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
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