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Frederick Douglass: The Lion Who Wrote History
New York Times bestselling author Walter Dean Myers and acclaimed artist Floyd Cooper take readers/listeners on an inspiring journey through the life of Frederick Douglass.
Frederick Douglass was a self-educated slave in the South who grew up to become an icon. He was a leader of the abolitionist movement, a celebrated writer, an esteemed speaker, and a social reformer, proving that, as he said, “Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.”
The story of one of America’s most revered figures is brought to life by the text of award-winning author Walter Dean Myers and the sweeping, lush illustrations of artist Floyd Cooper.
RUNNING TIME ⇒ 18mins.
©2017 Walter Dean Myers and the Estate of Walter Myers (P)2019 Recorded Books
Frederick Douglass was a self-educated slave in the South who grew up to become an icon. He was a leader of the abolitionist movement, a celebrated writer, an esteemed speaker, and a social reformer, proving that, as he said, “Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.”
The story of one of America’s most revered figures is brought to life by the text of award-winning author Walter Dean Myers and the sweeping, lush illustrations of artist Floyd Cooper.
RUNNING TIME ⇒ 18mins.
©2017 Walter Dean Myers and the Estate of Walter Myers (P)2019 Recorded Books
Audible Audio
First published January 24, 2017
About the author
Walter Dean Myers
227 books1,200 followerspseudonyms:
Stacie Williams
Stacie Johnson
Walter Dean Myers was born on August 12, 1937 in Martinsburg, West Virginia but moved to Harlem with his foster parents at age three. He was brought up and went to public school there. He attended Stuyvesant High School until the age of seventeen when he joined the army.
After serving four years in the army, he worked at various jobs and earned a BA from Empire State College. He wrote full time after 1977.
Walter wrote from childhood, first finding success in 1969 when he won the Council on Interracial Books for Children contest, which resulted in the publication of his first book for children, Where Does the Day Go?, by Parent's Magazine Press. He published over seventy books for children and young adults. He received many awards for his work in this field including the Coretta Scott King Award, five times. Two of his books were awarded Newbery Honors. He was awarded the Margaret A. Edwards Award and the Virginia Hamilton Award. For one of his books, Monster, he received the first Michael Printz Award for Young Adult literature awarded by the American Library Association. Monster and Autobiography of My Dead Brother were selected as National Book Award Finalists.
In addition to the publication of his books, Walter contributed to educational and literary publications. He visited schools to speak to children, teachers, librarians, and parents. For three years he led a writing workshop for children in a school in Jersey City, New Jersey.
Walter Dean Myers was married, had three grown children and lived in Jersey City, New Jersey. He died on July 1, 2014, following a brief illness. He was 76 years old.
Stacie Williams
Stacie Johnson
Walter Dean Myers was born on August 12, 1937 in Martinsburg, West Virginia but moved to Harlem with his foster parents at age three. He was brought up and went to public school there. He attended Stuyvesant High School until the age of seventeen when he joined the army.
After serving four years in the army, he worked at various jobs and earned a BA from Empire State College. He wrote full time after 1977.
Walter wrote from childhood, first finding success in 1969 when he won the Council on Interracial Books for Children contest, which resulted in the publication of his first book for children, Where Does the Day Go?, by Parent's Magazine Press. He published over seventy books for children and young adults. He received many awards for his work in this field including the Coretta Scott King Award, five times. Two of his books were awarded Newbery Honors. He was awarded the Margaret A. Edwards Award and the Virginia Hamilton Award. For one of his books, Monster, he received the first Michael Printz Award for Young Adult literature awarded by the American Library Association. Monster and Autobiography of My Dead Brother were selected as National Book Award Finalists.
In addition to the publication of his books, Walter contributed to educational and literary publications. He visited schools to speak to children, teachers, librarians, and parents. For three years he led a writing workshop for children in a school in Jersey City, New Jersey.
Walter Dean Myers was married, had three grown children and lived in Jersey City, New Jersey. He died on July 1, 2014, following a brief illness. He was 76 years old.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
June 30, 2020
BLACK LIVES MATTER
Audible (https://stories.audible.com) have made available a selection of free audiobooks categorised as "Hear My Story". Some are own voices stories while some, like Frederick Douglass: The Lion Who Wrote History, are non-fiction. They are aimed at kids but anyone should listen to them to get better educated about race issues. No one is born racist but we can also learn to be anti-racist by picking up books like this.
