   | Long time coming : a lyrical biography of race in America from Ona Judge to Barack Obama Author: Shepard, Ray Anthony | |
| Price: $24.48 | ||
Summary:
A series of fast-paced, fact-based, lyrical stories tells of the struggles of six Black Americans from different areas. Shows the ways in which each paved the way for those who followed. From freedom seeker Ona Judge, who fled her enslavement by America's first president, to Barack Obama, the first Black president.
| Illustrator: | Christie, R. Gregory |
| Accelerated Reader Information: Interest Level: UG Reading Level: 7.50 Points: 6.0 Quiz: 521804 |
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (+) (12/01/23)
School Library Journal (+) (07/01/23)
Booklist (+) (12/01/23)
The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (00/07/23)
Full Text Reviews:
Booklist - 06/01/2023 *Starred Review* In this substantive nonfiction history in verse, Shepherd depicts the lives of six Black Americans who “tilted the country’s moral arc toward liberty, freedom, and justice.” Chronologically overlapping thematic sections illuminate how each person’s work built on those who came before. Part 1, “1773–1913: Enslavement and Emancipation” focuses on fugitive slaves. An account of the life of Ona Judge is followed by the interwoven stories of Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass. Jim Crow and the civil rights movement anchor part 2, “1862–1968: Freedom and Justice,” featuring the anti-lynching work of Ida B. Wells and “prophet warrior” Martin Luther King Jr. Part 3, “1961–2008: The Promise of America,” passes the torch to Barack Obama. It addresses the “riddle” of how he became president and concludes with the triumph of his first inauguration. Shepard does not shy away from the horrors of lynching, rape, and mob violence, but his eye is on perseverance and forward momentum. The poetry is always engaging, at times unwieldy, at times electric in its power. Most words are his own, but Shepard occasionally weaves in italicized quotations. The source notes and bibliography are organized by subject, followed by a perfectly titled time line (“The Long Struggle to Form a More Perfect Union”). Highly recommended for both personal reading and curricular study. - Copyright 2023 Booklist.
Booklist - 06/15/2023 *Starred Review* In this substantive nonfiction history in verse, Shepherd depicts the lives of six Black Americans who “tilted the country’s moral arc toward liberty, freedom, and justice.” Chronologically overlapping thematic sections illuminate how each person’s work built on those who came before. Part 1, “1773–1913: Enslavement and Emancipation” focuses on fugitive slaves. An account of the life of Ona Judge is followed by the interwoven stories of Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass. Jim Crow and the civil rights movement anchor part 2, “1862–1968: Freedom and Justice,” featuring the anti-lynching work of Ida B. Wells and “prophet warrior” Martin Luther King Jr. Part 3, “1961–2008: The Promise of America,” passes the torch to Barack Obama. It addresses the “riddle” of how he became president and concludes with the triumph of his first inauguration. Shepard does not shy away from the horrors of lynching, rape, and mob violence, but his eye is on perseverance and forward momentum. The poetry is always engaging, at times unwieldy, at times electric in its power. Most words are his own, but Shepard occasionally weaves in italicized quotations. The source notes and bibliography are organized by subject, followed by a perfectly titled time line (“The Long Struggle to Form a More Perfect Union”). Highly recommended for both personal reading and curricular study. - Copyright 2023 Booklist.
