Grandad Mandela

April 16, 2018
Among the numerous picture books about Nelson Mandela, this title, published to honor the 100th anniversary of Mandela’s birth, is the first to have been created by his family members. Here, a dialogue between Mandela’s young great-grandchildren Zazi and Ziwelene, and their grandmother, Mandela’s daughter Zindzi, introduces South Africa’s recent history and the family’s role in toppling apartheid. In a child’s direct, simple language, the questions range from specific moments in history (“Why did Grandad go to jail?”) to challenging, philosophical definitions (“What is justice?”). A few lines read with understandable, hyperbolic notes of family pride (“Winnie Mandela was born... amongst the Pondo people, who produced the best warriors in history”), though younger readers may need help grasping the meaning of a final reference to volunteering. The intimacy created by the family voices and connections is profoundly moving, and Qualls’s dynamic paper-collage compositions of the Mandelas, as well as supporters of all colors, reinforce the sense of a final, unifying concept: “Ubuntu... means I am because we all are.” Ages 4–7.

July 1, 2018

Gr 2-5-To celebrate what would have been Nelson Mandela's 100th birthday, his daughter and her grandchildren have crafted a short collection of straightforward questions about his life, imprisonment, and role in ending apartheid in South Africa. This child-friendly introduction to the topic of apartheid, with collage-style paintings and sketches by Qualls, demonstrates the simplification of momentous historical events and cultural concepts down to small and digestible kernels of truth. When readers meet Zazi and Ziwelene Mandela, they are playing at their grandmother's house. After stumbling across a photo of their famous great-grandfather they began to pepper their grandmother, who is his youngest daughter, with questions about his life, her own memories, and the historical and cultural context that preceded Mandela's presidency. She patiently responds to each question with heartfelt examples that help the children to connect their family's past to their present. Her references to jellied candies and cake, school days, volunteerism, and family life are illustrations that her grandchildren can readily connect to their own lives, and child readers are likely to do the same. By cleverly formatting the story as a conversation between two candid grandchildren and their elder, the Mandelas are able to present challenging topics with ingenuity and warmth. VERDICT Recommended for nonfiction collections.-Lauren Younger, Nicholson Memorial Library, Garland, TX

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2018
Zindzi Mandela tells her curious grandchildren Zazi and Ziwelene the story of their great-grandfather Nelson Mandela.When Nelson Mandela's great-grandchildren Zazi and Ziwelene find a photo of their great-grandfather, that sparks an honest discussion about apartheid and race relations in South Africa. Answering her grandchildren's questions, Zindzi Mandela shares her experience as a child of apartheid, what her mother's and father's lives were like and how dedicated Mandela was to his people; "Grandad was fighting for us all to be equal." In clear and emotional language, the authors discuss the history of apartheid and Mandela's fight to end it, even while locked away in prison. One of the story's central messages is the importance of living a life of service, as did Mandela, "a man who was able to forgive all the people who made him and his family and his people suffer." Qualls' pencil, collage, and acrylic illustrations are evocative; powerful spreads depict police brutality, incarceration, protest, segregation, and hope. Qualls showcases his command of color, emotion, and style on every page. Readers might come away from this informational book wanting better documentation of historical facts; there is no authors' note or other backmatter. Nevertheless, this is a beautiful and inspiring reflection on Nelson Mandela's life and his impact on the world.A gorgeous and personal tribute to Mandela's legacy. (Picture book/biography. 6-12)

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June 1, 2018
Preschool-G In Nelson Mandela's picture-book biography, his daughter Zindzi is requested by her grandchildren to tell them again about their great-grandfather's life. A question-and-answer format communicates the elder Mandela's history in an easy-to-understand format for children. Information is given about his birthplace, the conditions of his childhood, his education, and how he ended up serving 27 years in prison. Though the difficulty of living through apartheid in South Africa and its unfairness to black people is described, the text is positive and affirms the progress made due to Mandela's work and sacrifices: The first thing he did when he became president was to unite all South Africans. Words such as justice, apartheid, and Ubuntu are defined in simple terms to help readers understand Mandela's mission. Qualls' large collage, colored pencil, and acrylic paint illustrations depict a variety of important moments and reveal that Mandela had the backing and support of people of all colors. Mandela's story publishes this year in honor of his one hundredth birthday.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)