DESCRIPTION
Kirkus Starred Review: “Beautiful, informative, essential.”
School Library Journal Starred Review: “Highly recommended for libraries that need titles about the ongoing global fight against racism.”
As Nelson Mandela lived and worked under the unjust system of apartheid, his desire for freedom grew. South Africa separated people by races, oppressing the country’s non-white citizens with abusive laws and cruel restrictions. Every day filled Mandela with grief and anger. But he also had hope—hope for a nation that belonged to everyone who lived in it.
From his work with the African National Congress, to his imprisonment on Robben Island, to his extraordinary rise to the presidency, Nelson Mandela was a rallying force against injustice. This stirring biography explores Mandela’s long fight for equality and the courage that propelled him through decades of struggle. Illustrated in the bold, bright colors of South Africa, A Plan for the People captures the spirit of a leader beloved around the world.
AWARDS and RECOGNITIONS
Mississippi Children's Museum Magnolia Book Awards 3rd - 5th Grade Nominee (2023)
Bank Street College of Education The Best Children’s Books of the Year List (2022)
Center for the Study of Multicultural Children's Literature Best Books List (2021)
School Library Journal Best Books List (2021)
Society of Illustrators Original Art Exhibit Selection (2021)
REVIEWS
Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“Beautiful, informative, essential.”
Booklist
“Palmer employs vivid colors and vigorous brushwork that capture his subject’s charisma admirably. . . . Rewarding reading for students of any country or culture afflicted with racial conflicts.”
School Library Journal (starred review)
“Highly recommended for libraries that need titles about the ongoing global fight against racism. Mandela’s journey makes for a powerful reminder of the ability to change.”
The Horn Book Magazine
“By the time the book shows Mandela freed and elected president, the reader is full of admiration for this passionate and talented leader whose dedication earned him the nicknames of Madiba, ‘honored elder’; and Tata, ‘beloved Father of a new country.’ Palmer’s dramatic paintings use dynamic brushstrokes to create engaging portraits of the eminently recognizable Mandela and of the world he influenced.”