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James Otis Smith is a writer and artist living in Brooklyn. He has collaborated on several graphic novels, including Showtime at the Apollo. Black Heroes of the Wild West is his first book as an author and illustrator. He says- ""I was interested in finding stories of ordinary people who lived during Reconstruction, the period between the Civil War and the era of anti-Black terrorism called Jim Crow. This was the first time Black people in America were able to choose where they wanted to live, work, and raise their families. It was also the first time they could choose their own names. America was still deciding what kind of country it wanted to become, and these newly freed people-still a few decades shy of being full citizens-were in the process of becoming as well. These three stories are not the typical tales of violence in the Old West, but those of everyday African Americans born into slavery who had the courage and strength to choose to be whoever they wanted to be.""
Reviews for the English-language edition: 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 “The racial and cultural diversity of the Old West gets the comic-book treatment in Smith’s exploration of the lives and adventures of three Black historical figures…It’s about time.""—Kirkus Reviews ""Really brings the sizzle”—School Library Journal “Witty punch lines and comic strip-style illustrations…with an emphasis on biographical details and the landscape.”—Publishers Weekly ""The inclusion of photographs as endpapers and chapter openings reinforces that these are real people behind these almost unbelievable tales. They provide valuable evidence that grounds the extraordinary events, as well as showing how many more stories were out there.""—Good Comics for Kids, School Library Journal
