I Am Jackie Robinson

Author: Brad Meltzer

Illustrator: Christopher Eliopoulos

Genre: Biography

Grade Level: K-2

This book is about famous baseball player Jackie Robinson and how life was not fair to him. It tells about his life and how he lived in a time before the Civil Rights movement and African Americans were treated poorly. Even though he was a very good athlete he was not allowed on certain teams all because of the color of his skin. He became the first African American to play in the Major League baseball and his bravery led to sports equality in America. 

The illustrations are very colorful and fun. The characters have a sort of bobblehead appearance and portray the events of Jackie's life pretty well. Thought bubbles were also used to add in conversations. Real images and a timeline were also present in the book to show the reader that this is a true story and why it is a biography. 

This book can be used in the classroom to bring to light African American History and providing good role models for children. It can also be used to encourage students to strive and dream.