Descriptions, Reviews, etc.
Description:
A graphic novel about Toni Stone, who overcame racial and gender barriers to become the first Black woman to play professional baseball in the Negro Leagues.
Brief description:
Myra Faye Turner is a New Orleans-based poet and author. She has written for grownups, but prefers writing for young readers. She has written two dozen nonfiction books for children and young adults, covering diverse topics like politics, the Apollo moon landing, edible insects, and U.S. history. When she's not writing, she spends her days reading, napping, and drinking coffee.
Review Quotes: Navy mess attendant Doris Miller distinguishes himself in battle at Pearl Harbor. Marcenia Lyle, aka Toni Stone, breaks race and gender barriers to play professional baseball. Henry "Box" Brown mails himself north to freedom from slavery. Anna Strong is part of the Culper spy ring that helps win the American Revolution. The stories of all these worthy heroes are presented in a graphic format, with a palette that sticks mostly to hues of tan and gray. The artwork is nicely done, but a few errors distract from the overall package. The book on Miller refers to the sailors as soldiers, even having Miller address one superior as sergeant. It also refers to the complement of the USS West Virginia as "1500 officers" more than once. Much of the information on Anna Strong is speculative, as historians disagree about her contributions as a spy (though this is explained in a note at the end). Also, Abraham Woodhull's name is changed to Woodruff midway through the book, easily causing confusion. Though the tales themselves are inspiring, these subjects are featured in other books that readers will find more useful. VERDICT The volumes on Lyle and Brown are sufficient, but the errors in the volumes on Miller and Strong should give selectors pause.--Margaret Nunes, formerly at Gwinnett County PL, GA "School Library Journal"
