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Reviewed by Tricia Gardella for Readers' Favorite
Nelson Rolihlala Mandela: A Biography in Rhyme is a simple story of one great man’s life. With its few pages, a minimum of words, and compelling illustrations, it is more telling than a 400-page biography. As both author and illustrator, Ramya Julian introduces us to Mandela and his long battle against apartheid—because “he knew it wasn’t right, and this is the story of how he put up a fight.” We first go to the village where Mandela was born, follow him to college, where he begins his fight against apartheid, to the city where he practices law, then to prison, where he will spend the next 27 years. But this is far from the end of his story. Next comes the very happy ending, when Mandela is elected as president of his country and wins the Nobel Peace Prize, a tale that will hopefully encourage young readers never to give up on their dreams.
The story and illustrations are not the only things that make Nelson Rolihlala Mandela: A Biography in Rhyme good. Words that may be unfamiliar to a young reader are tactfully defined directly below where the word is used. To me, this didn’t feel at all intrusive. This is a book you want to read again and again. Because you want to know how something so simple can work so well, another message, this one not hidden, encourages young people not to be afraid to speak up. Julian writes, “You have the power to set things right. Even the smallest flame lights up the darkest night.”
