It’s that time of year again. If you’ve been with me for a while, you’ll remember my previous posts on what to read for Black History Month. You can find my 2018 post here, and here’s 2019. This year, I have four picture books with fantastic illustrations, all with their own distinct flavor.

Wilma Unlimited: How Wilma Rudolph Became the World’s Fastest Woman, by Kathleen Krull, ill. by David Diaz.Beautiful illustrations and a truly inspirational story make this book stand out. As a former and sometimes runner, her story appeals to me personally, and I love that she came from a big family. After we read the book, we watched Wilma Rudolph compete in the 1960 Olympics on YouTube. Watching this amazing lady run will give you goosebumps, but when you know her background, it becomes even more powerful.

Malcolm X: A Fire Burning Brightly, by Walter Dean Myers, ill. by Leonard JenkinsColorful, vibrant artwork with graffiti elements tell the story of the life of Malcolm X. He is the type of man history doesn’t quite know what to do with. Malcolm X’s contribution to the world can make you squirm at times. He didn’t preach nonviolence, and he initially believed in the separation of blacks and whites. This book does a good job of telling his story without oversimplifying. It creates an arc of his life that includes both his influence and his personal growth.

Starstruck: The Cosmic Journey of Neil deGrasse Tyson, by Kathleen Krull and Paul Brewer, ill. by Frank MorrisonKathleen Krull delivers again (did you notice she also authored the book about Wilma Rudolph?) with a compelling story about a boy who knew what he wanted from the very beginning, and then effectively made it his life’s work. This biography delivers science, history, and fun. The illustrations give the story an extra dimension. The book ends with an Author’s Note with more details about Dr. Tyson’s life, and includes a list of further resources.

Only Passing Through: The Story of Sojourner Truth, by Anne Rockwell, ill. by R. Gregory ChristieYou’ve probably heard of Sojourner Truth. Do you know her story? This book tells about her life, and in telling, provides a larger context about life for Blacks at that time. It also tells the story of Truth’s faith. Unlike the book I featured about Harriet Tubman, in which Tubman’s faith was a central part of the story, this telling held Sojourner Truth’s faith at arm’s length. It felt like a nod to political correctness, to give her story a broader appeal. Do we need to be so careful with our brushstrokes? Who would it hurt if Sojourner’s faith was a seminal influence in her life and work?

The illustrations, which read like finely painted caricatures, help tell Sojourner Truth’s incredible story. Even though the author shied away from embracing Truth’s relationship with God, the book is a powerful, age-appropriate account that doesn’t balk about communicating the painful story of slavery, along with the hope and change Sojourner Truth brought to the world.