Bessie Coleman

Children's Literature - Norah Piehl

This brief, easy-to-read biography of Bessie Coleman, the first African-American woman to earn a pilot's license, focuses on Coleman as an aviation pioneer and inspiration to other pilots. From her childhood in a one-room log cabin to her death in a plane crash in 1926, the text provides a straightforward chronological approach to Coleman's life. Each two-page spread consists of a black-and-white photograph on one page (only a few of which are of Coleman herself; the rest are related archival photos) and three to four sentences of text on the facing page. Section titles include "Young Bessie," "Learning to Fly," and "Stunt Flier." A timeline appears at the bottom of each page, and is gradually filled out as the details of Coleman's short life emerge. A glossary, index, and brief bibliography (including both print and online sources) round out this biography. Part of the "First Biographies" series.

School Library Journal

K-Gr 2-Through simple sentences and black-and-white photographs, readers are given snapshots into the lives of three notable African-American women. Coleman was the first woman of her race to earn a pilot's license, Jemison was the first African-American astronaut, and Rudolph was the first American woman to win three gold medals at the Olympics. Short chapters, with a time line at the bottom of the page, give basic biographical information and show how these women continue to be an inspiration for all. On each spread, a photograph faces a paragraph of large-print text. The concise information is perfect for the intended age group.-Tracy Bell, Eastway Elementary School, Durham, NC Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.