Love, love, loved this one! It went straight on the purchase list for both my library and my home. I've long been a fan of Lorraine Hansberry's work, but surprisingly didn't know much about her as a person. This was a great introduction and has launched me on a deep dive of her life, so thank you!

Well done and thoughtful biography for upper middle-grade and older readers about playwright Lorraine Hansberry, the groundbreaking Black female playwright.

What I Must Tell the World: How Lorraine Hansberry Found Her Voice, words by Jay Leslie and pictures by Loveis Wise is a well-done and thoughtful introduction for upper middle-grade and older readers to the life of renowned playwright Lorraine Hansberry. The evocatively illustrated text presents the highlights of the first Black woman to have a show produced on Broadway (A Raisin in the Sun).

Starting with her surprising childhood as the daughter of a man who had to go to the Supreme Court of the land (and won!) to establish his right to purchase a home in the white Woodlawn area of Chicago and her preparation and journey in pursuing her dream of crafting a play representing the Black experience in America. There is a short, forthright discussion of her gradual awareness of her true sexual orientation, offering parents an opportunity to discuss and answer questions with their young readers. While this little book examines her life, it naturally brings up many important social issues that can also offer additional topics of one-on-one or group discussions with readers. Hansberry experienced the gamut of discrimination in her short life: for being Black, for being a woman in a traditionally male profession, and for being attracted to another woman rather than a man.

I recommend WHAT I MUST TELL THE WORLD: HOW LORRAINE HANSBERRY FOUND HER VOICE to young readers who want a look into the life of this fascinating woman.

Despite the book's choppy narrative style, I believe it has the potential to inspire young readers to learn more about Lorraine Hansbury's life. From the story, I took that Hansbury was an exceptional figure in her time, shrouded by the negative notion of women trying to work and make a name for themselves.

One thing I disagreed with in the book was bringing up Hansbury's sexuality. It was like a puzzle piece that didn't fit. It made sense with the transitions into talking about A Raisin in the Sun, but it still felt like a fact thrown in as a 'wow' factor.

<i> "Our stories can change the world"<i/>
I had heard of Lorraine Hansberry, because her groundbreaking play "A Raisin in the Sun" was the first show on Broadway to be written by a Black woman. But I didn't know anything else about the author. I hadn't realized that the story was semiautobiographical. The show tells the story of a family that wants to move into a white neighborhood despite the prejudice and pressure to stay away. Hansberry's own parents did exactly that and won a case in the supreme court for the right to live wherever they could afford. This book describes her early life and the people who influences her. Her father had told her that "Our stories can change the world", and she hared her story to audiences around the world. Parents who get this book to learn about a famous black author will want to be aware that it also discusses Hansberry coming to terms with the fact that she was "a woman who loves women". The topic is handled in a matter of fact manner. Hansberry lived by one of her father's quotes, "Your voice is your most powerful weapon." and she raised her voice to tell her truth. This book is entertaining and educational and the fantastic realistic illustrations by Loveis Wise help tell the story. It will provide a basis for family or classroom discussions and encourage readers to use their voices to share their own stories.

I received an electronic advanced copy of this book from the publishers, but the review is entirely voluntary. Although this picture book is recommended for 4-8 year old youngsters, I can honestly recommend this book for anyone wishing to learn more about the playwright.

What I Must Tell the World is an amazing telling that touches on pivotal moments in American history. Sharing this read with my young girls prompted conversations about what life might have been like for families that look different from them and what things we take for granted. It opened dialogue on bravery and doing the right thing. Most importantly it showed how impactful words can be and how a legacy can remain after brave people stand up and speak out.

I received an electronic ARC from Zando through NetGalley.
Leslie captures Hansberry's spirit and passion along with her struggles and fears. Readers see her life from childhood through the Broadway debut of A Raisin in the Sun. The author brings her world to life so elementary level readers can step in and be part of it. The artwork pulls the characters off the page and lets readers be part of her life story too. I appreciate the brief bios of the men who inspired her included at the end.

Brilliant. I loved how the book traces Hansberry's play to her family's experience moving to a white neighborhood and the court case that ensued; and how the book matter-of-factly depicted Hansberry's complicated romantic relationships.

This is an eye opening read. To have the courage to speak up for yourself and others is one of the hardest things to do. I think this book should be introduced as an assigned reader for 5th - 6th graders nationwide.

