"An inspiring picture book biography of Ida B. Wells-who was an educator, journalist, feminist, businesswoman, newspaper owner, public speaker, suffragist, civil rights activist, and women's club leader-as told by her great-granddaughter, Michelle Duster"-- - (Baker & Taylor)

An inspiring picture book biography of groundbreaking journalist and civil rights activist Ida B. Wells, as told by her great-granddaughter, Michelle Duster, is beautifully brought to life by a Coretta Scott King Award Honoree. 35,000 first printing. Illustrations. - (Baker & Taylor)

Ida B. Wells, Voice of Truth is an inspiring picture book biography of the groundbreaking journalist and civil rights activist as told by her great-granddaughter Michelle Duster and illustrated by Coretta Scott King Award Honoree artist Laura Freeman.

Ida B. Wells was an educator, journalist, feminist, businesswoman, newspaper owner, public speaker, suffragist, civil rights activist, and women’s club leader.

She was a founder of the NAACP, the National Association of Colored Women’s Clubs, the Alpha Suffrage Club, and the Negro Fellowship League.

She wrote, spoke, and traveled, challenging the racist and sexist norms of her time.

Faced with criticism and threats to her life, she never gave up.

This is her extraordinary true story, as told by her great-granddaughter Michelle Duster and beautifully brought to life by Coretta Scott King Award Honoree artist Laura Freeman.

Michelle Duster is an author, speaker, educator, and the great-granddaughter of Ida B. Wells. Her most recent works include Ida B. the Queen and anthologies Impact: Personal Portraits of Activism and Michelle Obama’s Impact on African American Women and Girls. Michelle was involved in having a major downtown Chicago street renamed to IDA B WELLS DRIVE in 2018 and worked with a committee to develop a monument in honor of her great-grandmother, which was completed in 2021 and located on the land where the Ida B. Wells Homes once stood in Chicago.

Originally from New York City, Laura Freeman now lives in Atlanta with her husband and two children. She received her BFA from the School of Visual Arts and has illustrated over thirty children’s books, including the Coretta Scott King Honor book Hidden Figures written by Margot Lee Shetterly, the Nikki & Deja series by Karen English, and Fancy Party Gowns by Deborah Blumenthal.

Booklist Reviews

The most commanding feature of this picture-book biography of civil rights activist Ida B. Wells is Freeman's vibrant artwork. Colorful images pop off the pages, complementing the text written by Duster, a great-granddaughter of Wells. This isn't a memoir, despite a few personal references, but rather a testimony to Wells' commitment to publicize the horrible injustices and racism of Jim Crow America. Wells was born into slavery, raised five younger siblings after both her parents passed away, and became a teacher, writer, and co-owner of a newspaper. She lost her teaching job after criticizing unequal education practices, and lost her first printing press in a fire set in retaliation to her anti-lynching activism. She never lost her resolve, and during her almost 50-year career, she helped found the NAACP and the National Association of Colored Women's Clubs and established the Negro Fellowship League. The book ends with a time line, an author's note, and an encouraging message to stand up, speak up, and make a difference—like Ida B. Wells herself. Grades 2-5. Copyright 2022 Booklist Reviews.

Horn Book Guide Reviews

A picture-book biography of an iconic journalist and civil rights leader deserves an opening line befitting its subject, and this one delivers: Some people refer to my great-grandmother Ida B. Wells as a 'boss.' Born into slavery in 1862, Wells lost both parents and a younger sibling to a yellow fever epidemic by age sixteen, and as the oldest surviving child was put in charge of her five younger siblings. Later, as a young teacher in Memphis, Wells spoke out against the myriad injustices Black people faced; unsurprisingly, she lost her teaching job as a result, but thus began her career as a writer and journalist. Wells is brought to vibrant life thanks to Freeman's (The Highest Tribute, rev. 1/21) stately mixed-media illustrations (see, for example, Wells's daggers-for-eyes look at a train conductor who booted her off for refusing to move to the colored car in 1884). Duster is not afraid to brag on her distinguished ancestor, proudly listing Wells's many accomplishments and ably describing her persistence and strength. It should be noted that this title focuses primarily on Wells's early years, and her later life is mostly glossed over (of the integral part she played in pushing back against inequality in the fight for women's right to vote, Duster simply writes that Wells was involved in the suffrage movement, accompanied by a serene-looking illustration of the activist holding a sign with two white protestors in the background). A timeline and an author's note are appended. Copyright 2023 Horn Book Guide Reviews.

