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Black Heroes of the Wild West: Featuring Stagecoach Mary, Bass Reeves, and Bob Lemmons: A TOON Graphic (TOON Graphics) Hardcover – September 15, 2020

by James Otis Smith (Author), Kadir Nelson (Introduction)
4.9 4.9 out of 5 stars 63 ratings
Editors' pick Best Nonfiction for Kids
See all formats and editions
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NYPL'S TOP 10 BOOKS ​FOR KIDS


Exploring American history and finding diversity at its roots!

This graphic novel by JAMES OTIS SMITH celebrates the extraordinary true tales of three black heroes who took control of their destinies and stood up for their communities in the Old West. Born into slavery in Tennessee, Mary Fields became famous as “Stagecoach Mary,” a cigar-chomping, card playing coach driver who never missed a delivery. Bass Reeves, the first black Deputy US Marshal west of the Mississippi, was one of the wiliest lawmen in the territories, bringing thousands of outlaws to justice with his smarts. Bob Lemmons lived to be 99 years old and was so good with horses that the wild mustangs on the plains of Texas took him for one of their own.

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

From the introduction by KADIR NELSON, winner of the 2020 Caldecott Award: “Black Heroes of the Wild West is a brilliant and entertaining offering. Through sharp and evocative storytelling in the exciting medium of comics, lesser-known African American historical figures will be introduced to new generations of readers.”
Previous page
  1. Reading age
    9 - 12 years
  2. Print length
    60 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Grade level
    4 - 7
  5. Lexile measure
    GN740L
  6. Dimensions
    8 x 0.38 x 10.25 inches
  7. Publisher
    TOON Books
  8. Publication date
    September 15, 2020
  9. ISBN-10
    6976535209
  10. ISBN-13
    978-1943145515
  11. See all details
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From the Publisher

Meet the Black Heroes of the Wild West by James Otis Smith

Stagecoach Mary, image from middle grade graphic novel about black heroes

black heroes of the wild west, a great resource for middle schoolers

african american heroes of the wild west

“Witty punch lines and comic strip–style illustrations . . . with an emphasis on biographical details and the landscape.”

—Publishers Weekly

"Highly recommended for all collections."

—Booklist STARRED REVIEW

"Stories of these three remarkable figures are balanced by rich backmatter providing timelines, photographs, and historical information.”

—Kirkus Reviews

Illustration of James Otis Smith, author of Black Heroes of the Wild West middle grade graphic novel

“It’s time that we hear every American’s story: from every background and creed, we’ve all worked together to weave the grand tapestry of America." —Kadir Nelson, winner of the Caldecott Award, from his introduction

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 4-6-Saddle up! To highlight the significant African American presence in the story of the so-called "Wild West," Smith presents in graphic format dramatic exploits of three larger-than-life Western figures who were born into slavery, then switches to prose with mostly period illustrations and photographs for a wagon full of back matter on real cowboys, relations with Native Americans, cattle drives, the myth of the Old West, and related topics. The informational beef is nutritious, but the first part really brings the sizzle, as readers are treated to views of "gun-toting, pants-wearing, punch-throwing" Mary Fields, aka "Stagecoach Mary," fighting off a pack of wolves; deputy U.S. Marshall Bass Reeves cleverly collaring the murderous Clancy brothers without firing a shot; and "mustanger" Bob Lemmons corralling a herd of wild horses by convincing them that he's their lead stallion. The author sprinkles in colorful biographical details, adds nods to contemporaries such as Nat Love and Bill Pickett, then closes with generous dollops of relevant print and web resources. VERDICT Little dogies in middle grades won't need to be coaxed to snatch up this fresh and timely alternative to Lillian Schlissel's Black Frontiers: A History of African-American Heroes in the Old West.-John Peters, Children's Literature Consultant, New Yorkα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Review

NYPL'S TOP 10 BOOKS ​FOR KIDS
NPR Book Concierge Favorite Books of 2020
2021 ALA Best Graphic Novels for Children Reading List
2021 Great Graphic Novels for Teens, Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA)
A 2020 VLA Graphic Novel Diversity Award Honor Book
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

"These biographical comics are entertaining overviews that disrupt Wild West mythology."
— The New York Times 

"Highly recommended for all collections"  
— Booklist STARRED REVIEW

"[Smith] manages to capture the humanity of each subject, while giving the entire book the 'hero' vibe promised in the title."
--Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast by Julie Danielson

"Smith is an exceptional storyteller and you’ll be pulled into the stories immediately."
--Imagination Soup

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ 1943145512
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ TOON Books; Illustrated edition (September 15, 2020)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 60 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 6976535209
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1943145515
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 9 - 12 years
  • Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ GN740L
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ 4 - 7
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12.5 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8 x 0.38 x 10.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.9 4.9 out of 5 stars 63 ratings

About the authors

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Previous page
  1. Kadir Nelson

    Kadir Nelson

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    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    Kadir Nelson is a two-time Caldecott Honor Award recipient. He has received an NAACP Image Award, a CASEY Award, the 2009 and 2014 Coretta Scott King Author Award, and the 2009 Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award. Among Mr. Nelson's other awards are gold and silver medals from the Society of Illustrators. His work has appeared in The New York Times, Sports Illustrated, and The New Yorker. He lives in Los Angeles, CA. Learn more about Kadir Nelson at www.kadirnelson.com.

    See more on the author's page
  2. James Otis Smith

    James Otis Smith

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    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    James Otis Smith is a Washington, DC-born graduate of Sarah Lawrence with a BA in Writing and Film Studies.