This audiobook has such a powerful message: "reading could make a difference in how a person lived." It is only 18 minutes long but very insightful.
Audible (https://stories.audible.com) have made available a selection of free audiobooks categorised as "Hear My Story". Some are own voices stories while some, like Frederick Douglass: The Lion Who Wrote History, are non-fiction. They are aimed at kids but anyone should listen to them to get better educated about race issues. No one is born racist but we can also learn to be anti-racist by picking up books like this.
This audiobook has such a powerful message: "reading could make a difference in how a person lived." It is only 18 minutes long but very insightful.
January 24, 2017
Outstanding biography of Frederick Douglass by the late Walter Dean Myers. Powerful illustrations by Floyd Cooper.
January 24, 2020
In this moving picture-book biography of an American icon, two-time Newbery Honor winning author Walter Dean Myers spins an engrossing and ultimately uplifting tale of a courageous and thoughtful man whose personal actions greatly affected the course of history. Born a slave in 1818, Frederick Douglass, or Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey, as he was known as a young person, grew to maturity in Maryland, where he slowly became aware of the importance of reading, as a means of liberating himself. Teaching himself to read in secret, because learning was forbidden to slaves, he eventually escaped to the North in 1838. Once there, he settled in New Bedford, Massachusetts, and became involved in the Abolitionist Movement. Speaking publicly, publishing his memoir, involving himself in political debate, Douglass used words to help write the history of his country, and of the world...
Frederick Douglass: The Lion Who Wrote History is an engaging, educational, and deeply engrossing new examination of a famous figure from American and world history, one which explores its subject, appropriately enough, through the lens of reading, writing and the use of words in general. The narrative is structured in such a way that the reader comes away with both an appreciation for the course of Douglass' life, and a sense of how he fits into the larger course of American history. The artwork by Floyd Cooper, who has won a Coretta Scott King Award for his illustrations, is gorgeous, capturing in sepia-toned oil paintings the various important scenes from Douglass' life. The afterword includes a timeline of Douglass' life, a bibliography, and the text of the manumission letter that set him free. Recommended to anyone looking for new picture-book biographies, or books about Frederick Douglass, slavery, and/or Abolitionists.
Frederick Douglass: The Lion Who Wrote History is an engaging, educational, and deeply engrossing new examination of a famous figure from American and world history, one which explores its subject, appropriately enough, through the lens of reading, writing and the use of words in general. The narrative is structured in such a way that the reader comes away with both an appreciation for the course of Douglass' life, and a sense of how he fits into the larger course of American history. The artwork by Floyd Cooper, who has won a Coretta Scott King Award for his illustrations, is gorgeous, capturing in sepia-toned oil paintings the various important scenes from Douglass' life. The afterword includes a timeline of Douglass' life, a bibliography, and the text of the manumission letter that set him free. Recommended to anyone looking for new picture-book biographies, or books about Frederick Douglass, slavery, and/or Abolitionists.
February 10, 2017
The late Walter Dean Myers shows readers the upbringing of American hero, Frederick Douglass. Douglass was born a slave in Maryland. He was first taught about reading by the mistress of the house, but she soon stopped teaching him. Frederick grew up helping to care for the family who owned him and learned from the children of the family how to speak clearly. He also learned the differences between his life as a slave and their plans for happy futures. So Douglass taught himself to read. He was hired out to work in the shipyards where he met sailors who were free black men. He fell in love with a free woman and made his way North to freedom, posing as a sailor. Once free in the North, he started to speak out against slavery, becoming the legendary orator he is famous for being.
Myers draws a complete picture of Douglass here. He shows readers the differences between slavery and freedom with a clarity that is vastly helpful. He doesn’t linger on the violence of slavery but it is also not lessened or ignored. He strikes just the right balance for a young audience. As the book continues, one sees Douglass grow up, learn many things and then not only head to freedom himself but argue that slavery should be abolished. There is real courage on these pages, risks taken for a real life, and an understanding that Douglass himself was an incredible individual.
The illustrations by award-willing Cooper are exceptional. Done with erasers and oils on board, they have a beautiful texture to them, almost hazy with the historical significance of what they are depicting. There are images of love, others of violence, others of freedom newly found. As Douglass grows up on the pages he becomes more and more the icon visually as well.
