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Chris Singleton is an inspirational speaker and former professional baseball player who travels the country as a student achievement specialist. Chris has spoken to over 60,000 students and teachers across the nation and has helped thousands of students and teachers overcome hardships and excel in the classroom. Chris's speech on overcoming hate with love has been seen or shared millions of times and has gotten him featured on Lifetime, ESPN E:60, USA Today, CNN, and Fox News. Chris is a proud father of his son, CJ, and a proud husband to his high school sweetheart, Mariana. Ryan G. Van Cleave wrote his first poem at age five, and he's been writing, reading, and loving poetry ever since. He earned a PhD in American literature with an emphasis in poetry and has taught at numerous colleges and universities. Currently, he runs the creative writing major at Ringling College of Art and Design. As The Picture Book Whisperer, he helps celebrities and high-profile clients write picture books and kidlit projects. Adriana Perez Perales is a freelance illustrator from Mexico. Her clients include Oxford University Press, Scholastic, Get Ready Comics, and many others.
STARRED REVIEW This empowering and engaging middle grade biography series about Black changemakers gets off to a strong start. The first releases center Black Panther actor and activist Chadwick Boseman and Dr. Mae Jemison, the first Black female astronaut to go to space. Boseman and Jemison excelled in so many areas--sports, the arts, and STEM to name a few--that children are bound to be interested in and inspired by their stories. The authors expertly weave quotes from the subjects with biographical information, creating an engaging and conversational narrative. Short chapters move the text along quickly. Resources follow each chapter, which include a glossary of terms and concepts, reflection questions, and world events happening at various points in the person's history. These sometimes seem extraneous, but the other elements will help readers process and make connections to the text. End notes include a master glossary, time line, and selected bibliography. Black-and-white, comic-style illustrations infuse the dynamic text with even more life.VERDICT Strongly recommended for juvenile nonfiction collections. STARRED REVIEW This biography in the Black History Heroes series (2 titles) offers an in-depth view into the life of Chadwick oseman, the beloved actor best known for playing Black Panther. Boseman initially dreamed of being a professional basketball star but encountered a turning point when he wrote and performed a play honoring a high-school friend who was killed. The book beautifully chronicles Boseman's struggles and triumphs throughout his college and acting career, from the stage to the big screen. Boseman's dedication, kindness, and talent shine throughout this introspective and simply written account, which also highlights many of the Black icons whom Boseman portrayed (James Brown, Jackie Robinson, and Thurgood Marshall). Singleton thoughtfully discusses the impact of Boseman's philanthropy, his fight for justice throughout his life, and his secret battle with cancer. Each chapter includes quotes from Boseman, ""Words to Know,"" questions to spark deeper thinking, and more. Readers will be enraptured with this magnificent tribute to the life of Chadwick Boseman, who was a true hero that anyone could look up to.