    As a graphic designer, storyboard artist and editor in film and music video, James Otis has been telling stories in words and pictures across multiple mediums for over twenty years. He returned to his first love, comicbooks, in order to tell those stories with as few barriers between himself and the audience as possible.

    James Otis currently lives in the last apartment in Brooklyn without any cats.

    See more on the author's page
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Customer reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars
4.9 out of 5
63 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Joy V. Smith
5.0 out of 5 stars I enjoyed the history and the stories
Reviewed in the United States on December 6, 2020
Verified Purchase
This graphic novel includes photos and historical background. There are three stories: Stagecoach Mary (I've included her on my Pinterest western board); Bass Reeves, a black marshal; and Bob Lemmons, a horse wrangler. I enjoyed Bass Reeves the most, but I already knew Stagecoach Mary. Bob Lemmons was fascinating; he ran with wild mustangs. Highly recommended.
One person found this helpful
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NLP
5.0 out of 5 stars Engaging history!
Reviewed in the United States on May 22, 2021
Verified Purchase
Great book! I bought it for my kids but I had to read it myself. Great presentation of a part of history that I either never learned in school or either it wasn't presented in a way that made an impression on me.
One person found this helpful
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Gingerhayes
5.0 out of 5 stars I LOVE THIS BOOK!
Reviewed in the United States on April 21, 2022
Verified Purchase
Great book lots of information and the actual photos of the characters.
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Karen E. Osborne
5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it
Reviewed in the United States on December 1, 2020
Verified Purchase
My nine year old grandson enjoyed book. He usually reads funny graphic novels. We gave him this book to broaden his interests. He really liked it.
One person found this helpful
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Barbara Newby
5.0 out of 5 stars Love it
Reviewed in the United States on December 4, 2020
Verified Purchase
My seven year old grandson loves this book!
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whatslyzzreading
4.0 out of 5 stars An Charming Historical Comic Collection
Reviewed in the United States on February 16, 2021
Title: Black Heroes of the Wild West
Author: James Otis Smith
Genre: Comics, Children’s Non-Fiction
Pages: 60
Publication Date: 9/15/2020

Black Heroes of the Wild West is a collection of comics that feature three stories, Stagecoach Mary – a card shark, cigar-smoking coach driver who never missed a delivery, Bass Reeves - the first deputy US Marshal west of the Mississippi, and Bob Lemons - a horse whispering cowboy. This comic is for children 9 to 12.

What I loved:
•I loved that there is a focus on black heroes in the Wild West. I do not feel like these stories are widely known. Despite this being targeted at children, this was very informative for me!
•The illustrations are vivid and gorgeous.
•I loved the nonfiction information at the end of the story.

What I did not like:
•I would have loved to have a bit more depth in the stories. For example, I feel like the comic told us a lot about Stagecoach Mary’s background but did not really go into what she became famous for her coach driving.

I would highly recommend this to anyone with readers between 9-12 or school teachers trying to stock their libraries. Even though I was not the target demographic for this comic, I did enjoy it and learned from it!

ARC provided to me by A Toon Graphic, via Net Galley, in exchange for an honest review.

#BlackHeroesoftheWildWestFeaturingStagecoachMaryBassReevesandBobLemmons #NetGalleyQOTD: What would you rate your civics knowledge?
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S. Mahaffey
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent nonfiction!
Reviewed in the United States on September 20, 2020
In this nonfiction graphic book, there are three unknown Black heroes of the west are discussed. Mary Fields was better known as Stagecoach Mary. She held many different jobs. She knew how to survive in the Wild West. She was a “cigar-chomping” driver who always delivered. Bass Reeves was the first Black deputy US marshal. He was smart and clever catching several outlaws. The third person discusses was Bob Lemmons. He was successful as a wrangler of wild mustangs. He had a special way catching mustangs.

There is an introduction to Black people that were in the Wild West. One-third of the cowboys were black driving cattle trails and riding in rodeos. Cowboys were usually poor and only owned their horse. The author has included photographs, There is a timeline given from 1609 to 1950. There is at the end of this book information given on Black Buffalo soldiers, Black Native Americans and Black American alliances. There is information on Black vaqueros and Black homesteaders. Ther is a list. Of resources for further reading. I enjoyed reading the three people that were Black heroes of the Wild West. It’s a part of history that I didn’t know and found it to be quite interesting.

Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book from the author/publisher from Netgalley. I wasn’t obligated to write a favorable review or any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
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Abbie Hagen
5.0 out of 5 stars Revitalizing History
Reviewed in the United States on September 16, 2020
I received an advanced copy of Black Heroes of the Wild West from NetGalley so I could share my review with you!

Black Heroes of the Wild West captures three extraordinary Western tales that never made it into the movies. Bass Reeves, the first black Deputy US Marshal west of the Mississippi, brought countless outlaws to justice over the years. Mary Fields, a woman born into slavery who became famous as “Stagecoach Mary,” both for her outstanding delivery record and her tough-as-nails personality. Bob Lemmons, one of the most skilled horsemen to ever ride. Each of the heroes in this book carries themselves with strength and excellence, demonstrating the very best of the West!

In this book, James Otis Smith shares the important history of several individuals who have been systematically erased from the story of the Wild West. The graphic novel format allows for their stories to be shared in an accessible and easy-to-read way, making this book perfect for readers and history buffs of all ages! My favorite story was definitely that of Stagecoach Mary, because of her grit and power!

My Recommendation-
This graphic novel would be a great read for anyone who loves Westerns but hates how exclusionary they have become over time. If you have ever wished to know some true stories about Black heroes living in the Wild West, you need to pick up this book!
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