Strong and important, this picture book biography is inspiring. Appropriate for ages 7-9.
Myers draws a complete picture of Douglass here. He shows readers the differences between slavery and freedom with a clarity that is vastly helpful. He doesn’t linger on the violence of slavery but it is also not lessened or ignored. He strikes just the right balance for a young audience. As the book continues, one sees Douglass grow up, learn many things and then not only head to freedom himself but argue that slavery should be abolished. There is real courage on these pages, risks taken for a real life, and an understanding that Douglass himself was an incredible individual.
The illustrations by award-willing Cooper are exceptional. Done with erasers and oils on board, they have a beautiful texture to them, almost hazy with the historical significance of what they are depicting. There are images of love, others of violence, others of freedom newly found. As Douglass grows up on the pages he becomes more and more the icon visually as well.
Strong and important, this picture book biography is inspiring. Appropriate for ages 7-9.
April 18, 2020
Wow! Great illustrations and fabulous text to introduce young people to this great man and all of the choices he made in order to create a life for himself and to open doors for others. I cannot recommend this one highly enough.
January 30, 2017
Great book, but NO MENTION THAT HE LIVED AND IS BURIED IN ROCHESTER. As a fellow Rochesterian, I take great offense at this. Not really. This book is solid all around. Well done.
February 18, 2017
Someone should send a copy of this to the current White House staff. Just so, you know, they have some specifics on the good work that Douglass is doing.
July 21, 2018
The late author, a five-time Coretta Scott King Award winner, begins this book by explaining:
“This is the story of how one man’s careful decisions and many accomplishments not only made his own life better but in many ways changed the history of America.”
Douglass was born into slavery in 1818. He watched how the white children lived where he was a slave, and he wanted to have the same opportunities they did to build a good life for himself. His owner would not let his wife teach Frederick to read along with the other children because “[t]eaching a slave to read will make him unfit to be a slave.” So Frederick reasoned that learning to read is what he must do to change his life. And he set out to do so however and whenever he could.
The book outlines his eventual escape from slavery at age 20, his work for both abolition of slavery and for women’s rights, the writing of his autobiography in 1845, and his decision not to join John Brown’s raid on Harpers Ferry. The actions he took both during and after the Civil War are also briefly covered.
At the end of the book, there is a timeline and small bibliography.
Illustrator Floyd Cooper has won multiple awards for his artwork. He uses a technique he calls “a subtractive process” by painting an illustration board with oil paint, and then applying an eraser to the paintings. The result lends warmth and texture to his pictures.
Evaluation: Myers chose an unusual selection of facts to highlight about Douglass’s life. I have to admit I prefer the children’s book on Douglass by Doreen Rappaport (my review is here). But the two books don’t overlap that much, and so could definitely be used not only to complement one another, but more importantly to demonstrate how histories by different authors paint different pictures of their subjects.
“This is the story of how one man’s careful decisions and many accomplishments not only made his own life better but in many ways changed the history of America.”
Douglass was born into slavery in 1818. He watched how the white children lived where he was a slave, and he wanted to have the same opportunities they did to build a good life for himself. His owner would not let his wife teach Frederick to read along with the other children because “[t]eaching a slave to read will make him unfit to be a slave.” So Frederick reasoned that learning to read is what he must do to change his life. And he set out to do so however and whenever he could.
The book outlines his eventual escape from slavery at age 20, his work for both abolition of slavery and for women’s rights, the writing of his autobiography in 1845, and his decision not to join John Brown’s raid on Harpers Ferry. The actions he took both during and after the Civil War are also briefly covered.
At the end of the book, there is a timeline and small bibliography.
Illustrator Floyd Cooper has won multiple awards for his artwork. He uses a technique he calls “a subtractive process” by painting an illustration board with oil paint, and then applying an eraser to the paintings. The result lends warmth and texture to his pictures.
Evaluation: Myers chose an unusual selection of facts to highlight about Douglass’s life. I have to admit I prefer the children’s book on Douglass by Doreen Rappaport (my review is here). But the two books don’t overlap that much, and so could definitely be used not only to complement one another, but more importantly to demonstrate how histories by different authors paint different pictures of their subjects.
