Malcolm X [Paperback]

Megan Stine (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up

Malcom X was born into a life of poverty and hardship. When he was just four years old, his family's house burned to the ground. Two years later his father died, and his mother found it difficult to care for her eight children. Left to fend for himself, Malcolm was placed in a foster home. As a teenager, he was convicted of robbery and sent to prison. But Malcom studied hard in jail and by the time he was thirty he had become a powerful leader and speaker. People all around the world listened to what he had to say, and African Americans began to demand changes in the way they were treated.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-7-Stine attempts to present a "truthful" portrayal of her subject, but mentions that this goal is somewhat difficult considering the different versions of events that are found in various biographies, Malcolm X's autobiography, and Spike Lee's film. Even so, she does a noteworthy job of not only conveying important parts of the civil rights leader's life, but also of addressing controversial aspects surrounding it. The biography is balanced in its coverage of Malcolm Little's life before and after his religious conversion. The writing style is quite appealing, and the information presented is not sensationalized. A center section of 14 black-and-white photographs provides glimpses of the man, his colleagues, and his family. In general, this title will help youngsters gain insight into the complexities and contributions of this important African-American leader.
Jeanette Lambert, Nashville-Davidson County Schools, Nashville, TN
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 4-7. Although this biography doesn't have the style and depth of Myers' Malcolm X: By Any Means Necessary (1992), the inexpensive paperback with a few black-and-white photos will reach middle-grade readers. The writing is clear and accessible, if sometimes too exclamatory. Stine provides no source notes, but she quotes extensively from Malcolm's Autobiography, which many kids will be stimulated to read for themselves. As she discusses the main events of his life--from his troubled childhood through the years of study in prison and his conversion to the Nation of Islam, then his break with Elijah Muhammad, the pilgrimage to Mecca, and the assassination--she makes the point that controversy still surrounds what actually happened in many cases and that it's hard to get at the whole truth. Above all, Stine communicates a sense of a man of anger and compassion, a leader who was always transforming himself. Hazel Rochman

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Paperback: 102 pages
• Publisher: Yearling (December 1, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0440409004
• ISBN-13: 978-0440409007
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,232,523 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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