Mandela [Hardcover]

Floyd Cooper (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 9, 1996 | Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up

For the first time in picture book form, children can experience the story of Nelson Mandela, from son of a tribal chief, to teenage ""troublemaker,"" to his inauguration as the first black president of South Africa, to the revered political leader he is today.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

A storybook biography of Nelson Mandela, written and illustrated by Cooper. The pictures convey Mandela's character as he progresses from childhood--he is the son of an African chief--through the struggle to get a good education in apartheid-ridden South Africa, to his days as an activist for the African National Congress, and then as the most famous prisoner in the world, ending with his election as the first president of the new South Africa. Small children will not understand some of the historical references in the text, so help from teacher or parent will be required to add context for the child. The book offers an ideal story for such interaction.

From Publishers Weekly

Cooper's (Coming Home: From the Life of Langston Hughes) poetic portrait of Nelson Mandela emphasizes the leader's lifelong commitment to "stand[ing] firm for what he believed was fair and right." Appropriately for his audience, the author focuses more closely on Mandela's boyhood and schooling than on his adulthood as an anti-apartheid activist or his ascension to the presidency of South Africa. Lyrically linking Mandela's Thembu heritage with his education in modern subjects, Cooper describes the young Mandela's relationship to Thembu elders, such as Old Chief Joyi, "[who] with his wrinkled blue-black skin and dry, dusty voice, had lived and seen much from the days of forever before." This dextrous attention to Thembu traditions paves the way to a stronger appreciation of the adult Mandela's commitment to freedom for all of South Africa's peoples. Striking an appealing balance between the representational and the symbolic, Cooper's intentionally grainy oil washes present impressive likenesses of Mandela throughout the stages of his life. Skillful design accommodates a lengthy text by setting it in relatively small type and superimposing it over sweeping, two-page spreads. A forceful, credible picture of a strong and deeply devoted statesman. Ages 5-10.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 34 pages
• Publisher: Philomel (September 9, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399229426
• ISBN-13: 978-0399229428
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 8.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,547,458 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Thought-provoking biographical story, June 9, 2011

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helenwitless (new england) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Mandela: From the Life of the South African Statesman (Mass Market Paperback)

I am involved in an on-line tutoring program for kids who need extra help with reading comprehension. This was one of the books we read this year, and I would highly recommend it to children and adults alike. I was vaguely aware of who Nelson Mandela was, and remember the news when he was finally released from prison. Had no idea what kind of early life he had and what he represented. This is a must-read for history buffs!