Acclaimed author-artist Daria Peoples illuminates the life of civil rights icon Angela Davis in this strikingly illustrated picture book biography. This profound exploration of American history, activism, the civil rights movement, and the power of the people is for fans of Maya's Song, Nina, and There Was a Party for Langston. 

Before she was an iconic civil rights activist, before she was one of the FBI’s Most Wanted, before she was a teacher, Angela Davis was a young girl in Birmingham, Alabama. A girl whose parents taught her that freedom lives anywhere and everywhere it pleases. A girl who believed it when her mother told her, “It won’t always be this way.” And a girl who grew up to fight for the world and the future that she imagined could exist—for all people.

In this resonant and timely picture book biography of Angela Davis, acclaimed author-artist Daria Peoples invites young readers to join the fight. Her striking paintings and powerful text pay tribute to Angela Davis’s evolution as an abolitionist, and dare readers of all ages to light the way to the future. An inspiring choice for fans of books by Kwame Alexander, Kadir Nelson, Christian Robinson, and Carole Boston Weatherford. Features extensive back matter, including a timeline of Angela Davis’s life, a visual glossary, and an author’s note.

BIO

Daria Peoples grew up in Paso Robles, California, in a household rich with culture. She has a degree in English from UC Santa Barbara and earned her master's in education from Regis University. The daughter of two educators, Daria Peoples has worked as an educator herself, teaching both English and art in elementary and middle schools and at the college level. She lives in Las Vegas, Nevada, and is the author-illustrator of This Is It; I Got Next; America, My Love, America, My Heart; and Hello, Mister Blue.

REVIEWS

“A moving picture-book biography that reveals a complex personality who followed a unique path.” -- Kirkus Reviews

“Peoples fuses lyrical text with stark realism, transitioning from a bucolic reflection that personifies Davis’ childhood emotions to a more firm directness, capitalizing fully her various roles. The art strikes a similar balance between conceptual and groundedness. . . . The dual messages here—that current inequities are terrible and brutal but can be fixed—make a timely reminder.” -- Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

“A forthright account of the life of activist Angela Davis.” -- Publishers Weekly

[H]  Greenwillow Books  /  June 03, 2025

0.5" H x 9.1" L x 9.0" W (0.95 lbs) 56 pages

For ages 4 to 8