Module 5: Talkin' About Bessie: The Story of Aviator Elizabeth Coleman

Bibliography
Grimes, N. (2002). Talkin' About Bessie: The Story of Aviator Elizabeth Coleman. New York, NY: Orchard Books.
Summary
This book uses comments and views of many friends and relatives of Bessie Coleman to tell the story of the young African American woman who dreamed of flying aircraft and fulfilled this dream.  Some comments are positive, others negative in the narrative of Coleman's life as she overcame both racism and sexism in the early 1900's.
My Impression
I enjoyed this book but wondered about its true accuracy because the author admits in the Acknowledgments that some liberties were taken by combining characters for the sake of her timeline.  I liked the unique style of using people Coleman knew to tell the story.
Review
School Library Journal
"Born in poverty, Bessie Coleman overcame many obstacles to become a pilot, and only her untimely death kept her from opening the first flight school for African Americans."
Use in Library
A wonderful read for Black History Month and this book is short enough for even younger patrons.  Could promote discussion about race relations in the past in comparison with today.
Review. (2004, April 2). [Review of the book Talkin' about Bessie: The story of aviator Elizabeth Coleman, by Nikki Grimes]. School Library Journal. Available from: http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:2104/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=606ada02-69c3-4c46-943e-859cf828f553%40sessionmgr111&vid=5&hid=113