July 4, 2021
I confess I know little about Frederick Douglass. Somehow in all the books I've read of slavery, the Civil War, and The Civil Rights Movement, I skipped Frederick Douglass. After reading this, I vow to learn more.
Born a slave, he was fortunate to learn to read by listening to Sophia Auld, the mistress of the house of his owner.
when the husband, and owner of Douglass saw that he was learning to read, he quickly stopped this and noted that "Teaching a slave to read, will make him unfit to be a slave!" Listening to the Auld children read and speak, he was determined that the only way out of slavery was to escape and to continue to learn.
Hired out by his master, he worked in shipyards. Most of his earnings went directly to his master. Meeting free men on this job, Using papers as a free seasmen's papers, he boarded the ship and fled into the world of freedom. Ending in New Bedford, Mass, which was a ship yard .
Breaking into the confidence to speak regarding slavery and all the horrible result of this cruel system, he met John Brown, the famous abolitionist. In an attempt to obtain the arsenal of weapons at Harper's Ferry, John Brown tried to talk Frederick into helping with his plan. Frederick Doglass thought the plan was dangerous and would not result into anything but failure.
Born a slave, he was fortunate to learn to read by listening to Sophia Auld, the mistress of the house of his owner.
when the husband, and owner of Douglass saw that he was learning to read, he quickly stopped this and noted that "Teaching a slave to read, will make him unfit to be a slave!" Listening to the Auld children read and speak, he was determined that the only way out of slavery was to escape and to continue to learn.
Hired out by his master, he worked in shipyards. Most of his earnings went directly to his master. Meeting free men on this job, Using papers as a free seasmen's papers, he boarded the ship and fled into the world of freedom. Ending in New Bedford, Mass, which was a ship yard .
Breaking into the confidence to speak regarding slavery and all the horrible result of this cruel system, he met John Brown, the famous abolitionist. In an attempt to obtain the arsenal of weapons at Harper's Ferry, John Brown tried to talk Frederick into helping with his plan. Frederick Doglass thought the plan was dangerous and would not result into anything but failure.
September 14, 2020
I missed this picture book biography by Walter Dean Myers back when it was published, so I was thrilled when one of our tri-college libraries ordered a copy. The artwork is detailed and inviting, following Douglass from his birth as a slave until he served the United States government in Washington and as consul-general in Haiti. Children and adults will appreciate the storyline and the beauty of the illustrations.
“Frederick listened carefully to the Auld children. They spoke clearly and directly, and he knew that it was because they had also read the words they used. He felt that reading could make a difference in how a person lived.”
The back matter includes a timeline of Frederick Douglass’s Life, a Bibliography, and a copy of the document signed by Auld officially freeing Frederick Douglass. The artist used erasers & oils on board to create the illustrations for this book.
For more children's literature, middle grade literature, and YA literature reviews, feel free to visit my personal blog at The Miller Memo!
“Frederick listened carefully to the Auld children. They spoke clearly and directly, and he knew that it was because they had also read the words they used. He felt that reading could make a difference in how a person lived.”
The back matter includes a timeline of Frederick Douglass’s Life, a Bibliography, and a copy of the document signed by Auld officially freeing Frederick Douglass. The artist used erasers & oils on board to create the illustrations for this book.
For more children's literature, middle grade literature, and YA literature reviews, feel free to visit my personal blog at The Miller Memo!
December 14, 2017
"This is the story of how one man's careful decisions and many accomplishments not only made his own life better but in many ways changed the history of America." Myers' tells the story of Douglass' life with vivid storytelling, and Cooper provides wonderful illustrations. A great picture book biography of Douglass.
April 17, 2018
This is a really nice introduction to Frederick Douglass. I would have appreciated a few more notes in the back, but the inclusion of his master's letter setting him free was really interesting. I'd never seen anything like that before.
November 30, 2021
4.5 stars.
January 20, 2026
An incredible life. Frederick Douglass was truly one of the best this country has ever produced. Myers did a good job telling a long story in a very succinct fasion.
March 24, 2017
Simple introduction to Frederick Douglass, covers importance of reading, escape, support of women's rights, meeting with John Brown...
