Frederick Douglass: The Lion Who Wrote History

by Walter Dean Myers, Floyd Cooper (Illustrator)

Overview

"The go-to Frederick Douglass biography for younger students” (Booklist starred review).

In this powerful picture book biography, New York Times bestselling author Walter Dean Myers and acclaimed artist Floyd Cooper take readers on an inspiring journey through the life of Frederick Douglass.

Frederick Douglass was born into slavery in the South, taught himself to read, and grew up to become an icon. He was a leader of the abolitionist movement, a celebrated writer, an esteemed speaker, and a social reformer, proving that “once you learn to read, you will be forever free.”

The story of one of America’s most revered figures is brought to life by the text of award-winning author Walter Dean Myers and the sweeping, lush illustrations of artist Floyd Cooper. This picture book biography draws on Frederick Douglass’s autobiographies and includes a timeline, making it an excellent source for reports.

"A stirring testament to the power of words and daring action to create change” (Publishers Weekly starred review).

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780063037922
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	02/16/2021
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	594,647
Product dimensions:	8.80(w) x 11.70(h) x 0.20(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Walter Dean Myers was the New York Times bestselling author of Monster, the winner of the first Michael L. Printz Award; a National Ambassador for Young People's Literature; and an inaugural NYC Literary Honoree. Myers received every single major award in the field of children's literature. He was the author of two Newbery Honor Books and six Coretta Scott King Awardees. He was the recipient of the Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement in writing for young adults and a three-time National Book Award Finalist as well as the first-ever recipient of the Coretta Scott King–Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement.

Floyd Cooper received a Coretta Scott King Award for his illustrations in The Blacker the Berry and a Coretta Scott King Honor for Brown Honey in Broomwheat Tea and I Have Heard of a Land. Born and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Mr. Cooper received a degree in fine arts from the University of Oklahoma and, after graduating, worked as an artist for a major greeting card company. His many beloved books form a lasting legacy.

Editorial Reviews

Focused, informative writing and strong, effective illustrations combine to make this the go-to Frederick Douglass biography for younger students.” — Booklist (starred review)

“Young readers will certainly come away with an understanding of how one person, in spite of overwhelming odds, can make a difference. Cooper’s signature style brilliantly sings in clear and resounding volumes across every page....A posthumous title of distinction from [Myers].” — Kirkus Reviews

“This picture book biography draws on Frederick Douglass’s autobiographies to examine his motivations and his lasting impact on U.S. history....The events covered are well chosen to give young readers insight into the essence of his life and accomplishments. Recommended for collections looking to further explore Douglass’s legacy.” — School Library Journal (starred review)

“[A] stirring testament to the power of words and daring action to create change.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Douglass’s life story has a magisterial glow in this posthumous work from the esteemed Myers....Cooper’s realistic, slightly smudged art feels equally consequential, balancing dignity and emotion.” — New York Times Book Review

From the Publisher

Douglass’s life story has a magisterial glow in this posthumous work from the esteemed Myers....Cooper’s realistic, slightly smudged art feels equally consequential, balancing dignity and emotion.

New York Times Book Review

Douglass's life story has a magisterial glow in this posthumous work from the esteemed Myers…Cooper's realistic, slightly smudged art feels equally consequential, balancing dignity and emotion.

The New York Times Book Review - Maria Russo

★ 12/12/2016
The late Myers, former National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, powerfully examines the life of Frederick Douglass, born Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey, exploring the role that literacy played as he endeavored to free himself from slavery and work toward equality for all. Working in his signature oil-and-eraser technique, Cooper creates a series of striking portraits of Douglass as an inquisitive child, a “tall, well built and very unhappy” youth, and as a statesman who “continued to work and speak for the rights of all Americans” even after the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment. It’s a stirring testament to the power of words and daring action to create change. Ages 4–8. Author’s agent: Miriam Altshuler, DeFiore and Company. (Jan.)

Publishers Weekly

Focused, informative writing and strong, effective illustrations combine to make this the go-to Frederick Douglass biography for younger students.

Booklist (starred review)

★ 11/01/2016
Gr 2–5—This picture book biography draws on Frederick Douglass's autobiographies to examine his motivations and his lasting impact on U.S. history. Using erasers and oil on board, Cooper conveys Douglass's determination, portraying him as strong and serious even as a child. The artwork depicts Douglass's growing awareness that a life outside of slavery might be possible. The events covered are well chosen to give young readers insight into the essence of his life and accomplishments. In a child-appropriate manner, the text describes beatings, but the illustrations do not show scars. When Douglass was 16, his owner realized that the teen's independent spirit might be problematic. The owner sent Douglass to another man, Edward Covey, whose mistreatment of slaves often caused them to back down. In a dramatic spread, Douglass is shown standing over Covey as the older man crouches on the ground, Douglass clearly the victor in their confrontation: an image that emphasizes the spirit that drove him to stand up for himself and other African Americans through the abolitionist movement. A time line provides context and further details about Douglass's life. VERDICT Although this title is similar in scope to Doreen Rappaport's Frederick's Journey, the two books complement each other. Recommended for collections looking to further explore Douglass's legacy.—Lucinda Snyder Whitehurst, St. Christopher's School, Richmond, VA

School Library Journal

2016-10-19
From slavery to anti-slavery activist—a life honored and remembered.Writing with obvious admiration for his subject, Myers expertly conveys the life-changing and life-affirming moments and decisions that shaped Douglass into a man who "changed the history of America." Tracing his subject's childhood in bondage, Myers writes how the young Douglass recognized the importance of reading, affirmed his dignity as a man—not as a slave beaten into submission—and successfully escaped to freedom in the North. But Douglass did not stop there. He continued to write and speak forcefully for equal rights for all men and women. Young readers will certainly come away with an understanding of how one person, in spite of overwhelming odds, can make a difference. Cooper's signature style that combines erasures and oil on board brilliantly sings in clear and resounding volumes across every page. Douglass is portrayed in a sequence of portraits as pensive and dreamy, fighting mad, and commanding attention as a speaker. Scenes from his life depict slavery, black soldiers fighting in the Civil War, and audiences listening attentively. The backmatter includes the text of the "document signed by Hugh Auld officially freeing Frederick Douglass." A posthumous title of distinction from the multiaward-winning novelist, biographer, historian, and third National Ambassador for Young People's Literature. (timeline, bibliography) (Picture book/biography. 7-10)

Kirkus Reviews