Bessie Coleman

July 1, 2007
Gr 3-5-Aimed at reluctant readers, these biographies are no more than illustrated encyclopedia articles. Each one relates the most basic and pertinent facts about a well-known historical figure in an appealing and popular format. Students looking for an easy way to complete assignments will only get the broad strokes of these people's lives. The artists use jaunty colors and the panels are easy to follow for children new to comics. Yet the books are neither stellar in artwork nor rich with information. Even so, teachers and librarians looking to introduce their reluctant or struggling readers to prominent figures in history might want to have these titles available."Esther Keller, I.S. 278, Marine Park, NY"

Copyright 2007 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 7, 2010
Born to a poor family in Texas, Bessie leaves her struggling family to find a job as a manicurist in Chicago. But her dream is to fly, and so she travels to France to train as a pilot in a country with fewer restrictions on women-and African Americans. A number of other biographies in this Capstone series focus on prominent African Americans, including Booker T. Washington and Matthew Henson.-Martha Cornog, Philadelphia

Copyright 2010 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.