April 15, 2022
Frederick Douglass: The Lion Who Wrote History is a wonderful introduction into the extraordinary life of Frederick Douglass. Douglass demonstrated the importance of self-determination, especially during a time when all of the chips were stacked against him. His journey from slavery to freedom, and to even become a statesman from the government that once restricted his freedoms is nothing short of remarkable. Many students will find his story inspiring and will want to lead a better life for knowing him. This would be ideal for 2nd grade and higher.
February 12, 2017
First sentence: This is the story of how one man's careful decisions and many accomplishments not only made his own life better but in many ways changed the history of America.
Premise/plot: This is a picture book biography of Frederick Douglass by Walter Dean Myers.
My thoughts: I enjoyed the narrative very much. Douglass' story is compelling, and, I believe Myers was able to do it justice.
In telling Douglass' story, much of American history is touched upon. These are complex not simple subjects, yet, they're clearly and concisely presented to young readers.
I also really LOVED the illustrations.
Premise/plot: This is a picture book biography of Frederick Douglass by Walter Dean Myers.
My thoughts: I enjoyed the narrative very much. Douglass' story is compelling, and, I believe Myers was able to do it justice.
Frederick watched as the Auld children received an education. He listened as they excitedly shared their ideas and dreams with friends. Theirs sounded like a good life, and he wanted the same chance to build a good life for himself.
If learning to read would make him unfit to be a slave, then that's what Frederick would do: He made the courageous decision to learn to read. It would be very difficult, because slaves were not allowed to go to school or have books to practice reading. When he could, he borrowed books from the young white friends he sometimes played with. He picked up old newspapers and flyers he found in the street. Anything that contained precious words was important to Frederick.
Not only could he tell of his experiences, but he could speak with an eloquence that stirred the souls of his audience. Douglass was often asked by the abolitionist society to speak at their meetings. Some people who heard him could hardly believe that he had ever been a slave. They wondered if all the black people working in the fields or on Southern plantations had the potential of this tall and handsome young man.
The careful and wise decisions made by Frederick Douglass--to learn to read, to escape from slavery, to speak out for justice for all Americans, and to aid the Union Army--had helped to write American history.
In telling Douglass' story, much of American history is touched upon. These are complex not simple subjects, yet, they're clearly and concisely presented to young readers.
I also really LOVED the illustrations.
June 17, 2020
Douglass is an important figure in American History. This book shows all he did, not just for blacks and slaves. There was a missed opportunity for an extended metaphor--the only reference to the subtitle comes at the very end of the book. I would have liked it to have been woven throughout the story.
September 17, 2016
This doesn’t come out until 2017 but I feel like this will one of those talked-about books next year. With text by the late Walter Dean Myers about the remarkable life of Frederick Douglas and to pair it with Floyd Cooper’s beautiful illustrations, how can it not be?
February 3, 2019
Though there are plenty of picture books about slavery with the majority that carries a hopeful message about freedom and determination, Frederick Douglass: The Lion Who Wrote History still manages to captivate a reader's attention. The story follows Douglass' life and details major moments in his life from his escape to his rise to fame.
Right from the first page, the first line immediately pulls the reader in with its poignant message: "This is the story of how one man's careful decisions and many accomplishments not only made his own life better but in many ways changed the history of America." With this particular slave narrative, it focuses on how despite being enslaved, Douglass DID have power over his life; this power was in the form of making certain choices which lead him to freedom. Many would find this line to be empowering and inspirational especially since Douglass also improved others' lives along with his.
Certainly some readers can negatively interpret this line to say that all slaves could have easily freed themselves with the right amount of hard work. However this line does present a thought-provoking discussion about this line's meaning in relation to how much autonomy slaves had.
As the story continues, it details Douglass' early life as a slave and how he made the choice to learn how to read despite its risks. Myers brilliantly yet succinctly explain why Douglass makes the choice to read because "the ability to read would expose slaves to ideas and information that would make them unhappy being 'owned' by someone else. If learning to read would make him unfit to be a slave then that's what Frederick would do." Douglass' decision to read would later contribute to his freedom and success.
