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Carole Boston Weatherford

Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer: The Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement (Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Honor (Awards)) Hardcover – Picture Book, August 4, 2015

by Carole Boston Weatherford (Author), Ekua Holmes (Illustrator)

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A 2016 Caldecott Honor Book
A 2016 Robert F. Sibert Honor Book
A 2016 John Steptoe New Talent Illustrator Award Winner

Stirring poems and stunning collage illustrations combine to celebrate the life of Fannie Lou Hamer, a champion of equal voting rights.

“I am sick and tired of being sick and tired.”

Despite fierce prejudice and abuse, even being beaten to within an inch of her life, Fannie Lou Hamer was a champion of civil rights from the 1950s until her death in 1977. Integral to the Freedom Summer of 1964, Ms. Hamer gave a speech at the Democratic National Convention that, despite President Johnson’s interference, aired on national TV news and spurred the nation to support the Freedom Democrats. Featuring vibrant mixed-media art full of intricate detail, Voice of Freedom celebrates Fannie Lou Hamer’s life and legacy with a message of hope, determination, and strength.

Reading age

9 - 12 years
Print length

56 pages
Language

English
Grade level

4 - 7
Lexile measure

820L
Dimensions

10.31 x 0.42 x 11.38 inches
Publisher

Candlewick
Publication date

August 4, 2015
ISBN-10

0763665312
ISBN-13

978-0763665319
See all details

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From the Publisher

"Honest, informative, and unforgettable." —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“Told in the first person from Hamer's own perspective, this lyrical text in verse emphasizes the activist's perseverance and courage, as she let her booming voice be heard.”

—School Library Journal (starred review).

"Bold, unapologetic, and beautiful." —Booklist (starred review)

"This majestic biography offers a detailed, intelligible overview of Hamer's life while never losing the thread of her motivations, fears, and heroic triumphs, and places the civil rights movement in personal, local, national, and international contexts."

—The Horn Book (starred review).

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 6 Up—This welcome biography brings to light one of the civil rights movement's most inspiring leaders. The youngest of 20 children, Fannie Lou Hamer grew up in a family of sharecroppers in the Mississippi Delta. Forced to leave school after sixth grade, she joined the rest of her family in the fields picking cotton. Still hungry for knowledge, she found strength in the love of her family and through her Christian faith. Weatherford describes the hardships that Hamer endured. For instance, in 1961, while she was having a small tumor removed, a doctor performed a hysterectomy without her consent; at that time, Mississippi law allowed poor women to be sterilized without their knowledge. Hamer was in her 40s when young activists spoke at her church; until that point, she hadn't known that she could vote, and she volunteered to register. Though she faced threats and in 1963 was brutally beaten, she spent the rest of her life rallying others. Told in the first person from Hamer's own perspective, this lyrical text in verse emphasizes the activist's perseverance and courage, as she let her booming voice be heard. Holmes's beautiful, vibrant collage illustrations add detail and nuance, often depicting Hamer wearing yellow, which reflects her Sunflower County roots and her signature song, "This Little Light of Mine." Pair this title with Don Mitchell's The Freedom Summer Murders (Scholastic, 2014), which features a short chapter on Hamer, for a well-rounded look at this tumultuous, turbulent era. VERDICT Hamer's heroic life story should be widely known, and this well-crafted work should find a place in most libraries.—Marilyn Taniguchi, Beverly Hills Public Library, CA

Review

A welcome addition to civil rights literature for children ... Hamer's determination, perseverance, and unwavering resolve come through on every page. Holmes' quiltlike collage illustrations emphasize the importance Hamer placed on community among African-Americans. Young readers who open this book with just a vague notion of who Fannie Lou Hamer was will wonder no more after absorbing this striking portrait of the singer and activist. Bold, honest, informative, and unforgettable.
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Caldecott Honor winner Weatherford (Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom, 2006) has rendered Hamer’s voice so precisely that it is like sitting at her knee as she tells her story. Holmes’ multimedia collages perfectly capture the essence of each poem. Like Hamer’s life, the illustrations are filled with light, texture, movement, and darkness. They are both abstract and realistic, brilliantly juxtaposing gentle floral motifs with protest placards and Fannie Lou Hamer’s face in bold relief. Ultimately, though this is Hamer’s story, it includes the collaborative struggles of others with whom she worked and fought for a different America. Bold, unapologetic, and beautiful.
—Booklist (starred review)

Told in the first person from Hamer’s own perspective, this lyrical text in verse emphasizes the activist’s perseverance and courage, as she let her booming voice be heard. Holmes’s beautiful, vibrant collage illustrations add detail and nuance, often depicting Hamer wearing yellow, which reflects her Sunflower County roots...Hamer’s heroic life story should be widely known, and this well-crafted work should find a place in most libraries.
—School Library Journal (starred review)

