Lift as You Climb [hc]
The Story of Ella Baker
Written by Patricia Hruby Powell & illustrated by R. Gregory Christie
“What do you hope to accomplish?” asked Ella Baker’s granddaddy when she was still a child.
Her mother provided the answer: “Lift as you climb.”
Long before the civil rights movement of the 1950's and 1960's, Ella Baker worked to lift others up by fighting racial injustice and empowering poor African Americans to stand up for their rights. Her dedication and grassroots work in many communities made her a valuable ally for leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and she has been ranked as one of the most influential women in the civil rights movement. In the 1960's she worked to register voters and organize sit-ins, and she became a teacher and mentor to many younger activists, including John Lewis and Marian Wright Edelman. 48 pages
"Christie uses strong lines and vibrant colors to recreate scenes from Baker's life and times, while expressing the leader's dignity, empathy, and determination. Repeatedly referencing Baker's childhood lessons, Powell's free-verse text conveys the importance of Ella Baker as a strong-minded woman working purposefully outside the limelight and making a significant difference within the civil rights movement." -Booklist, Starred Review (Grades 3-6)
"A beautiful book and a welcome addition to the picture-book-biography shelf." -Kirkus Reviews (Ages 5-8)
June 9, 2020
AR Level=4.2; Lexile Level=730 AD Adult-Directed Text