Horn Book Magazine Reviews

A picture-book biography of an iconic journalist and civil rights leader deserves an opening line befitting its subject, and this one delivers: "Some people refer to my great-grandmother Ida B. Wells as a 'boss.'" Born into slavery in 1862, Wells lost both parents and a younger sibling to a yellow fever epidemic by age sixteen, and as the oldest surviving child was put in charge of her five younger siblings. Later, as a young teacher in Memphis, Wells spoke out against the myriad injustices Black people faced; unsurprisingly, she lost her teaching job as a result, but thus began her career as a writer and journalist. Wells is brought to vibrant life thanks to Freeman's (The Highest Tribute, rev. 1/21) stately mixed-media illustrations (see, for example, Wells's daggers-for-eyes look at a train conductor who booted her off for refusing to move to the "colored car" in 1884). Duster is not afraid to brag on her distinguished ancestor, proudly listing Wells's many accomplishments and ably describing her persistence and strength. It should be noted that this title focuses primarily on Wells's early years, and her later life is mostly glossed over (of the integral part she played in pushing back against inequality in the fight for women's right to vote, Duster simply writes that Wells "was involved in the suffrage movement," accompanied by a serene-looking illustration of the activist holding a sign with two white protestors in the background). A timeline and an author's note are appended. Sam Bloom March/April 2022 p. Copyright 2022 Horn Book Magazine Reviews.

Kirkus Reviews

An informative profile of trailblazing African American journalist and civil rights activist Ida B. Wells. Author Duster introduces the book's subject in the form of an illustrated family photo album, explaining that Wells was her great-grandmother. Duster chronicles the major events in Wells' life, beginning with her birth into slavery in 1862 and ending with her death in 1931. At the age of 16, Wells' parents died, leaving her to care for five younger siblings. She became a teacher, began to write about social and political issues of the time, and stood up for social justice. In 1892, the lynching of three of Wells' friends further stoked the fire in her belly. Her writing grew bolder, and she began to speak out publicly against racial discrimination, gender equality, and lynching at the cost of her livelihood and personal safety. The text incorporates a few details about Wells' personal life and includes an overview of her professional accomplishments—her work with the suffrage movement, co-founding of the NAACP, and creation of the Negro Fellowship League. Freeman's trademark multitextured digital art emotionalizes the matter-of-fact text. Photographs and pamphlets written by Wells appear in the artwork as illustrated facsimiles. The story is bookended by striking double spreads displaying stirring quotes attributed to Wells in enormous hand lettering. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A straightforward biography that pays tribute to an impressive and courageous life. (timeline, tributes) (Picture book biography. 5-8) Copyright Kirkus 2021 Kirkus/BPI Communications. All rights reserved.

Publishers Weekly Reviews

Duster, the great-granddaughter of Ida B. Wells (1862–1931), narrates this biography of Wells, "an educator, a journalist, a feminist, a businesswoman, a newspaper owner, a public speaker, a suffragist, a civil rights activist, and a women's club leader," as well as a cofounder of the NAACP. Straightforward prose highlights instances of Wells's persistence against injustice, while Freeman's multilayered digital illustrations enrich the text with cinematic vignettes. Spreads include scrapbook-style layouts and portraits filled with light, hues, patterns, and textures. If some of the diction is a bit elevated for the stated age range ("lynching was used to keep the Black community in an economically and socially inferior position"), Duster's profile succeeds in celebrating an accomplished, outspoken innovator, introducing a clear icon of justice, equality, and determination. Back matter includes a timeline and a note about Wells's legacy. Ages 4–8. (Jan.)