Heroes of Black History – book review

Paperback: 192 pages
Age Range: 9 – 12 years
Publisher: Liberty Street (7 Mar. 2018)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1683307763
ISBN-13: 978-1683307761
Product Dimensions: 15.2 x 1 x 22.9 cm

Heroes of Black History is a book from Time for Kids Magazine and is intended as an educational book for children aged 9 -12 years. Having a 10 yr old and a 12 yr old I thought they’d find this interesting.

First Impressions

Although a paperback this is not a flimsy book and the pages are thick and glossy. The cover shows clearly the four black American’s that the book is about. Harriet Tubman, Jackie Robinson, Rosa Parks, and Barack Obama. This gives a good example of what heroes actually mean as they are all so different.

The text is written in a large font making it easier for younger readers to read alone and the information is given in small chunks so it’s easier to digest.

The photos enhance the reading experience.

The Blurb

American History is filled with heroes who fought for freedom and democracy. In the pages of this book, you’ll meet four champions in the struggle for equal rights: Harriet Tubman, A woman of Courage, Jackie Robinson, Strong Inside and Out, Rosa Parks, Civil Rights Pioneer and Barack Obama, First African-American President.

With an introduction by civil rights icon Charlayne Hunter-Gault, this collection shines a light on the men and women who made America great. Alongside each biography, you’ll find detailed time lines and illustrations that bring the story to life. You’ll witness the strength, courage and determination of four great Americans who stood tall in the face of injustice.

My Verdict

I’ve never really taken much time to learn about American history so I found out a lot that I hadn’t known before. I enjoyed learning alongside my kids who found the book interesting and were keen to read more. I think this is great for what is considered an educational text book. A great, interesting read with some really interesting photographs to boost.

There are also some great illustrations which bring the book to life. There are illustrated time lines so you can understand when the things described happened.

I think that everyone knows who Barack Obama was but it was still interesting to read all about his roots and how his life led up to him being President. In the UK the other figures are probably less well known. Harriet Tubman was an incredibly brave woman who led hundreds of slaves to their freedom. Jackie Robinson was the first African American to play baseball for a league team. This was actually illegal at the time because sports were segregated. And Rosa Parks was a civil rights campaigner who hated segregation.

As well as the main stories there are also boxes which give extra information on what it was like during that time for instance, the history of baseball and the Harlem Renaissance.

We all enjoyed this book and learning about the History of American Heroes.

Heroes of Black History can be purchased on Amazon for £8.25