(2) K-3 Illustrated by Byron McCray. This necessary backstory of the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom illuminates the significant role played by activist Bayard Rustin in that immensely successful event. Born in 1912, Rustin was raised by his grandmother on Quaker values of nonviolence and awareness of injustices suffered by fellow African Americans. In later years, he "put his feelings about equality and pacifism into action." Undeterred in his resolve, he was beaten, arrested, and jailed for refusing to give up his seat on a bus or to fight in World War II. Upon his return from India, where he traveled to learn about nonviolent protest from Gandhi's followers, he introduced the philosophy to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It became the strategy that anchored the civil rights movement. Although rebuked and sidelined because he was gay, Rustin remained committed to his personal cause of equality for all. Weatherford and Sanders's engaging and fluid narrative is accentuated with titles of protest songs, alluding to Rustin's love of music and its importance in the civil rights movement. Acrylics in bold, vibrant colors with collage elements convey the quiet, unassuming demeanor of Rustin as well as the triumphant spirit of the March on Washington. Back matter includes a timeline, information on music and peaceful protests, a copy of the official program, and references.

Reviewer: Pauletta Brown Bracy | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2023

(3) K-3 Ordinary People Change the World series. Illustrated by Christopher Eliopoulos. From childhood anecdotes ("I was shy... I spent most of my time with books") to the discrimination he faced to development of his Satyagraha ("Truth Force"), the scope of Gandhi's struggles and accomplishments is conveyed. There's some gentle moralizing, but it's well delivered via this biography series' child-friendly setup: a chatty first-person narrative and cartoon art with occasional comics-style frames. Photos are appended. Reading list, timeline. Bib.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Evan Turk. After young Arun Gandhi tosses a pencil nub away in rebellion, he comes to understand the ways in which he can "be the change you wish to see in the world." Turk's artwork is stunning in color and composition, providing visual clarity to heady concepts. From the creators of Grandfather Gandhi, another valuable title for showing the human side of the seminal figure that is Gandhi.

Reviewer: Sam Bloom | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2016

(4) K-3 Zoom In on Legendary Leaders series. These titles offer a superficial first glance at the lives of six influential leaders (all male), their accomplishments/impact on others, and their place in history. The historical photos, paintings, and drawings add depth to brief texts that align to Common Core Standards. Appended lists of quick stats and key dates may be helpful when writing reports. Glos., ind. Review covers the following Zoom In on Legendary Leaders titles: Abraham Lincoln, Barack Obama, Cesar Chavez, George Washington, Mahatma Gandhi, and Nelson Mandela.

Reviewer: Nancy Sheridan

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Evan Turk. Mahatma Gandhi's grandson, Arun, who angers easily, feels he will never live up to the Gandhi name. Gandhi explains that he, too, feels anger but has learned to channel it for good. Unusual for its child-centered portrait of Gandhi, the graceful narrative is matched by vivid mixed-media illustrations, rendered in watercolor, paper collage, cotton fabric, yarn, gouache, pencil, tea, and tinfoil.

Reviewer: Kathleen T. Horning | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2014

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Giuliano Ferri. A grandfather tells his grandson about the 1930 Salt March undertaken by Gandhi and thousands of Indians, including the old man (as a boy) and his brother, in the fight for India's independence. The glowing watercolor and colored-pencil illustrations reflect the text's idealism, but the story is a good introduction to the event and Gandhi's work. An afterword provides more context. Reading list, websites.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(4) YA This slim account of the death of India's celebrated spiritual leader focuses on the political turmoil in India that ultimately led to his assassination. Forthright text and ample back matter provide an adequate but cursory introduction to Gandhi's life, death, and lasting influence. Interested readers may be inspired to seek out more in-depth biographies. Reading list, timeline, websites. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Jessica Tackett MacDonald

(4) YA Days of Decision series. These slim books provide solid analysis of pivotal events in world history and the decision-makers who affected them. Report writers and debaters will find useful and pertinent background information; readers are encouraged to consider questions and dilemmas faced by leaders and historians. The pages are overly busy with archival photos, captions, sidebars, maps, and other graphics. Reading list, timeline, websites. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Days of Decision titles: Gandhi and the Quit India Movement, Hitler and Kristallnacht, and Kennedy and the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Thomas Gonzalez. In 1930 Mohandas Gandhi led a twenty-four-day march to protest British laws prohibiting Indians from harvesting or selling salt. McGinty captures the power of the event in rich, celebratory prose. Mixed-media illustrations, full of sweeping horizons, beatific faces, and dramatic light, enhance the reverent tone. Together, text and imagery establish a conspicuous glorification at odds with Gandhi’s humility. Appended with scrupulous source notes.

