I'm going to give this a tentative 3.5 stars because I don't entirely know how to rate it. The first half was beautiful, full of tenderness and humanity; I loved it. Loved it!

About halfway through, though, it morphs into a series of didactic adult conversations overheard by Betty before ending rather abruptly. When all is said and done, there's no real story arc to speak of.

The writing is approachable and this would probably be a fine introduction to the civil rights movement to a middle grade reader on the younger side, but as a complete story or early biography it has me a bit stumped.

This is a hopeful but realistic book about the formative years of a true leader and activist in the Civil Rights Movement. The way the story is told from a first-person perspective of a young girl is really sweet and inspiring. The reader can understand and empathize well with Betty as she takes in the world and lives out her story as a young person in a complex world and as a young activist. The book does not shy away from tragedies like lynching, abuse, death, illness, riots, community divisions, police killing young black people, etc., but yet these events create the true backdrop of the times and still further the themes of hope, inspiration and gratitude.

I really enjoyed reading ‘Betty before X’ after only having just finished ‘X’ - both by Ilyasah Shabazz. What Ilyasah does in both books is to present the early years of her parents in a really personal way, so that you feel the environment they grew up in. Most importantly to me, is the extent to which the spectre of having witnessed lynchings played in the lives of both these heroes who would later marry one another. Excellent writing and very easy to read.

The fictional account of activist Betty Shabazz, Malcolm X's wife, written by her daughter. Includes information on historical contributors, etc. and a timeline.

Read my review at Bookish Adventures.

This middle grade novel on the childhood of Betty Shabazz in Detroit in the 1940s was truly stunning. Highly recommend it!

Age: 4th-middle school
Activism: Canvassing
Religion: Christianity--Methodist
Tough Issues: Racism
First Line: "I was just a baby when Grandma Matilda took me away from my mother."


One scene of violent racism is present (Betty passes by lynched African Americans) and others are mentioned (Detroit race riots, police brutality) but the focus of this book is on Betty's various mother figures and how each has influenced her, her strained and heartwarming friendships, the community work of the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church & the Housewives League, and Betty's budding interest in social justice. Perfect for the younger crowd or the more sensitive readers.

As a side note, the word 'negro' is heavily used in this book as it was during the 1950s, and young, non-black readers should be reminded that this is not an appropriate word to use in the modern age (outside of a historical context).

Excellent middle grade read. I loved the author’s note and all the historical information at the end of the book.

An important story that shows how the seeds of the Civil Rights Movement were planted in the 1940's.

Side note -- I'm currently listening to Their Eyes Were Watching God, (MASTERFULLY) read by Ruby Dee, so I was especially interested to note the connections between her and the adult Betty.