Publishers Weekly
12/18/2017
Adopting a conversational tone, Bolden (Crossing Ebenezer Creek) recounts the “legend’s life” of “the de facto president of black America,” Frederick Douglass, né Bailey (1818–1895). Douglass—a self-emancipated slave, orator, writer, newspaper editor and owner, abolitionist, desegregationist, women’s rights advocate, Underground railroad conductor, civil servant, and diplomat—believed that slavery and racism constituted “twin-monsters of darkness.” He fought against both, encouraging his audience to invest in durable assets such as education and skills, in order to improve their world. This informative, handsomely designed biography posits that Douglass’s break from William Lloyd Garrison in the late 1840s constituted a turning point in Douglass’s career; Bolden charts, in detail, his independent voice thereafter, through the battle for emancipation to enfranchisement and the fight against Jim Crow–era “black codes.” Contrasting the leonine and financially successful public figure—backed in his early days by English abolitionists—and fallible private person, Bolden skillfully interweaves the political developments of Douglass’s time with his personal life. Archival photographs and illustrations, journalistic extracts, a timeline, and other resources are included. Ages 10–14. Agent: Jennifer Lyons, Lyons Literary. (Jan.)
School Library Connection
"The text introduces its readers to new documents and scholarship about the once enslaved abolitionist. It’s also compelling to read Douglass’s words in breakout quotes and captions. This is an excellent biography . . ."
Booklist
**STARRED REVIEW** "Most folks know Frederick Douglass as an escaped slave turned abolitionist. Bolden’s insightful, and impeccably researched, biography reveals, instead, a multifaceted man who would travel many paths and constantly redefine himself . . . Bolden’s beautiful, sophisticated narrative demonstrates that throughout all of his responsibilities, Douglass never lost sight of his biggest role—humanitarian."
The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
"Bolden’s signature narrative style, concise and controlled but with a dashes of storyteller panache, allows the big issues to flow easily among the biographical details, making this a strong choice for middle school readers ready to tackle some historical complexity."
The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
"Bolden’s signature narrative style, concise and controlled but with a dashes of storyteller panache, allows the big issues to flow easily among the biographical details, making this a strong choice for middle school readers ready to tackle some historical complexity."
Booklist
**STARRED REVIEW** "Most folks know Frederick Douglass as an escaped slave turned abolitionist. Bolden’s insightful, and impeccably researched, biography reveals, instead, a multifaceted man who would travel many paths and constantly redefine himself . . . Bolden’s beautiful, sophisticated narrative demonstrates that throughout all of his responsibilities, Douglass never lost sight of his biggest role—humanitarian."
School Library Journal - Audio
07/01/2018
Gr 7 Up—Bolden's fact-packed biography of one of America's most influential African Americans presents Frederick Douglass's tireless work as an abolitionist, but it also enumerates his successes and failures as a publisher, professional alliances and disunities, involvement with suffrage, extraordinary travels, and family life. Sources are noted in the narration with scrupulous detail. A time line presenting previously unmentioned facts is offered at the end. Adam Lazarre-White's voice is extremely rich in tone—perhaps a nod to Douglass's speaking voice, which Bolden describes as sonorous. Though at times halting and out of rhythm, the narration adds to the seriousness of the subject's accomplishments and the unspeakable injustices of his time. What the work lacks in insights into Douglass's personality and humanness, it balances with extraordinary details of his impact on humanity. VERDICT Students of the time period, American history, and social movements will find it valuable to absorb the details of Douglass's extraordinary life.—Jane Newschwander, Fluvanna County Public Schools, VA
School Library Journal
★ 11/01/2017
Gr 7 Up—Bolden successfully demonstrates in this biography how monumental a figure Frederick Douglass is in U.S. history. Rather than provide readers with a straightforward chronological account, Bolden begins Douglass's story with his first speaking engagement and the publishing of his autobiography. She tells of Douglass's work as a publisher, a diplomat to Haiti, a bank president, and a prolific writer. The chapter titles are quotes from Douglass; each section features excerpts from his publications, quotes from Douglass or his contemporaries, and images, making the read even more engaging. Bolden immerses students in Douglass's world, effectively capturing the atmosphere of the times: "As bombs, bullets, and bayonets bloodied and blew away lives, Frederick ratcheted up his rhetoric on slaveholders." Bolden supplements her text with photographs, drawings, and images of his publications. What elevates these visuals are Bolden's meticulous descriptions of each one (albumen print, daguerreotype, watercolor, lithograph, etc.). VERDICT Bolden adroitly demonstrates the wealth of Douglass's life and accomplishments with this stellar biography. A must for all nonfiction collections.—Hilary Writt, Sullivan University, Lexington, KY
APRIL 2018 - AudioFile
Narrator Adam Lazarre-White tackles the monumental task of giving voice to one of the best-known orators in American history in this wide-ranging biography of Frederick Douglass. The listener enters the story as Douglass is finding his voice both figuratively and literally, risking recapture into slavery to go on increasingly popular lecture tours to promote abolition. Lazarre-White’s smooth, unhurried delivery is a perfect match for the weight and authority of Douglass’s words, which are quoted extensively throughout the text. Each section of narrative also includes quotes from articles and speeches made about Douglass and the causes he championed. These are equally well voiced, but can be confusing without the visual signals that would set them apart from the main story. N.M. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
★ 2017-09-26
The story of one of the most iconic and photographed figures in American history.Frederick Douglass wanted to be viewed as more than an escaped slave, and Bolden emphasizes that point by beginning his story when he makes the decision to break with abolitionist publisher William Lloyd Garrison to begin his own newspaper. Douglass' history is nevertheless revealed as he contemplates changing his course. In his paper, the North Star, he pressed for an end to slavery and was outspoken in favor of women's suffrage. Once the nation's struggles between freedom and slavery led to armed conflict, he pushed President Abraham Lincoln to allow black men to fight in the Union cause. After the Civil War, Douglass remained tireless in seeking to improve the lives of African-Americans until the end of his life. This narrative about a well-known figure feels fresh due to Bolden's skilled storytelling. It fully captures his outsized personality and provides clarity for nuanced episodes such as his disagreements with Garrison, his refusal to support efforts to colonize blacks outside of the United States, and his reservations about John Brown's raid. Complications in his personal life are handled with sensitivity. In addition, Douglass was a celebrity at the dawn of photography and became the era's most photographed figure, and this handsome volume includes many, as well as period illustrations.A spirited biography that fully honors its redoubtable subject. (author's note, timeline, source notes, selected sources, index) (Biography. 10-14)
