About This Book
Reach for this book when your teenager is struggling to reconcile multiple parts of their identity or feels silenced by a world that demands they fit into a single box. It is perfect for the young artist who feels like an outsider and needs a model of how to turn personal pain and societal rejection into enduring beauty. This biographical novel in verse follows Edmonia Lewis, a girl of Ojibwe and African American heritage who rose from a traumatic accusation at Oberlin College to become a world renowned sculptor in Rome. It explores heavy themes of racism and false accusation but maintains a profound focus on resilience and the power of creative expression. Parents will appreciate how the lyrical format makes history accessible while offering a sophisticated look at how one woman navigated the intersections of race, gender, and art in the 19th century.
