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The Power of Her Pen; The Story of Groundbreaking Journalist Ethel L. Payne

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The Power of Her Pen: The Story of Groundbreaking Journalist Ethel L. Payne
Written by: Lesa Cline-Ransome
Illustrated by: John Parra
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2020. Biography.

Ethel L. Payne was born a journalist at heart. As a young child she enjoyed writing and collecting stories and was encouraged by her parents and teachers to practice her writing skills. In high school she wanted to write for the school paper but black students couldn't work on the school newspaper, however it did publish her very first story. As a young woman Ethel wrote letters to newspapers about discrimination against African Americans. She traveled around the world and wrote stories about what she saw. Her courage and determination as a reporter and her fearlessness in asking the tough questions  eventually lead her to become one of the first African American White House press correspondents. She became known as the "First Lady of the Black Press."

This picture book biography was a great introduction to a courageous woman who wasn't afraid to go after her dreams. I wasn't familiar with Ethel Payne and her story so I enjoyed this glimpse into her life and accomplishments. Beautiful illustrations accompany the well written text with source credits and further reading listed at the end. 

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