This picture book introduces gifted African American photographer Gordon Parks. Early in the narrative, Gordon's white teacher tells her young black pupils, "You'll all wind up porters and waiters." Parks grew up supporting himself with odd jobs that included, yes, porter and waiter. But when he bought a used camera, it changed his life. As a photographer for a government agency, he documented the lives of black people in Washington, D.C., and the discrimination they faced. The story concludes with an account of his iconic photo American Gothic. Created with a certain elegance of line, Christoph's artwork includes many haunting, beautifully composed scenes. Although the narrative features Parks' determination to document African Americans, it offers no dates and little historical context for young children, who may also need help with terms such as porter, Life magazine, and Renaissance man. Additional biographical information appears in the back matter, along with four small photos. This handsome book will help children better understand the widespread racial segregation and discrimination in twentieth-century America.

Inspired by his mother's belief in "no excuses" for failure, Gordon Parks overcame racial and economic barriers to create celebrated photo essays on such diverse topics as gang wars, poverty, and high fashion. The brief text emphasizes Parks's achievements, but the uneven quality of the black-and-white photographs doesn't represent his talent. The book lacks a bibliography and photo credits.

Gr 3-6-Growing up during segregation did not stop Parks from determinedly pursuing a career in photography. "What a white boy can do, you can too-and no excuses," his mother told him. His photographs seem to reflect extremes: haut-couture in Paris, poverty in Brazil, gang wars in Harlem, Civil Rights leaders, and more. The shadows in his photos and expressive low-lighting are entrancing, and it should be no surprise that he was employed by Life magazine for many years. This brief biography and cross section of his photography portfolio are interrupted with sketches that attempt to fill in the gaps when images of Parks did not exist. Though respectably detailed and realistic, they are stiff and awkward when coupled with Parks's stunning work. The sincerity within the photos of this recently deceased artist and the simple text tell a story of belief in oneself and strength to prevail over adversity.-Jodi Kearns, University of Akron, OH Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.