Reviewed with Joanne Mattern's Sojourner Truth.Gr. 1-3. These two brief, easy-to-read biographies in the Women Who Shaped History series introduce new readers to powerful African American leaders involved in the fight for freedom. Coretta Scott King is the livelier of the two books, beginning with her life as a student, wife, and mother and then moving on to her important leadership role after her husband's assassination, "continuing the cause" in the civil rights movement and the struggle for world peace. Sojourner Truth is choppy in style, and kids may be confused by the abrupt jumps in time and place. Even so they'll be caught up by the extraordinary life story and will want to seek out more about the dedicated woman's life. Both accounts certainly could have used more facts about the causes the women fought for, but the book design is very accessible, with a handsome cover photo, a large photo or chart or map on nearly every page, clear type, and boxed facts that will encourage browsing.
