Nelson Mandela in Book 6

I tried to find an age-appropriate book that would tell his life story without a lot of political slant. Not easy, of course. One reason I selected this particular book was because of the interesting photographs and info about his boyhood and growing-up years. My “feel” upon finishing the book was that he was a civil rights leader in South Africa who had experienced some of the prejudiced attitudes and segregation laws that were then in place and determined to do all he could to change them.

Many of the sentences are worded in a non-inflammatory, this-is-what-he-thought way that you could easily use as springboards for discussion as desired. For example,

• “The ANC believed in peaceful co-operation. Mandela and his friends wanted action. So they decided to form an ANC Youth League in order to build up mass protest against white control.”
• “Mandela and Evelyn had two sons, Thembi and Makgatho, and a daughter, Makaziwe. But their relationship had changed and the marriage had ended. Now Mandela met, fell in love with, and married Nomzamo Winifred (Winnie) Madikizela, a social worker.”
• “Nelson met other ANC leaders in secret. He now felt that violence was the only way to defeat the government.”
• “He decided to use the court as a showcase to explain his beliefs and how apartheid had forced him to turn to armed struggle.”

I hope this information helps, Tara.