Reviewer: Thom Barthelmess | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2013

(3) YA Two years after the events of Small Acts of Amazing Courage, Rosalind, still devoted to Gandhi's movement for Indian independence despite her British officer father's staunch disapproval, is in a position to make a difference when the Prince of Wales visits. Strong-willed Rosy is a sympathetic protagonist, and Whelan evokes 1920s India--its scenery, the culture, political and social tensions--beautifully. Glos.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(4) YA Champion of Freedom series. Sawyer chronicles the life and work of Mohandas Gandhi, paying particular attention to his influences, promotion of self-reliance, and work as an author and political activist; also briefly mentioned are his complicated beliefs regarding family and women. More context or analysis in the text would have been useful. Black-and-white photographs appear throughout. Timeline, websites. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Rebecca Hachmyer

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Severine Cordier. The bulk of this biography is well written, informative, and thoughtful, combining personal and historical anecdotes and supplemented with evocative photographs, drawings, and sidebars. The introductory "biographical comic" detracts somewhat from the overall message and aesthetic. Several pages of appended quotes, though nicely laid out, do little to further the power of Gandhi's story. Reading list, timeline, websites. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Miriam Steinberg-Egeth

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Anne Sibley O'Brien. A mother-son team profiles sixteen activists or resistance groups and social movements, from Vietnamese Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh to Muhammad Ali to 2003's worldwide Iraq war protest. The book begins with Gandhi, and a common thread is commitment to the credo of nonviolence. Sections include context-setting background information and shadowy black-and-white drawings. A significant and timely offering. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) YA In 1918 India, when twelve-year-old Leela's husband dies, she's forced to follow widows' mourning traditions of the brahman (highest) class, including a year of isolation, or "keeping corner." Gandhi's influence on Leela's family--and all of India--eventually allows her to pursue larger goals. The national struggle provides a powerful backdrop for Leela's own increasing social consciousness. Glos.

Reviewer: Miriam Steinberg-Egeth

(4) K-3 Pull Ahead Books series. These slim, square biographies for early independent readers only skim the surface of their subjects' lives, but they are effective in providing readers with a general sense of why these historical figures are important. Key events are noted in brief chapters; the text is supported by photographs and reproductions of maps, paintings, and other period material. Timeline, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Pull Ahead Books titles: Susan B. Anthony,Thomas Jefferson, and Mohandas Gandhi.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(4) 4-6 Famous Lives series. Effectively integrating historical context into the discussion, these biographies present an overview of each subject's life and notable contributions. The large format includes photos, archival reproductions, and a spacious layout, making the books accessible and easy to read. The quality of the writing is uneven, but readers will gain a basic appreciation of these important figures in history. Reading list, timeline. Glos., ind. [Review covers these Famous Lives titles: Florence Nightingale, Gandhi, The Dalai Lama, and John Lennon.]

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(2) 4-6 In this tale about a spiritual and political leader, Demi's stylistic richness honors and celebrates Gandhi's commitment to a spare life. Each exquisitely rendered miniature painting in this attentively designed book is bordered by two complementary narrow bands of colors, and then enframed with gold. Gandhi may well inspire young readers to seek out more of the complex history of this remarkable humanitarian.

Reviewer: Susan P. Bloom | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2001

(3) 4-6 Overcoming Adversity series. In the books in this series, each subject triumphed over hardships that ranged from physical disability to nationwide political oppression. The clearly written texts do not overplay this aspect of each subject's story but incorporate it into informative and cohesive biographical portraits. Illustrated with average-quality black-and-white photos, each volume contains a timeline; Twain and Wonder also feature discographies. Bib., ind. [Review covers these titles: Triumph of the Imagination, John McCain, Shania Twain, Mohandas K. Gandhi, Stevie Wonder.]

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(4) YA Importance Of series. Thorough and thoughtful, this biography of Gandhi covers his childhood, influences that shaped his philosophy of nonviolent resistance, events in his life, and his contribution to India's struggle for independence. Sidebars enrich the text with quotes, including tributes to Gandhi, excerpts from his writings, and related sources, while poorly reproduced black-and-white photos illustrate the book. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(3) 4-6 In World History series. Epitomizing his own era as have few others, Gandhi makes an excellent subject for this series. From his years in South Africa to his return to India as a national hero, his example of nonviolence led to India's independence from Britain and a worldwide awareness of the plight of the poor; the book, illustrated with black-and-white photos, offers plentiful information about this progression. A time line is included. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian