I read this book because of its cover. Yes, I said it, I judged this book by its beautiful cover! I was NOT disappointed.

The song of the same name by Billie Holiday paints dark images of a terrible time in United States History, but I trusted that Joel Christian Gill would not give us darkness is this second volume of Strange Fruit. I was right. There is light, inspiration, and laughter throughout this beautifully illustrated and concisely written book. Gill tells the stories of 8 different people from history. He gives us beautiful illustrations and the perfect amount of text to make each story compelling and informative. Children and adults will be entertained by these stories and gain knowledge from them as they read.

Gill does touch on the darkness that flows through the history of the USA, but more than that, he shows the strength, happiness, determination, and beauty of people who make up the history of this country. The reader is introduced to many historical figures generally unknown.

These short illustrated stories are easy to read for the young and old and will inspire many to dig deeper into the lives of the people so beautifully showcased in the book.

This book should be a part of every library. Everyone needs to know about these amazing people.