Biddy Mason Speaks Up (Fighting for Justice #2)
by Arisa White (Author) Laura Freeman (Illustrator)
Building on the brilliance of Fred Korematsu Speaks Up, the newest installment in the Fighting for Justice series introduces young readers to another real-life champion for civil rights: Bridget "Biddy" Mason, an African American philanthropist, healer, and midwife who was born into slavery.
When Biddy arrived in California, where slavery was technically illegal, she was kept captive by her owners and forced to work without pay. But when Biddy learned that she was going to be taken to a slave state, she launched a plan to win her freedom. She refused to be defined by her enslavement, and coauthors Arisa White and Laura Atkins devote much of their narrative to Biddy Mason's later life as a business and civic leader in the fledgling city of Los Angeles.
Biddy Mason Speaks Up is an age-appropriate yet unflinching examination of slavery, racism, and community healing in the United States. Each chapter begins with lyrical verse and full-color illustrations that draw readers into the narrative, and is followed by visually engaging sections filled with keyword definitions, historical context, timelines, and primary sources. Throughout the book, the authors pose questions to the reader, such as "How do you see power at work in your community?", making Biddy Mason's story all the more relatable to the present day.
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School Library Journal
Gr 8 Up--White and Atkins detail the life of Bridget "Biddy" Mason, a successful nurse and businesswoman who secured freedom for her and her children through legal action, and use her story as a lens through which to examine the experiences of enslaved people in the United States and the history of slavery as an institution. Each chapter begins in verse accompanied by bright illustrations, describing imagined scenes from Mason's life. (The introduction states that the authors "imagin[ed] Biddy Mason's life based on all the information and stories we could gather." The detailed source notes, located in the back matter, indicate where the information was drawn from.) This is followed by factual investigations into key historical moments and daily life throughout the time period. These thoughtfully written sections are well arranged with clear headings, definitions for important terms in the text and in sidebars, captioned historical images, questions for discussion, and time lines. An extensive amount of back matter makes this an enormously useful resource for students. A section at the end titled "Healing Your Community: From Biddy's Day to Ours" encourages readers to think about injustice in their own communities, and how they might speak up themselves. Readers and those recommending this book should note that the book includes a description of rape and discussion of sexual abuses suffered by enslaved people. VERDICT A first purchase for biography, history, and general nonfiction collections alike.--Darla Salva Cruz, Suffolk Cooperative Library System, Bellport, NY
Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.Review quotes
★ "Difficult but necessary, inclusive and respectful, this book does a beautiful job of telling truths about our history and how we construct it."—Kirkus Reviews
★ "A first purchase for biography, history, and general nonfiction collections alike."—School Library Journal
"Wonderful."—Candace Cooper, The Los Angeles Review of Books
"Moving and enlightening."—Marah Gubar, Public Books
"★★★★★"—Lois J. Wickstrom, Readers' Favorite
"This is as impressive a project as you will ever see to potentize history."—Matt Sutherland, Foreword Reviews
"A work that possesses undertones of inspiration that finally bloom into empowerment and freedom, Biddy Mason Speaks Up is a great read for all ages."—China Myers, Duende Literary
"A shining achievement."—Multiculturalism Rocks!
"Combines moving poetry with informational sections in each chapter along with a full-page illustration of a key scene in that chapter.... Biddy Mason's [story] is one with roots in California and significance everywhere."—The Pirate Tree
"Highly recommended."—Midwest Book Review
JNF018010 - Juvenile Nonfiction | People & Places | United States - African-American
JNF025200 - Juvenile Nonfiction | History | United States/19th Century
JNF053140 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Social Topics | Prejudice & Racism
JNF007110 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Biography & Autobiography | Social Activists
JNF007120 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Biography & Autobiography | Women
United States
Slaves
African American women
Frontier and pioneer life
California
Overland journeys to the Pacific
Freedmen
Women slaves
Mason, Biddy
African American midwives