After this, though Meyers does not graphically describe the abuse towards slaves, he again succinctly yet effectively describes what Douglass struggled through. After his escape, his rise to fame as an eloquent speaker gains the attention of abolitionist societies; he is then invited to speak at the seminal Seneca Falls Women's Rights Convention. Next the story describes his interaction with radical abolitionist John Brown which I felt was a bit unnecessary because it did not seem to relate to the rest of the story. After Douglass meets with President Lincoln during the Civil War to urge him to enlist black soldiers and the story fastforwards to the end where later served in the US government and in Haiti as a consul-general. The story ends with a line that echoes the first line: "The careful and wise decisions made by Frederick Douglass -to learn to read, to escape from slavery, to speak out for justice for all Americans, and to aid the Union Army -had helped to write American history."
I would recommend this book for upper elementary students because there is a good amount of text, but not too difficult for them to read through. Meyers' prose is simple, but written with so much weight and meaning that is able to concisely convey what he wants to get across. By doing this, he is able to easily explain more difficult concepts like slavery and its effects to his young audience. He is also able to tie the inspirational message he states from the beginning throughout the entire story. The illustrations are also beautifully drawn and reflects a similar style to Meyers' writing style: simple, but impactful.
My only complaint is sometimes there is a bit too much text on one page which could make the children a bit bored or intimidate them and John Brown's role in Douglass' life was not very fleshed out as to why this was important. But other than, this picture book is excellent!
Right from the first page, the first line immediately pulls the reader in with its poignant message: "This is the story of how one man's careful decisions and many accomplishments not only made his own life better but in many ways changed the history of America." With this particular slave narrative, it focuses on how despite being enslaved, Douglass DID have power over his life; this power was in the form of making certain choices which lead him to freedom. Many would find this line to be empowering and inspirational especially since Douglass also improved others' lives along with his.
Certainly some readers can negatively interpret this line to say that all slaves could have easily freed themselves with the right amount of hard work. However this line does present a thought-provoking discussion about this line's meaning in relation to how much autonomy slaves had.
As the story continues, it details Douglass' early life as a slave and how he made the choice to learn how to read despite its risks. Myers brilliantly yet succinctly explain why Douglass makes the choice to read because "the ability to read would expose slaves to ideas and information that would make them unhappy being 'owned' by someone else. If learning to read would make him unfit to be a slave then that's what Frederick would do." Douglass' decision to read would later contribute to his freedom and success.
After this, though Meyers does not graphically describe the abuse towards slaves, he again succinctly yet effectively describes what Douglass struggled through. After his escape, his rise to fame as an eloquent speaker gains the attention of abolitionist societies; he is then invited to speak at the seminal Seneca Falls Women's Rights Convention. Next the story describes his interaction with radical abolitionist John Brown which I felt was a bit unnecessary because it did not seem to relate to the rest of the story. After Douglass meets with President Lincoln during the Civil War to urge him to enlist black soldiers and the story fastforwards to the end where later served in the US government and in Haiti as a consul-general. The story ends with a line that echoes the first line: "The careful and wise decisions made by Frederick Douglass -to learn to read, to escape from slavery, to speak out for justice for all Americans, and to aid the Union Army -had helped to write American history."
I would recommend this book for upper elementary students because there is a good amount of text, but not too difficult for them to read through. Meyers' prose is simple, but written with so much weight and meaning that is able to concisely convey what he wants to get across. By doing this, he is able to easily explain more difficult concepts like slavery and its effects to his young audience. He is also able to tie the inspirational message he states from the beginning throughout the entire story. The illustrations are also beautifully drawn and reflects a similar style to Meyers' writing style: simple, but impactful.
My only complaint is sometimes there is a bit too much text on one page which could make the children a bit bored or intimidate them and John Brown's role in Douglass' life was not very fleshed out as to why this was important. But other than, this picture book is excellent!
February 4, 2019
Frederick Douglass: The Lion Who Wrote History is a children's picture book written by Walter Dean Myers and illustrated by Floyd Cooper. It is a cursory biography about the life of Frederick Douglass and his life and times.
February, at least in my part of the world is Black History Month, which I plan to read one children's book that pertains to the subject everyday this month. Therefore, I thought that this book would be apropos for today.
Frederick Douglass was an American social reformer, abolitionist, orator, writer, and statesman. After escaping from slavery in Maryland, he became a national leader of the abolitionist movement in Massachusetts and New York, gaining note for his oratory and incisive antislavery writings. In his time, abolitionists described him as a living counter-example to slaveholders' arguments that slaves lacked the intellectual capacity to function as independent American citizens. Northerners at the time found it hard to believe that such a great orator had once been a slave.
