I always have a difficult time with how I feel about these picture book biographies about a person that no child is familiar with or should be knowledgeable about. That being said, this is a lovely book. August Wilson (1945-2005) was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His father, a German immigrant, abandoned the family when he was quite young and his mother, a Black woman, earned a living by cleaning houses. August learned to read at an early age, but he struggled in school where he was bullied. He wrote a report about Napoleon for an assignment of an important in history.  His teacher refused to believe August had written the paper, so he stopped going to school and instead spent his days reading in the public library and wrote about people. Eventually he created the Century Cycle, a series of plays each representing a different decade of the 20th century, capturing the experiences of Black Americans. Writing in straightforward prose, Denmead illustrates how August Wilson turned a difficult childhood into a body of literature with major cultural impact. The detailed author’s note provides enlightening context about August’s work. Harris captures enhances the text with period details. Share this with a reader who you think may enjoy it and learn from it. Two plays, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and Fences have been adapted into films so older students may want to know more about August Wilson.

Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library