Black Women Who Dared

Gr 4–8—The importance of collectives is central to this illustrated nonfiction work, dedicated to communities within transnational (mostly Canadian) black history. Moyer focuses on grassroots organizations, ranging from the international Black Cross Nurses group in the early 20th century to the more recent creation of Blockorama, which makes "a space for the black LGBTTI2QQ community within Toronto's Pride Parade." This record of long-lasting communities emphasizes the results of cooperation over hero narratives. When Moyer introduces individuals, she highlights how they facilitate networks, like Rosa Pryor, the first female black business owner in Vancouver, who used her restaurant to build a social hub, or border-crossing Mary Miles Bibb's support of black journalists and readers through her 19th-century newspaper. It is a testament to the book's strength that after reading each profile, readers will want to know more; librarians would be wise to have a list of further reading handy. Each spread features bold stylized illustrations that mix photorealistic drawings with inventive linework, silhouettes, and eye-catching complementary blocks of color.