Myers' text is rather simplistic, straightforward, and informative. The biography was written well and told the inspirational history of a slave boy, who taught himself how to read and write as a slave to become one of the most influential icons for abolitionists. Cooper's illustrations are wonderfully drawn and depicted the narrative extremely well.
The premise of the book is rather straightforward. It chronicles the life of Frederick Douglass from his humble begins as a slave to the icon he had become when he escaped from slavery. Frederick Douglass serves as an inspiration for doing anything and everything in his power to make his dreams come true – even if it seemed impossible at the time.
All in all, Frederick Douglass: The Lion Who Wrote History is a wonderful brief biography about an amazing icon in Frederick Douglass.
February, at least in my part of the world is Black History Month, which I plan to read one children's book that pertains to the subject everyday this month. Therefore, I thought that this book would be apropos for today.
Frederick Douglass was an American social reformer, abolitionist, orator, writer, and statesman. After escaping from slavery in Maryland, he became a national leader of the abolitionist movement in Massachusetts and New York, gaining note for his oratory and incisive antislavery writings. In his time, abolitionists described him as a living counter-example to slaveholders' arguments that slaves lacked the intellectual capacity to function as independent American citizens. Northerners at the time found it hard to believe that such a great orator had once been a slave.
Myers' text is rather simplistic, straightforward, and informative. The biography was written well and told the inspirational history of a slave boy, who taught himself how to read and write as a slave to become one of the most influential icons for abolitionists. Cooper's illustrations are wonderfully drawn and depicted the narrative extremely well.
The premise of the book is rather straightforward. It chronicles the life of Frederick Douglass from his humble begins as a slave to the icon he had become when he escaped from slavery. Frederick Douglass serves as an inspiration for doing anything and everything in his power to make his dreams come true – even if it seemed impossible at the time.
All in all, Frederick Douglass: The Lion Who Wrote History is a wonderful brief biography about an amazing icon in Frederick Douglass.
March 2, 2023
Narrative story of Frederick Douglass's life, focused on the time period between learning to read with Mrs. Auld to the passage of the 13th Amendment. Includes details about his thinking and resistance, including his fighting back against the "slave breaker" Edward Covey. Also includes details about how he escaped from Maryland to New York, highlights about the impact of his impactful speeches and storytelling, discussion of his speech at Seneca Falls, and a spread about his interaction with abolitionist John Brown. Text includes well-placed quotation marks such as around "owned" and "property" when describing enslaved people's relationships to their enslavers.
Cooper's illustrations nearly all center Douglass, and in many of them, he is the largest figure. In others, such as when he is talking with John Brown, he is depicted as an equal, considering what John Brown was saying.
Too much text for most read-aloud opportunities, but an excellent book for individual or group study.
Cooper's illustrations nearly all center Douglass, and in many of them, he is the largest figure. In others, such as when he is talking with John Brown, he is depicted as an equal, considering what John Brown was saying.
Too much text for most read-aloud opportunities, but an excellent book for individual or group study.
April 19, 2019
“This is the story of how one man’s careful decisions and many accomplishments not only made his own life better but in many ways changed the history of America.”
Frederick understood at an early age that knowledge and the ability to read was the key to becoming a free man. He was determined to teach himself to read. He was inspired by the free black men he met when he was working in the shipyards. In order to get to freedom, Frederick posed as a free black sailor and his well-spoken responses to the conductor (and seaman’s papers) persuaded the man to let him on the train. Once free, Frederick spoke against slavery and in favor of women’s rights. His words had a powerful affect on those who heard them.
A solid, narrative biography that includes a timeline and a small bibliography for further reading.
Frederick understood at an early age that knowledge and the ability to read was the key to becoming a free man. He was determined to teach himself to read. He was inspired by the free black men he met when he was working in the shipyards. In order to get to freedom, Frederick posed as a free black sailor and his well-spoken responses to the conductor (and seaman’s papers) persuaded the man to let him on the train. Once free, Frederick spoke against slavery and in favor of women’s rights. His words had a powerful affect on those who heard them.
A solid, narrative biography that includes a timeline and a small bibliography for further reading.
