I have been a reader and a writer for as long as I can remember, so books about reading, writing, and storytelling have always interested me. As a school library media specialist for over 30 years, I have read thousands of picture books and placed wonderful books in the hands of thousands of young people. Several of these books were mentor texts when I wrote my picture book biography. I want young people to be inspired to read and write, and I hope these books will do that for the adults who select them and the children who read them.
I often wonder what inspires someone to write, and in this book, Lesa Cline-Ransome does a great job of explaining how Ethel Payne became such a groundbreaking journalist.
I love that this book will inspire young readers to listen to stories like Ethel Payne did her entire life. The distinctive illustrations complement the lyrical text beautifully. What I also like about this book is that it’s a great example of writing articles. The book shows Ethel’s passion for the written word as a journalist and her persistence in telling the stories.
"A worthy addition to children's biography collections." -Booklist
"A solid treatment of an important but little-known figure, and it may prompt kids to think about the role and composition of a free press." -BCCB
"Cline-Ransome tells [Ethel Payne's] story with economy and drive. 'Somebody had to do the fighting,' she quotes Payne saying, 'somebody had to speak up.'" -Publishers Weekly
Renowned author Lesa Cline-Ransome and celebrated illustrator John Parra unite to tell the inspiring story of Ethel Payne, a groundbreaking African American journalist known as the First Lady of the Black Press.
