School Library Journal Review
Walker uses the three autobiographies of 19th-century activist Frederick Douglass, who was formerly enslaved, as the core sources for this new biography. The author's extractions from the subject's descriptive passages, musings, stated opinions, and cogent observations make for a compelling work. Smyth's images advance the text's details, capturing people and settings: proportionate sizes between adult masters and enslaved children; expressions of wonder, anger, and uncertainty; planters' shacks and the city of Baltimore. That Douglass was an early fan of photography and had his portrait taken several times across his long life aids in Smyth's representations of him. Prose and art combine seamlessly for an excellent introduction to the complex exterior and interior lives of Douglass. VERDICT For all graphic novel collections.-Francisca Goldsmith, Library Ronin, Worcester, MA © Copyright 2019. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
Drawing on Frederick Douglass' own words, this graphic novel tells the story of one man's journey from the bondages of slavery to free, well-respected, and sought-after orator fighting for equality until the end of his life.Readers see Douglass, the child of an enslaved mother whom he only saw a few short times in his life, with no knowledge of his actual birth date or father's identity, being left at the plantation's great house by his grandmother, starved by a tyrannical overseer, and sold by multiple owners. A moment of benevolence by one owner's wife led to Frederick's being taught to read, which proved to be the key to his liberation. Placing Douglass in historical context, the book tells readers of his support of black troops during the Civil War, his rallying for women and the vote (despite the racism of some white suffragists), his advocacy of the rights of Native Americans and Chinese immigrants, and his mentoring of anti-lynching activist Ida B. Wells, and it also sheds light on intimate family relationships. The high-quality sources and extensive research lend this book an authenticity which precludes any denial of the cruelty, dehumanization, and intergenerational violence of slavery. The clear, expressive color illustrations simultaneously put faces to the characters as well as softening the blows of some of the more graphic moments in Frederick's life, making it more palatable for a younger audience. Powerful and engaging. (cast of characters, timeline, historical notes, sources, index) (Graphic biography. 12-18) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Not so long after his escape from slavery, Frederick Douglass addressed a convention of abolitionists in Nantucket, and, as Douglass' narration puts it, from that moment, when they thought of slavery, they would see my face. This is what graphic biographies can excel at, too not just compiling facts, but imbuing events with emotions and personalities, making history human. Mission accomplished here, through the distillation of Douglass' own words into a resonant and compelling narrative. We journey with him from the discovery of his own strength in the hellish care of a slave breaker, in his struggle to decide whether a battle against slavery requires oratory or blood, and through recruiting Black troops and counseling President Lincoln during the Civil War. Integral to conveying a sense of the era and its people are Smyth's faces, rich and distinct even in the stoicism of their anguish and determination, and Louise's historically evocative palette. Readers will feel Douglass' presence, but those straightforward facts are here, too, both seamlessly woven into the world we're witnessing and interspersed between chapters in concise text pieces. Douglass is among the greatest defenders of oppressed peoples in our country's history, and Walker has done a magnificent job of bringing him to life for young readers. Finely crafted and highly relevant.--Jesse Karp Copyright 2019 Booklist
Library Journal Review
National icon of the abolitionist movement, persuasive orator and author of three autobiographies, escaped slave whose former master apologized on his death bed, tireless crusader for civil rights for both women and men, hobnobber with presidents, Frederick Douglass stands as tall as the Statue of Liberty in our nation's history. This engrossing account draws on Douglass's words and includes brief background essays, character cameos, and source list. © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