Artist Holmes, in her children’s literature debut, elevates an already excellent narrative with richly colored collage illustrations that layer meaning upon meaning with scraps of historical photos, newsprint, maps, musical scores, and more...This majestic biography offers a detailed, intelligible overview of Hamer’s life while never losing the thread of her motivations, fears, and heroic triumphs, and places the civil rights movement in personal, local, national, and international contexts.
—The Horn Book (starred review)

In a series of poems in this biography, Weatherford traces the life of Fannie Lou Hamer from her childhood as the youngest of 20 children of sharecroppers in Mississippi to her social and political activism...The poems feature particular events in Hamer’s life and their implications, which provide readers with memorable, heart-wrenching details.
—Literacy Daily

Consider this not only as an accessible biography but also as a piece for solo or duet performance.
—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

The combination of history, poetry, and brilliant watercolor illustrations makes this a picture book on the Civil Rights Movement that should not be missed.
—School Library Connection

In a new children’s book, Roxbury painter and collage artist Ekua Holmes juxtaposes light and dark, flowers and protest signs to represent the life of Fannie Lou Hamer, civil-rights activist.
—The Boston Globe

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Candlewick; Illustrated edition (August 4, 2015)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 56 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0763665312
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0763665319
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 9 - 12 years
Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 820L
Grade level ‏ : ‎ 4 - 7
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.3 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 10.31 x 0.42 x 11.38 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #533,429 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #499 in Children's Social Activists Biographies (Books)
- #1,046 in Children's Prejudice & Racism Books
- #1,426 in Children's Multicultural Biographies

Customer Reviews:
229 ratings

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5 star		91%
4 star		7%
3 star		1%
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Top reviews from the United States

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KatherineC

Powerful, beautiful, accessible

Reviewed in the United States on May 3, 2021

Verified Purchase

I can't say enough good things about this book. The artwork is breathtaking, the parts that may he upsetting for younger children are told in a sensitive age-appropriate way, and best of all, much of the story is told through Hamer's own words. I bought this for the young girl I tutor and she loved it; I also bought it for an older friend who was unfamiliar with Hamer, and it spurred her to learn more about the Civil Rights Movement. I would recommend this book to literally anyone of any age.

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Amazon Customer

Beautiful book, LANGUAGE WARNING

Reviewed in the United States on April 29, 2021

Verified Purchase

The stories in this book and the illustrations that accompany them are beautifully done. There are so many valuable lessons that can be derived from this book.

Before purchasing this book for a classroom library as I had, please be aware that this book contains mature language, specifically the n-slur and the b-word on pages 21 and at the end in the source notes. I understand why the author included these words in the book. That said, I think people should be made aware of them before purchasing. This book is not one I would put in my classroom library for students to access and read at anytime. I believe reading this book should be accompanied by honest conversations about race, racism, and discrimination with a trusted adult and for that reason, I will be holding on to it to use as a resource to help me educate my future children.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Reviewer L

Stunning Blend of Text and Images!

Reviewed in the United States on January 12, 2016

Verified Purchase

I bought this book back in Nov., so this review is long overdue. It is a beautiful book, and in the capable hands of Carole Boston Weatherford readers are transport back through the life and achievements of Fannie Lou Hamer. Her words are both whimsical and striking. And the illustrations by Ekua Holmes are a perfect compliment to the images Weatherford's words create.
The illustrations are stirring and vibrant and demand to be recognized. It is no wonder that Holmes was awarded a Caldocott honor and the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe award for New talent for this debut work. It is well deserved. And this picture book biography is a wonderful addition to any bookshelf.

9 people found this helpful

Helpful

A. Schauer

An important and beautiful book

Reviewed in the United States on December 14, 2021

Verified Purchase

This is a wonderful book , and a real book. As another reviewer wrote, for younger children it should be read with a trusted adult. Even little bit of this book is pretty hard hitting. I highly recommend it , if it is read with adults or older children who can help process the difficult things that happened in Fanny Lou’s life and times. Everyone should know these things.

Helpful

CM Reader

Excellent and poetic biography

Reviewed in the United States on June 29, 2017

Verified Purchase

This is one of the best nonfiction picture books I've ever read. I love the way the author has told Fannie Lou Hamer's story through free verse poetry. She also has done a remarkable job of conveying these poems in the voice of Ms Hamer. It's a beautifully told tale of an important figure in civil rights, someone more people should know about. HIghly recommended for all ages.

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

Amazon Customer

Enjoyed book

Reviewed in the United States on April 13, 2020

Verified Purchase

Bought this book for my kiddo for black history month. We enjoyed reading this book.

2 people found this helpful

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