Overview
Colin Powell's inner-city childhood gave no clues that he would grow up to be the top-ranking U.S. military officer. In school he horsed around and his grades showed it. He spent aimless hours on the streets and at the movies with his pals. Nevertheless, Powell learned from his West Indian immigrant parents that hard work and education were the keys to success. Powell's life has been a testament to the American Dream, championing the ideals of democracy for all, regardless of class or color.Synopsis
Colin Powell's inner-city childhood gave no clues that he would grow up to be the top-ranking U.S. military officer. In school he horsed around and his grades showed it. He spent aimless hours on the streets and at the movies with his pals. Nevertheless, Powell learned from his West Indian immigrant parents that hard work and education were the keys to success. Powell's life has been a testament to the American Dream, championing the ideals of democracy for all, regardless of class or color.
School Library Journal
Gr 5-8-An objective biography of the now-retired black general who became Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, led the hunt for Noriega in Panama, and engineered the Operation Desert Storm invasion of Kuwait. Well researched, with a bibliography of recent sources, it is of manageable length and has an open format, well-organized chapters, and frequent black-and-white photos. The variety of sentence structure in the text maintains interest. Quotes from Powell and those who have known him add authenticity. This book compares favorably with Elaine Landau's Colin Powell (Watts, 1991), which is shorter and has more photographs. Banta's book has fewer illustrations but more information, making it better for older students.-Phyllis Graves, Creekwood Middle School, Kingwood, TX