Book Review: What I Must Tell the World: How Lorraine Hansberry Found Her Voice by Jay Leslie, illustrated by Loveis Wise

What I Must Tell the World: How Lorraine Hansberry Found Her Voice by Jay Leslie


Well done and thoughtful biography for upper middle-grade and older readers about playwright Lorraine Hansberry, the groundbreaking Black female playwright.

What I Must Tell the World: How Lorraine Hansberry Found Her Voice, words by Jay Leslie and pictures by Loveis Wise is a well-done and thoughtful introduction for upper middle-grade and older readers to the life of renowned playwright Lorraine Hansberry. The evocatively illustrated text presents the highlights of the first Black woman to have a show produced on Broadway (A Raisin in the Sun).

Starting with her surprising childhood as the daughter of a man who had to go to the Supreme Court of the land (and won!) to establish his right to purchase a home in the white Woodlawn area of Chicago and her preparation and journey in pursuing her dream of crafting a play representing the Black experience in America. There is a short, forthright discussion of her gradual awareness of her true sexual orientation, offering parents an opportunity to discuss and answer questions with their young readers. While this little book examines her life, it naturally brings up many important social issues that can also offer additional topics of one-on-one or group discussions with readers. Hansberry experienced the gamut of discrimination in her short life: for being Black, for being a woman in a traditionally male profession, and for being attracted to another woman rather than a man.

I recommend WHAT I MUST TELL THE WORLD: HOW LORRAINE HANSBERRY FOUND HER VOICE to young readers who want a look into the life of this fascinating woman.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy via Netgalley.


View all my reviews