Talkin' About Bessie

Reach for this book when your child is facing a setback or feels like their background limits what they can achieve. It is a powerful antidote to the word no, offering a multi-perspective look at the life of Bessie Coleman, the first African American woman to earn a pilot license. Through a series of poems written in the voices of her family and friends, the book explores themes of grit, racial justice, and the soaring power of self-belief. Appropriate for children ages 7 to 11, the story moves from the cotton fields of Texas to the skies of France. It provides a beautiful bridge for parents to discuss historical obstacles and the personal strength required to overcome them. This is more than a biography: it is a masterclass in identity and perseverance that encourages children to look at their own obstacles as hurdles rather than walls.