Book: African Icons: Ten People Who Shaped History
Author: Tracey Baptiste
Rating: 5 Out of 5 Stars

I would like to thank the publisher, Algonquin Young Readers, for providing me with ARC.

This is my fourth book by Tracey Baptiste and I really enjoy her writing style. I feel like her books don’t get the attention and praise they deserve. Since I enjoyed her Jumbies books, I went into this one with high expectations and I was not disappointed. While this is a middle grade book, there is so much detail and information. The pictures are amazing and the overall set up of this book is great. This is also more than looking at ten important Africans. Tracey gives you a look at the culture, history, and economic system of Africa throughout its history-ending with the European colonization.

I like that it is easy to read, yet gives you what you need. Each person’s section isn’t very long, but it gives you a little bit about them, how they came into power, and the impact they had on the world. It is right amount of information and the right length for middle schoolers. I teach middle school history-if these entries were any longer I know my own students would probably lose interest in them. Not only that, but by giving us a little bit of a shorter entry, it gives students a reason to go out and learn more about these people-perhaps even learn about other Africans who were not featured in this book.

With all of that being said, we are going to stay with the teacher side of me. One thing that struck me right away was the mix of male and female figures, as well as not solely focusing on kings and queens. One of the reasons that I have developed my own history curriculum is because of diversity in my school’s history books. Women are pretty much left out and they focus largely on Europe. The world doesn’t revolve around Europe and Europe is not where the first humans appeared. It’s Africa, ladies and gentleman.

The fact that there is a mixture of male and female characters will make this a hit. A lot of times in history, it seems like women are written out. My girls take this hard. The want a historical female role model and to say that women did have an impact. By including so many women, my girls are going to enjoy this book and will probably look more into these women. Plus, a lot of the boys assume that men are the only ones who can have an impact on history and this book will show them. Sorry, I know I’m not supposed to say that, but I’m trying to get them to open there eyes a little bit.

One thing that I would like to see in the future is maybe a whole Icons series from Tracey or if the publisher would make this a series with a similar set up for all parts of the world. I know it would make a great edition to my classroom library-which is where my ARC is going.
Anyway, this is a must have to any middle school history teacher or if you have a middle school history loving student in your life. I highly recommend.

This book comes out on October 19, 2021.

Youtube: https://youtu.be/dAC5n_gn7OE

When I was in school in the 1960s and 70s, I don't remember learning anything about African history beyond Egypt. Fast forward t0 2021. There is still little non-fiction that sheds light on the diverse and fascinating history of the African continent. So, I was thrilled to learn about this book. And after reading the pre-publication eARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley, I'm even more excited. Baptiste shares a broad history of the continent through the 16th century, framed by the lives of ten important people. Some of these are already fairly well-known, such as Aesop and Hannibal. But many of the most fascinating, such as Tin Hinan, the Berber woman who founded a thriving trading city in the Sahara, will be new to readers. My one concern is that the book is text-heavy, although there are beautiful illustrations scattered throughout, which means librarians and teachers will need to draw the attention of their middle grade students to the book. Reading a few well-chosen excerpts will hook kids. With extensive source notes and a well-chosen bibliography, it will also serve young researchers well. Definitely recommended.

Beautiful, detailed images. A fulfilling and robust historically accurate timeline of great African nations.

ARC provided by Young Adult Books Central

In her introduction to this book, Ms. Baptiste mentions that every February, for Black History Month, her children would bring home a single sheet of paper about Black history, that usually doesn't even venture outside of the US. Given the impressive range of African history, this is quite a gap in the education about this continent.

This book helps, although we still need many more books like it. In a fashion similar to collective biographies about kings and queens of England, we are introduced to ten historical figures, ranging from rulers to writers to military leaders. Some, about whom little is known, may be new to readers (such as Menses and Meneith, Egyptian rulers, and Mansa Musa, the richest man of all time), and others (like Imhotep, Hannibal Barca, Terence, and Aesop) offer additional, thought provoking information about well known figures. Each short biography is accompanied by a beautiful illustration by Wilson, bordered in pages decorations based on extant artwork from that person's culture.

In between these chapters are helpful descriptions of some of the societal constructs, historic framework, or rarely covered facts. These chapters cover topics such as the use of metal in the ancient world, how nature helped inform African stories, and how other powers invaded the continent and enslaved its inhabitants. These chapters help readers understand some of the things that happen to the biographical figures or what their world would have looked like.

There are plenty of interesting facts to tuck away for future reference. I found the chapter on Aesop, particularly, to be fascinating and informative. The Greeks had many writers and educators who were enslaved, but their histories are often not addressed. I thought it was interesting that Terrence, for example, is so much better known than Ennius!

Because there are so few books on African history, this could have easily been a whole series of books covering a range of topics. I also wish that there had been a few more maps, and that the book design would have included some sidebars and photographs of the African landscape. There is a lot of children's nonfiction that includes elements like this, in order to break up the text, and this book certainly deserved a similar treatment.

Wilson's illustrations are lovely, but it would have been helpful to have a few smaller ones incorportated in the chapter, showing some of the Egyptian gods, portrayals in art of Hannibal Barca, or examples of ancient manuscripts, especially since it is so hard to find books on these topics.

I can only hope that we see more books on African history aimed at middle grade readers, and that in a few short years I might be able to list a number books that are similar to this one.

This is amazing!! Stories I'd never heard, and really should have. A great historical resource, especially if you're a kid like I was who couldn't get enough of stories about real people.

A wonderful middle grade primer on prominent, yet often overlooked, figures in African history. These ten short biographies and accompanying stories offer young readers and adults alike an accessible introduction that is sure to instill in them a desire to dig deeper.

While rather quick and accessible, there is a bit to be desired in terms of organization and clarity - accompanying stories were sometimes repetitive and support sections could be more robust.

I really appreciated the Afrocentric design framing each chapter. Beautiful and steeped in history, these patterns add an engaging layer to the book and an opportunity to explore their historical and cultural significance further. Eager to see a finished hard-copy to appreciate the maps, graphics, and designs as they're meant to.

A much needed book to give our middle grade readers to learn about important leaders that shaped and developed African nations, culture and more. I do wish there were more illustrations (the book includes "portraits"), however I do understand that the book is focused on informing young readers on influential leaders.