X: A Biography of Malcolm X

American Graphic

by Jessica S. Gunderson

Someone was trying to kill Malcolm X, and he knew who it was. From his troubled youth to his days as spokesman for the Nation of Islam, Malcolm X had much to say about race and civil rights. But when he split with the Nation of Islam, the charismatic black leader made one powerful enemy. Join him on his life-altering pilgrimage to Mecca where he discovers the power of brotherhood and the cost of racial divides.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Graphic Novels, Audiobook, Childrens, History, Comics

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2011

Reviews

[Kristine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, I have been looking for a book that starts with X for a while. I found an Audio that was supposed to be about Malcolm X’s life. It sounded interesting. The thing is this was first made as a Graphic Novel for children, so on Audio 🎧 it just jumped around a lot. I had a hard time following it.

I couldn’t really see this book as being for children as there was discussions of adultery, then Malcolm X knowing he was going to get murdered and finally he is assassinated. The book was 32 pages, and is listed as a children’s book, so that would usually be for Elementary School Age.

It could have been interesting for Adults if it shed some light on Malcolm X as a person, but it really didn’t offer much. I was interested in the fact that Malcolm X joined The Nation of Islam under it’s leader Elijah Muhammad. Malcolm X is quite influential and soon The Nation of Islam has 400,000 members. There is much friction between Malcolm and Elijah though, so Malcolm must leave.

It didn’t work as an audio for me. It may be better as a Graphic Novel. I like the cover.

[Lex’s Library · Rating 2 out of 5]

[REVIEW]

I think it’s important to learn about Malcom X because when I was in school, he was depicted as the “bad” civil rights activist, whereas Martin Luther King, Jr. was the “good” one. However, I don’t think this is the book to start with when learning about his life. There was so much context that got lost because it jumps right into Malcom X going to Mecca and becoming enlightened. It overlooked his childhood, his relationship with his family, and a lot of the things that happened to him when he was a part of the Nation of Islam. The only reason I know about these things is because I read The Autobiography of Malcom X, as well as X, a children’s book about his childhood that was cowritten by his daughter Ilyasah Shabazz. I can’t imagine what it would be like for anyone (especially a child) who’s trying to learn about Malcom X to pick this up without ANY context and be utterly confused. Not to mention that the audiobook was so disorganized. It’s possible for graphic novels to be translated effectively into audiobooks, but this wasn’t the case here. All in all, if you’re looking for a children’s book that talks about Malcom X. I recommend X by Ilyasah Shabazz and Kekla Magoon instead.

[Tia Schmidt · Rating 3 out of 5]

I knew quite a bit about Malcolm X going into this graphic novel, but the information in here really helped me connect some dots and further my knowledge about him and his life. This is supposed to be targeted towards 9-12 year-olds though and I felt that this kind of just jumped into it. Assuming most children aren't extremely aware of who Malcolm X is, this doesn't provide enough information, I feel, to give them the whole picture. It starts very abruptly and only covers very select events in his life. I wish it was a bit more thorough and covered more ground. It does its job though and the graphics are really nice and appealing!

[Nonno Kato · Rating 5 out of 5]

Malcolm X, a Human Rights Activist shows his powerful movement towards his idea of the existence of black community. This comic shows his whole timeline of his jail life to his movement for black's to gain more rights in society, and until his death..

This book also shows a different perspective of the movement that the Black's took in opposition of Martin Luther King Jr who had the idea of all equality among Blacks and Whites, and the nonviolence in the nation.

[Hiro Hayashi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Before I read this book, I just heard of Malcolm X. I didn't know who he was or what he did that made him such a popular figure in the civil rights movement, but after reading this book it made me realize why he was a person that was looked upon. He fought for education and the freedom that we all deserve and fighting equality for African Americans. This book again made me realize that not everyone has the same privileges as I do.

