African Icons: Ten People Who Shaped History by Tracey Baptiste

(Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book!)

 

about book: (summary from Goodreads)

In a richly designed work with maps, portraits, and graphics throughout, the award-winning author of the Jumbies series shows readers this underrepresented side of Black history and Black excellence.

Every year, American schoolchildren celebrate Black History Month. They study almost exclusively American stories, which are not only rooted in struggle over enslavement or oppression, but also take in only four hundred years of a rich and thrilling history that goes back many millennia across the African continent. Through portraits of ten historical figures—from Menes, the first ruler to be called Pharaoh, to Queen Idia, a sixteenth-century power broker, visionary, and diplomat—African Icons takes readers on a journey across Africa to meet some of the great leaders and thinkers whose ideas built a continent and shaped our world.

my thoughts:

Wow! What a terrific children's book about African history. It is superbly written, chock full of history and illustrations, and focuses on ten important individuals who shaped history - what more could you want from a book, right? I absolutely LOVED African Icons by Tracey Baptiste!

Talk about an informative, engaging, and important book. I just loved the way that Baptiste writes about history - her enthusiasm is effusive. And, she writes about queens, poets, and military leaders - providing a large and varied scope of African people.  This book makes you want to seek out more information about the history, people, and culture of Africa - it is fascinating and inspiring. African Icons makes for an excellent read. I would happily recommend it to anyone and everyone looking for children's books to read - you won't want to miss out on this important tome - check it out!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book!