(2) K-3 Illustrated by Daniel Minter. Schmidt’s hauntingly beautiful, uncompromisingly direct picture-book biography takes larger-than-life figure Sojourner Truth (1797?–1883) from childhood to old age, focusing on her acts of courage at a time when black Americans had few legal rights. Minter’s watercolor and mixed-media art is stunning, often making Truth the largest figure on the page or spread. An essential text for studying Civil War–era American history.

Reviewer: Michelle H. Martin | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2019

(3) K-3 Illustrated by James Ransome. Isabella Baumfree was born into slavery but later escaped and transformed herself into Sojourner Truth, antislavery speaker and women's-rights advocate. Assuming the voice of Sojourner, Turner's free-verse narrative is loose and colloquial, and the punctuation quirky. Ransome's dramatic watercolors complement a page design that plays with font size, italics, and ribbons of words floating across double-page spreads. Reading list.

Reviewer: Dean Schneider

(3) 4-6 Black Pioneers series. Illustrated by E. B. Lewis. In 1855, thirteen-year-old Maria's family is in danger of losing its home to Central Park's development. Meanwhile, Maria, inspired by hearing Sojourner Truth speak, gets involved in the struggles of a fugitive slave family. Hansen's New York City setting, ably assisted by Lewis's atmospheric black-and-white spot illustrations, is vividly presented. An author's note tells more about the time and place.

Reviewer: Nancy Hull

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Brian Pinkney. Using a folksy style that meshes well with Sojourner's voice, Andrea Pinkney focuses on Truth's determination and hard work as an abolitionist, preacher, and advocate for women's rights. Brian Pinkney's illustrations show the tall, imposing woman outlined with thick black lines against sketched-in backgrounds, keeping her the focus of each double-page spread and conveying the strength of her personality. Reading list.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2010

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Shane W. Evans. The lyrical, descriptive narrative tells, in parallel, biographical information about Harriet Tubman and Sojourner Truth. Despite the book's title, the "paths cross" moment is anticlimactic, with no definitive historical record of the event. The bold, textured illustrations in blues, browns, and gold are uncluttered and expansive. An appended epilogue gives more information about the women, though no sources are included.

Reviewer: Henrietta M. Smith

(4) K-3 Ready-to-Read: Stories of Famous Americans series. Illustrated by Julia Denos. This story of the freed slave who became a preacher and a fighter for women's rights is told cleanly and clearly in this book for more sophisticated beginning readers. Merchant provides some historical context and the motivations behind Truth's actions. Many of the illustrations are atmospheric and powerful (though a few look unfinished). Timeline.

Reviewer: Becky Levine

(4) K-3 On My Own Biography series. Illustrated by Matthew Archambault. These brief easy-to-read biographies introduce independent readers to three historical figures. The dry overviews cover each subject's childhood and adult accomplishments, discussing how each came to be a leader. The short lines of text and competent color illustrations on every page are appropriate for the reading level. Timeline. Review covers these On My Own Biography titles: Leif Eriksson, Sojourner Truth, and Cesar Chavez.

Reviewer: Elizabeth Shaver

(3) YA Black Americans of Achievement series. Each updated biography raises awareness about the unique contributions of an African American, exploring significant events from the subject's childhood through his or her adulthood while successfully blending information about personal experiences and public achievements. Photographs feature extensive captions, and informative sidebars round out the biographical portraits. There are nine other new books in this series. Reading list, timeline. Ind. Review covers these Black Americans of Achievement titles: Jesse Jackson, Sojourner Truth, Coretta Scott King, Malcolm X, and Frederick Douglass.

Reviewer: Amy Lois Cohn

(4) K-3 Let's Meet Biographies series. These basic biographies of Washington, black educator and founder of the Tuskegee Institute, and abolitionist Truth, a former slave, are engaging and clearly written, although occasionally the books' brevity results in what feels like unfinished thoughts. Archival black-and-white photos appear in an attractive layout. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Let's Meet Biographies titles: Let's Meet Booker T. Washington and Let's Meet Sojourner Truth.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) YA Historical American Biographies series. These competently written biographies cover a wide range of subjects who lived between the American Revolution and World War II. The texts are supplemented by black-and-white photographs and reproductions, as well as information boxes that provide colorful background information or place events within historical context. The final pages of each volume discuss the legacy of each subject. Time lines are included. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(4) 4-6 Famous Figures of the Civil War Era series. Illustrated with period reproductions, these biographies each accurately presents its subject's life, achieving in five or six chapters good balance about a sometimes controversial figure. Time lines and chronologies accompany the texts, whose styles vary from Lutz's fluidity to Grabowski's choppiness. The editorial decision to refer to the generals by first names is somewhat jarring. There are seven other books in this series. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(1) 4-6 Illustrated by Gregory Christie. Rockwell traces the life of "Isabella," who renamed herself Sojourner Truth when she began her journeys at the age of forty-six to speak out for the abolition of slavery. In Christie's paintings faces are composed of impressionistic dabs of brilliant colors that fuse into telling characterizations. It's a powerful story, well told and handsomely set: worthy of its courageous subject.

Reviewer: Joanna Rudge Long | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2000

(4) 4-6 These adequately written biographies of five African Americans influential in science, the military, the abolitionist movement, and women's and civil rights causes convey each subject's drive and courage in pursuit of their goals. The accessibly designed books are illustrated with archival reproductions and sepia-toned photographs. A time line is included in each volume. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Barbara Barstow