinson was an amazing athlete who was able to break through the color barrier in professional baseball. In these inspirational books, the characters tell their story first person. They talk about the discrimination they suffered as they grew up, and how they stood strong to make a difference. The books are illustrated in a child friendly, comic book style with both linear text and speech bubbles. These are appealing and accessible introductions to the lives of two remarkable people for grade school age readers.

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