NELSON MANDELA, by Kadir Nelson

Quick Facts:
- 40 pages
- Written and illustrated by Kadir Nelson
- Coretta Scott King Honor Book

Considering the incredible position he holds as a symbol of hope and freedom from oppression in South Africa, and the profound respect with which he is viewed worldwide, it is surprising to me that Nelson Mandela is not often included in elementary curriculums. Mandela is certainly more immediately relevant to world politics than many of the figures students regularly study. That is not to say that these figures should be removed, but rather that Mandela's influence on world politics makes him as worthy of our students' attention as other great leaders of peace, like Martin Luther King, Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi.

I was very, very excited, therefore, to discover Nelson Mandela, an illustrated, biographical account of Mandela's life, written and illustrated by the award-winning Kadir Nelson.

[NOTE: Confusingly, "Nelson" is the name of both the subject and the author. Thus, Nelson Mandela will consistently be referred to by either his full name or his last name "Mandela", while author Kadir Nelson will be referenced as "Nelson".]

Nelson Mandela is arranged as a chronological series of vignettes in Mandela's life, incorporating both iconic images like the one shown above (which is also the cover of the book) as well as the author's imagining the landmarks in Mandela's life. In both instances, Nelson uses lyrical free verse and richly-colored illustrations to tell the story of how a young Madiba boy named Rolihlahla became Nelson Mandela. Take, for example, the pages shown below:

The text reads:

"Nelson was nine when his father
joined the ancestors in the sky.
To continue his schooling,
Nelson was sent miles away
to live with a powerful chief.
"Brace yourself, my boy."
His mother held her tears
and said good-bye."
- Nelson Mandela, pages 3-4

The text is tells of a painful time of change for Mandela, a time during which he lost his father and was sent away from his mother. It is appropriate, then, that the color red dominates both Mandela and his mother. Red is the color of pain, of suffering, and that reflects Mandela's life at this point. The horizon, however, fades from shades for red into shades of blue, and I believe this a deliberate choice when once considers where Mandela is going. He is leaving to continue his schooling, the beginning of a journey that will lead him to become a great global symbol of peace. Blue is the color of peace and tranquility; by placing it behind Mandela and his mother, Nelson hints that despite their present pain, their separation will ultimately lead to peace.

Perhaps one of the most appropriate choices in Nelson Mandela was to have every illustration a full-bleed, two-page spread. Kadir Nelson's biography is telling the dramatic, legendary rise of a man who not only fought for equality in one of the most divided nations in recent history, but who then successfully, and peacefully!, led that nation it its unification. This story of Nelson Mandela is larger than life, and turning page after page of rich, two-page illustrations reinforces that.

Both an author's note and a bibliography are included at the end of Nelson Mandela, as reference for its biographical claims. As a companion to the book, a DVD was recently released with Forest Whitaker reading the book and an interview with author Kadir Nelson at the end. I haven't had a chance to check it out yet, but it comes highly recommended by School Library Journal.

I visited South Africa this past May, and the respect and genuine love with which every South African I met spoke of Nelson Mandela (regardless of their skin color) affected me profoundly. He is truly one of the most incredible historical figures of the past fifty years, and this book is a beautiful tribute to his life and work.