[Jennybeast · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short introduction to Malcolm X. Appealing to have it in graphic novel format, but it is so brief that it reads like an abstract of a life, rather than a compelling biography. Some of the panels are laid out in a confusing manner, as well, but I do think this works well as a teaser for kids to tempt them into learning more about his life and work.

[Miroku Nemeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just go be clear, the graphic novel portion of this very brief book is only 27 pages long. It is good in many ways, especially the way in which it starts in media res with Malcolm X going for the Hajj pilgrimage, which changed his life. It is relatively good for what it is intended for, though, of course, it does change some things and leave others out about his life.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Extraordinarily quick read. I wish it was longer. I wouldn't personally classify it for kids (classified as appropriate for ages 8 to 14) as the topic is heavy. I would say 14 and up is more appropriate. The book has potential, but needs to be longer so we can have a clearer understanding of who Malcolm X truly was.

[STU JORDAN · Rating 3 out of 5]

I learned who Malcolm x was. Something that surprised me was how violent he was, and how quickly he turned peaceful. this peacefulness was caused by realizing that nobody should be hurt. I liked this book because I didn't really know who he was.

[neeza zainal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and clear. Recommended.

[Sandra Foreman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very brief kids version intro into Malcolm X.

[Kathleen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Why does a childrens graphic novel mention him cheating on his wife?

[B.L. Blankenship · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a nice short piece about the life of Malcolm X.

[Cassidy Byrd · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't realize this was geared towards middle school/Young Adult, so it is a very surface view, high level of a read on his life.

[CiCi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Looking for an X book for my alphabet challenge, I found this. Very short. Just meh, not for me. I guess I was thinking it'd be way better.

[Journey Haddon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Do not recommend listening on audible

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great graphic novel I read with my kiddo. I do think there just could have been more added, but it was a great quick educational one that had her attention.

[Kayla Woerdeman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I needed a book that starts with X for a reading challenge I’m doing, so I picked this one. I didn’t realize how short and brief it is. Definitely better suited for children.

[Jay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty sanitized version of a militant man's life. I was disappointed.

[Jai · Rating 2 out of 5]

I listened to this not realizing it was a graphic novel. I wish it would have been longer with more detail.

[MarineCAT · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a future educator, I want more of these graphic novels for my classroom. This story needs to be told, as well as so many other stories in American history. Having literature in the classroom could deter so many students, but I think graphic novels like this have a great home in a classroom. This story is only a short glimpse of Malcolm X, but it is enough to allow a student to get interested and possibly read more.

[Andrea Beswick]

Found out information that I wasn't aware of but was not really my thing

[Christy · Rating 3 out of 5]

As I near the age of thirty, I look back and realize that in school, I didn't learn very much about Malcolm X, but learned a lot about Martin Luther King, Jr. This graphic novel provides a very brief summary of Malcolm X's life. Through the captions, it begins on his pilgrimage to Mecca in 1964, and flashes back to the major events in his life leading up to his pilgrimage. It covers his time in jail when he was in his twenties and learned that having an education would be his salvation. He learned about the Nation of Islam while in jail, and it's creator, Elijah Muhammad. He met Elijah when he got out of jail and helped increase the Nation of Islam's followers from 4,000 to 400,000. But the message he was preaching was one of continued racism where blacks would rise up and become their own group. When Malcolm X learned of Elijah's infidelity, he created his own group called the Muslim Mosque, and then the Organization of Afro-American Unity. After his pilgrimage to Mecca, he returned to the United States with a new awareness of equality regardless of color. On February 21, 1965, Malcolm X was shot 16 times by three individuals who were members of the Nation of Islam.
The graphic novel closes with a one-page summary of Malcolm X, followed by a glossary, more things to read, and internet sites. Perfect short (28 pages) introduction to Malcolm X for late elementary through middle school students.

[Travis Unterseher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brief Review:
This book as is a short biography of the life of Malcolm X. The book hits on the big main points that took place in the short life of Malcolm X. I really liked this book because of the illustrations. The illustrator used a Graphic Novel/Comic Book type illustration sets.

