Nelson Mandela by Kadir Nelson

Image retrieved from www.amazon.com

1. Bibliography

Nelson, Kadir. Nelson Mandela. New York: Katherine Tegen Books, 2013. ISBN 9780061783760

2. Plot Summary

In this beautifully written and illustrated book, Kadir Nelson tells the story of one of the most courageous and determined men in history - Nelson Mandela. When Mandela was nine years old, his father died. He was sent to live with a powerful chief where he would hear stories of Old Africa and gain a deep love for his people and for freedom and protection for all. He studied in Johannesburg, where he became a lawyer to defend the defenseless. When the South African government began apartheid, he fought against it and led his people against it. Because of his fight for justice, he was jailed for 27 and a half years. Upon his release from jail, he continued to fight for justice and eventually became the president of South Africa.

3. Critical Analysis

Nelson Mandela is written in a way that children can easily understand the life and legacy of Nelson Mandela. Kadir Nelson provides details about Mandela’s life in this simple and concise, yet effective, story written in free verse. Nelson doesn’t shy away from using words that children might struggle with, such as “Rolihlahla” (Nelson Mandela’s birth name), Madiba (his clan name), Xhosa (his ethnic group), “Thembu, Pondo … and Zulu” (other ethnic groups in South Africa). By including these ethnic words in his story, Nelson gives children a glimpse into the people of South Africa and Old Africa. He shows the deep ethnic roots of Mandela and his people. He also shows the discrimination that was there through language. Mandela’s teacher in school would not call him by his Xhosa name. She called him Nelson instead.

The character of Nelson Mandela is portrayed as a brave, determined man. Even as a boy, when his mother was sending him miles away to live with a chief, she said, “Brace yourself, my boy.” It’s as though those words set the stage for the rest of his life. He would need to brace himself for the fight and determination that was ahead. As a young lawyer, he “defended those who could not defend themselves.” He fought apartheid, desiring to cleanse his land of hate and discrimination. Even as he spent years and years in jail, he was a determined man, so he read, studied, and educated fellow prisoners. Then when he was finally released from jail, his determination continued as he fought for justice and became the leader of South Africa.

Throughout this story, Kadir Nelson refers to ancestors. The belief in ancestors is an important part of traditional African religion. Instead of saying Mandela’s father died, he says, “his father joined the ancestors in the sky.” When Mandela and a hundred other men spent a fortnight in jail, “They danced and sang, calling the ancestors to join the fight for freedom.” When he met his future wife, Winnie, “The ancestors sent their daughter Winnie to stand next to Nelson.” In the end, when South Africa was finally free and at peace, “The ancestors … celebrated.” Even in his simple and concise story about Mandela, Kadir Nelson manages to interweave this integral aspect of African religion into his story.

Kadir Nelson’s illustrations are bold and determined, just like Mandela. Each illustration covers a two-page spread, and the images jump off the page to the reader. In the dark moments of the book, the images are dark and dreary. In the end of the book, in the triumphant parts, the pictures are bright and colorful. Nelson uses color to give readers a feeling to coincide with what is happening in the story. His illustrations truly take the reader inside Mandela’s world and his life in South Africa. The painting of Mandela listening to his mother shows the sternness and sincerity of a mother telling her son to be brave, as well as her son’s determination to do as his mother says. Nelson uses facial features and expressions throughout the book to tell this story without words.

On the final page spread of the book, Kadir Nelson includes a biography of Nelson Mandela. While it is still concise and easily read by a child, it provides more detail than his story in free verse did. It provides an opportunity for children to learn more about Nelson Mandela, and it provides a springboard for further research about his life.

4. Review Excerpts

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL (January 1, 2013): "This picture-book biography matches Mandela's outsize achievements with large, powerful images, resulting in a presentation that will seize and hold readers' attention."

BOOKLIST (September 15, 2012): "Starting with the full-page cover portrait, this glowing picture-book biography offers a celebratory introduction to Nelson Mandela’s life for young readers."

Coretta Scott King Award Honor, 2013

5. Connections

Gather other books written by Kadir Nelson such as:

He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands. (ISBN 9780803728509)

Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom. (ISBN 9780786851751)

Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans. (ISBN 9780061730795)

Meet the Author/Illustrator by watching this interview with kadir Nelson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0irzICuorQ

Have students conduct further research on apartheid and its effects on South Africa. Have them present their research to the class.