February 6, 2017
What a gift to have another book by this thoughtful and powerful writer, so aptly paired with the illustrations by Floyd Cooper who has chosen a soft, almost washed background dominated on my pages by the presence of Douglass. Myers traces his life from it's early days, points out his understanding of the importance of reading and ability to talk like an educated person (using that skill to aid in his escape) and the experiences that informed his later life. We know he is strong of mind and body (besting his owner in a would be beating) and also open to thinking of the cause of others, notably women's rights. A biography with broad appeal making a heroic figure very human and illustrated in a way that suggests the legendary nature of the man.
July 5, 2020
We bought this book in 2017 when it first came out, and we read it again and again and again. My kids love to listen and learn about one of the most brilliant people to have ever lived. His story is incredibly inspiring. Even as a young boy, Douglass defied the world and never took no as an answer. The details of his story within this book show children (and adults) that they must push for what is right and commit to changing the world for the better. This book belongs in every classroom (and not just relegated to the classroom library). It should be shared collectively and purposefully with kids.
Full review with teaching tools: http://www.unleashingreaders.com/?p=2... (available after July 7, 2020)
Full review with teaching tools: http://www.unleashingreaders.com/?p=2... (available after July 7, 2020)
December 11, 2020
Frederick Douglass: The Lion Who Wrote History is a nonfiction picture book about a famous speaker Frederick Douglass. In this book it talks about the trials he was faced with growing up a African American. This book also teaches the importance of reading and writing.
I like this book because of the message of once you're a reader you can never have that taken away from you. One of the key points he has is once you learn to read, you will forever be free. Reading is very important.
I would use this book in my classroom because of what I said earlier about the message. It's important to show kids how important reading really is. I think this book does a great job of showing how life changing it can really be.
I like this book because of the message of once you're a reader you can never have that taken away from you. One of the key points he has is once you learn to read, you will forever be free. Reading is very important.
I would use this book in my classroom because of what I said earlier about the message. It's important to show kids how important reading really is. I think this book does a great job of showing how life changing it can really be.
May 30, 2017
Text: 5 stars
Illustrations: 5 stars
Worthy picture book biography of Frederick Douglass. Both text and illustrations do justice to this important and inspirational historical figure. I expect this book will be lauded come award time, which is especially fitting given that it is the last manuscript of the late Walter Dean Myers. Teaming him up with Floyd Cooper was a smart decision. A bit wordy by today's picture book standards, but the text flows well and sustains interest. Page layouts are superb and accommodate all that text with prowess. Includes a timeline, bibliography, and a copy of Douglass's "free papers."
Illustrations: 5 stars
Worthy picture book biography of Frederick Douglass. Both text and illustrations do justice to this important and inspirational historical figure. I expect this book will be lauded come award time, which is especially fitting given that it is the last manuscript of the late Walter Dean Myers. Teaming him up with Floyd Cooper was a smart decision. A bit wordy by today's picture book standards, but the text flows well and sustains interest. Page layouts are superb and accommodate all that text with prowess. Includes a timeline, bibliography, and a copy of Douglass's "free papers."
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August 20, 2019This an exceptionally well-paced, informative biography for young readers. The early pages have little text, and by the time there is more for a parent to read, young readers are happy to sit while you keep telling Frederick Douglass' story. The author presents his ideas in a way that children can understand, but without talking "down" to them. Highly recommended for anyone looking for an inspirational biography.
December 12, 2018
Frederick Douglass has always been one of my heroes. He knew that reading was his way out of slavery. He realized that as he made his way out of bondage, he had to do something to assist others. Douglass spoke against “the man and the system” to unveil the wrongs that he saw first hand.
While the story carefully sheds light on the life of Fredrick Douglass, the illustrations are even more powerful. This is a book for 3-5 graders that all should read. Absolutely awe-inspiring.
While the story carefully sheds light on the life of Fredrick Douglass, the illustrations are even more powerful. This is a book for 3-5 graders that all should read. Absolutely awe-inspiring.
February 25, 2021
I bought this book a couple of years ago when I visited Frederick Douglass's Cedar Hill estate in Anacostia, southeast Washington, D.C. with my children (5 and 2 at the time). This is yet another book I recommend to all early readers, as Douglass's story of heroism and leadership began when he taught himself to read. It was especially important for me to read it with my son, now 7, as he begins his reading journey and explore books and topics that he finds interesting.
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