Content Areas:
I would use this book in the classroom to bring up the history of the Civil Rights movement in the United States during the 1960's. I would also use this book to show how peoples beliefs and way of thinking can change for the better. I would have students think about prominent people in history and research them and see if they had the same beliefs through their whole life or if they changed as they grew.

Comprehension Questions:

Q: What was the reason for the change in the thinking and believes of Malcolm X?
A: Malcolm X found out that his leader was not living the way that he preached, also his trip to Mecca showed him that all races of people could get along and eat off the same table.

Q: What event preceded the death of Malcolm X?
A: Malcolm X's house was fire bombed a few weeks before his death.

Student Wonders:

What did Malcolm steal to end up in prison?
Where is Mecca?
What did Malcolm X read in Prison?

[Jacob]

X: A Biography of Malcolm X (2011). Written by Jessica Gunderson. Illustrated by Seitu Hayden. This graphic novel tells the true-life story of Malcolm X, a prominent figure in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. The 32-page length of the graphic novel allows for a brief summary of the key moments in his life, including his life in prison, attraction to the Nation of Islam, and pilgrimage to Mecca. The story accounts for the drastic change in Malcolm X's mindset, from believing that the "white man is the devil" to an acceptance of unity among all races. Since the graphic novel is geared towards a younger reading audience, the artwork is simple and avoids gratuitous violence (ex: does not display blood or wounds). Overall, the graphic novel is a sufficient introduction to the powerful life of the Civil Rights leader. Older readers may want to a seek lengthier graphic novel based on his life, such as Malcolm X: A Graphic Biography by Andrew Hefler. Target Audience: ages 8-14.

[Lin Lin]

Having a tough childhood, Malcolm X thrived on self-education through reading books. Malcolm X advocates for the importance of education and freedom by any means necessary. His approach to social equality for the African Americans was sharply different from the civil rights leaders who believed in civil disobedience and other non-violence strategies. When he was released from prison in the 1950s, he met Elijah Muhammad, the leader of Nation of Islam, and volunteered to recruit members of the organization with great success. After JFK was assassinated, he split with Elijah and founded "Muslim Mosque", and later the Organization of Afro-American Unity. He changed his views on racial relations and began to share his new belief. He was against any form of racism and segregation.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

The graphic novel format of this partial biography makes the story of civil rights leader Malcolm X accessible to many young readers. Although the book touches on his childhood and his early introduction to crime, it also describes how he became educated while in prison and was attracted to the Nation of Islam. Years later, a trip to Mecca opened his eyes to the true tenets of the religion, and he became increasingly alienated from Elijah Muhammad, the founder of the Nation of Islam. The story is bookended by Malcolms X's fears about his own future since he had angered such a powerful man. This book is sure to spark curiosity in its readers who will want to know more about its subject.

[Nick · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would have given it a fourth star if the artwork had been better. For readers of graphic novels, the visual appeal is lacking. For readers of traditional biographies, the depth is lacking. It's like a short TV biography segment.
On the other hand, the written side of the material is above average as an introduction to a complex and influential man, and the book has a great deal of merit on that basis.
It is difficult to tell the story of any human being in so few pages, but at least this gives a coherent snapshot of why he was of significance.

[Randy · Rating 4 out of 5]

nearly 50 years have passed since Malcolm X was murdered, and still his message continues to inspire people. The publication of this book proves that,as his story is told in a simple, yet effective way through the graphic novel format.

I picked this book up as I was shelving it. I felt it was time to review what I knew about Malcolm X.

I finished this book because his story is compelling.

I would recommend this to all my students. They should read about the life Malcolm X lead, and learn from him.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

Streamlined account of Malcolm X's life and impact, using the graphic novel (for non-fiction) approach - works successfully - and creatively sequencing the story to highlight influences and his own evolution of philosophy.