This comprehensive biography makes Mandela’s powerful story engaging and accessible to young readers. The detailed text and photographs portray the complexity of South African history. Timeline, Glossary, Sources.

"A young troublemaker grows up to be a civil rights activist, president of his country and world leader in this overview of the life and work of the Nobel Prize–winning peacemaker.

In an engaging narrative that avoids hagiography, Gormley chronicles Mandela’s childhood and youth as a village herder, his successful career as a lawyer defending victims of South Africa’s apartheid policies, his work with the African National Congress, his imprisonment on Robben Island, his presidency of post-apartheid South Africa and his efforts later in life as an international peacemaker. She effectively describes the gross injustices and absurdities of apartheid policies, including numerous examples of Mandela’s personal experiences living in a racist society. Mandela’s extraordinary ability as president to ease both the fearful suspicions of whites and the vengeful impulses of long-oppressed blacks, preventing the nation from plunging into civil war, is appropriately depicted as his crowning accomplishment. The author does note that Mandela was less successful in his personal life, with two failed marriages and estranged relationships with his children.

A complete, informative introduction to a nonviolent revolutionary and one of history’s most important champions of human rights. (photos, timeline, glossary, source notes) (Biography. 10-14)" From Kirkus Reviews, www.kirkusreviews.com

This biography is written at a middle grade level and chronicles the life of Nobel Prize winning peacemaker Nelson Mandela from his childhood as a village herder to his more current efforts as an international peacemaker. This would be a good book to use in a social studies course when discussing apartheid, peaceful protests, civil rights, or revolutions. The book includes several black and white photographs of Mandela, including his childhood home, Robben Island, and his memorial service among other important people, places, and events. This text provides readers with an in depth look at an important historical figure who most young people have very little knowledge of.

Reviewed for professional publication. ( )