“Alcorn’s ink-and-watercolor illustrations have a fluid quality, conveying both action within the story and movement from one scene to the next. The use of warm colors and fanciful elements help to mute the harsh realities of lynching and segregation, while still maintaining a respectful tone. Appended with notes on Well’s later life, a time line, and bibliography, this makes a good choice for middle-grade readers studying the early period of the civil rights movement.” —Booklist
★ “Alcorn’s striking, symbol-infused hand-colored prints on creamy vellum get star billing. . . Author notes, a timeline and more enhance this age-appropriate introduction to difficult issues and the woman who educated the world about them.” —Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
“An excellent picture-book biography. . . Alcorn’s inventive, imaginative artwork softens the violence without minimizing it.” —School Library Journal
“In this stirring tribute to an African-American journalist. . . Adding strong notes of reverence to the narrative, Alcorn’s big cubist paintings center on Wells. . . Capped by a well-chosen list of additional resources at several levels, this handsomely packaged introduction to one of the most important progenitors of the Civil Rights Movement is just the ticket for young readers not yet ready to tackle the Fradins’ definitive profile.” —Kirkus Reviews