This was such an inspiring read. What I Must Tell the World is a picture book biography about Lorraine Hansberry. Although I have heard of A Raisin in the Sun which is one of Hansberry's best-known work, I never really knew much about the author. I enjoyed learning about Lorraine's life and how she came to write A Raisin in the Sun. I also enjoyed learning more about writers and artists in her era.

Lorraine Hansberry grew up in a family of movers and shakers who openly challenged the right to live wherever they could afford, and they fought all the way to the Supreme Court of the US. And won. Oppressed segments of any population are subjected to very similar abuses and segregation, but their family was African American. She grew up in Chicago, graduated from the University of Wisconsin, set herself to bring her stories to the public, and became the first African American female author to have a play on Broadway. This is a fine telling of the story of her life and achievements.
The composite illustrations by Loveis Wise are an important part of this telling of her life.
Perfectly suited for reading alone or WITH someone of any age including ESL, and great for gifting to families, but especially to a school, or your public library!
I requested and received a free temporary digital advance review copy on Adobe Digital Editions from Zando | Hillman Grad Books via NetGalley. Thank you! Avail Oct 22, 2024

This is a must read for parents and their children! The illustrations and text are well done and it's an easy read-along about important social issues like segregation, discrimination, and making your voice heard, all done in an artistic manner. While it is considered a younger child's book, I believe it is an excellent book for any age, child or adult, and a great book to read along with your child so you can discuss the many issues that are included.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this review copy. I have been given the copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

“What I Must Tell the World” tells the story of Lorraine Hansberry’s life in picture book form, making it accessible to younger children. It serves as a great introduction to an important figure in the American literary landscape and into African American literature in general.

The story excels in giving historical context and important information without getting bogged down in it. Lorraine Hansberry’s story is inspiring and so is this book. The illustrations are stunning and really enhance the story.

"Our stories can change the world" "Your voice is your most powerful weapon." Such amazing quotes from an amazing story. I think that it is important for all children no matter what to be able to see themselves in the pages of books. To see their own stories, or their family's stories. All families are special and unique, and so hopefully this story, and the historical aspect, helps others. Thank you to Netgalley for the chance to read this ARC.

Thank you Netgalley and everyone involved with providing this book for a review. I was very drawn to this book first because of the cover and then the premise. It started out very promising to me but started to lag a little and if this is meant to be a children's book I don't see why Hansberry's sexuality (she was a lesbian I believe) was a factor to be shared. That is just my personal opinion but I did enjoy reading about how she stood up for equal rights for Blacks and her Broadway play "A Raisin in the Sun" which I had heard of but now am going to look into reading.

I never learned about Lorraine Hansbury until this book. A excellent story to present to children to teach them about the lives of amazing, talented Black figures in history

I will say, the aspect of Lorraine loving women seemed to be thrown into the story with much resolution. It felt like a representation for the LGBTQ+ community without offering any details about what that meant for her and whether or not she found love, even secretly..

Raisin in the Sun is such a beautiful play so I think it's so wonderful that there is an illustrated book coming out about the writer of it. Nonfiction books are hard to make inviting due to how wordy they can be, but I felt like the illustratons ere nicely placed and helped that along.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy.

A beautiful story beautifully told. The typeface and illustrations are gorgeous, and the narrative is interesting and absorbing. I would recommend this book to anyone, regardless of age.

Beautiful illustrations went along with this simple bio. I didn’t know anything about Lorraine Hansberry other than the briefest of memories of reading A Raisin in the Sun in high school, so it was nice to read her story. This seems like a good fit for middle readers, some topics are still bit mature for my own kids.

What a wonderful book! Great content, teaches a lot about the hardships Ms. Hansberry faced and also the wonderful support system she had around her. I loved that this is a celebration of Hansberry's life and legacy, as well as a love letter to the power of theater and storytelling. What I Must Tell the World is a wonderful book about being true to who you are, making sure your voice is heard, and always fighting for what is right.

This high quality picture book biography about Lorraine Hansberry is inspiring and illuminating. I was not familiar with her life, only having heard about A Raisin in the Sun. This book would be a great resource for biography units. Rich language accompanies powerful illustrations. I appreciated the section on the inspirational figures in Hansberry's life.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for the ARC.