"... Qualls and Alko blend lovely, lush painting and an elegant layer of text art, with regal streams of smudgy handwritten words and snippets of vintage print."
— New York Times
TWO FRIENDS: Susan B. Anthony & Frederick Douglass
Some people had rights, while others had none. Why shouldn't they have them, too?
2017 • ages 4-8
ISBN-10 : 9780545399968
By Dean Robbins
co-illustrated by Selina Alko and Sean Qualls
Some people had rights, while others had none. Why shouldn't they have them, too? Two friends, Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass, get together for tea and conversation. They recount their similar stories fighting to win rights for women and African Americans. The premise of this particular exchange between the two is based on a statue in their hometown of Rochester, New York, which shows the two friends having tea. The text by award-winning writer Dean Robbins teaches about the fight for women's and African Americans' rights in an accessible, engaging manner for young children. Two Friends is beautifully illustrated by Selina Alko and Sean Qualls, the team whose The Case for Loving received three starred reviews! Two Friends includes back matter with photos of Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass.
ReviewS
"A visit by Frederick Douglass to the home of Susan B. Anthony is at the center of this charming book about the intersections of women’s rights and African-American rights. ... Qualls and Alko blend lovely, lush painting and an elegant layer of text art, with regal streams of smudgy handwritten words and snippets of vintage print."
— New York Times
"An accessible text gives a broad picture of each civil rights leader’s work; striking mixed-media and collage illustrations depict scenes from their lives. Though they fought separately for freedom and voting rights, the book captures the unifying themes of combating injustice."
— The Horn Book
"A thought-provoking reverie. Stylized mixed-media art provides period detail, warmth, and inspiration."
— San Francisco Chronicle
"A visually appealing primer on the civil rights reformers."
— Publishers Weekly
Awards
2017
Amelia Bloomer List
2016
Junior Library Guild Selection
2016-2017
Triple Crown National Book Award
2016
Original Art Show at the Society of Illustrators
2016
Animated film and audio book from Weston Woods Studios
2016
Cooperative Children’s Book Center Choices
2016
Council for Wisconsin Writers Award
2016
Best Children’s Books, Nebraska Library Association
2016
Girls of Summer Reading List