I love this book. In fact, after reading it, I went and got volume 1. Some of the stories I had heard before but many of them, I had not. The illustrations are great and the way the stories are told bring levity to some very grim moments in US history. It's a fun, quick read and I am definitely going to purchase this book for friends and family of all ages.

I absolutely love these stories and the illustrations. I just wish they were longer! Some of these stories would make thrilling novels and films.

Strange Fruit, Volume II
More Uncelebrated Narratives from Black History
by Joel Christian Gill is a book I requested from NetGalley and the review is voluntary.
Wow, I am glad there were people in this book I haven't read about before! Each had unique stories from about slavery to civil war or after. This is a graphics novel for teens but I am well past that and enjoyed it too!
My favorite person was Mary Fields! She was a stage coach driving, tough gal that was not going to put up with no messing! Lol!
All the people in here should be known, not an unknown hero in history! They deserve it even if they aren't around to see it.
Great historic graphic novel!

I am always looking for books to add to my non-fiction section of the library that will capture my students attention while teaching something. This book, with its graphic novel format and multiple stories, is a win and I can’t wait to add a copy to my classroom. It is a must have for Social Studies and ELA classroom libraries.

Oct 28, 2018 destiny ♡⚔♡ [howling libraries] rated it it was amazing
Shelves: diverse-reads, graphic-novels-manga-comics, nonfiction, anthology
This little graphic novel is absolutely PHENOMENAL and I cannot recommend it highly enough. It covers eight stories of important black historical figures, and makes them perfectly readable for any age range. There is some creative censoring in place for young readers whose parents might not be comfortable with them seeing slurs in print, as well as older readers who don't want to be reminded of those hurtful phrases, but the point is never glossed over.

The stories included in this volume were very interesting. It showed great diversity among the different characters, their history and life story. The art style was great and was not jarring, despite some of the ways it could have been. I had heard of none of these historical figures before, but I found their struggles and triumphs interesting to read. I felt like they put a lot of information and history in these short stories and I would love to read Volume 1 in the future.

Big fan of this - in concept, format, cover, and content. These are stories that need to be told, and I'm glad that they are. The trick will be to get them into readers' hands. I think it will take a little push from librarians, but I really don't think it would be that hard....

Review to post on my blog March 21, 2019

Primeira Graphic Novel que dou 5 estrelas este ano.
Neste livro contamos com várias histórias de personagens Negros que lutaram para terem a sua liberdade e para serem tratados com os mesmos direitos que os brancos.
É precisamente deste tipo de graphic novel que gosto, aqueles livros que nos fazem pensar a sorte que temos em termos nascido numa época, em que apesar de ainda existir racismo, as pessoas de cor não têm de ter medo de sair à rua ou de entrar num local publico.
Estas são histórias reais, aquelas que ninguém conhecia. Nas aulas de história contam-nos as guerras, as diferenças socias entre épocas e outras coisas. Mas ninguém nos conta os nomes daqueles que foram vitímas de escravidão, os nomes dos que não tinham liberdade e que lutavam diariamente pela mesma.

Really nice presentation of some lesser known figures in African-American History. Told and illustrated in a nice folk art style. Some great stories here. Honestly, the only one I was even vaguely familiar with was the one about the gentleman who created the Green Book.

I think this would be a great story time book for parents to share with their children.

***Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Joel Christian Gill has an incredible talent for bringing the stories of important but lesser-known figures from Black history into the spotlight. The stories Gill shares in Strange Fruit Volume II are the exact kind of stories I wish I had heard as a child, but I am incredibly glad for everyone, adult or child, who gets to read these stories now.

Gill uses an accessible art style to portray history in a way that is appealing without ever feeling condescending, as well as in a way that is interesting without ever appearing sensational. The storytelling style feels exactly the same, and there's something that I think is vital in getting to experience these stories for the first time from someone who cares about how those stories are being presented.

The assortment of people who are featured in this collection is quite broad. I had only properly read about one of them before (Mary Fields), and I had heard of maybe two others. I am always delighted when a collection of biographies can show me so many incredible figures that I was unfamiliar with before. I think the ability to make unknown figures known and accessible for a broad audience is vital and makes Gill a force to be reckoned with.

I highly recommend all of Joel Christian Gill's work, and Strange Fruit Volume II is no exception. Reading the first volume is not necessary to read and love the second volume. While the series isn't targeted towards younger readers, I think that anyone middle grade and up will find something to love here.

This is the first graphic novel I am reading that is centered around black lives. I loved it and I was moved by every story it contained. The illustrations perfectly complement the story, and ai think it is a power exclusive to graphic novels to send you to the location of events both mentally and visually. The stories arouse anger, sympathy and love - and are nothing like what I have read in graphic novels before. Highly recommended.

A great book, it didn't disappoint. Entertaining and very informative all at the same time. Fun to read too!

A brilliant and educational read detailing the stories of little known African-American figures. The art was beautiful. I highly recommend this graphic novel.

I know very little about African-American history but this book has taught me quite a bit on the subject in a nifty fashion. (I'm Asian, living outside of the US.)

Athough I didn't love the illustration style there's something about it that just fits the narrative and subject it's trying to convey. It's not too polished but defined at the same time with an olive, brown and orange color scheme.

This is a brilliant way to teach history to all ages. Despite it being a graphic novel with its low count of words, as compared to a textbook or novel, it cuts through to the core of the message and deftly presents each story succinctly. Some of them were sorrowful and others uplifting but all of them featured admirable human beings. For all its worldly advancements I was a tad surprised that America was quite behind other countries when it came to matters like race.

I enjoyed Strange Fruit and will look out for the 1st book.

(Thanks goes to Fulcrum Publishing and Netgalley for providing a free e-copy in return for my honest review)

I loved learning about all those black figures of History and the illustrations were very well made !

This volume is a collection of short stories, in Graphic novel format, all about different Black Americans during different eras of American History. I really liked this book! I was fascinated learning about all of these different black Americans and the struggles they faced because of the color of their skin. My favorite story was the letter from Mr. Anderson but all of the stories were so interesting. I find these graphic novels very important because of the attention they bring to incredible people of history.

Absolutely loved this collection of stories on African American history. A title worth having in schools and libraries.

Chances are you've heard of Martin Luther King. Or Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, Malcolm X and similar African Americans. Not a year goes by when I don't hear or read about one of the above names. These names are popular in any civil right discourse around the world.

Chances are you don't hear much (or have never heard) of Stagecoach Mary Fields. Stagecoach Mary was a "gun-toting, cigar-smoking, saloon-dwelling mountain of a woman with larger-than-average-hands." At 6 feet tall, she towers above most women and many men. She outworked many strong men in a fashion that made her a supervisor on many jobs. Many resented her for this, not least because she was a black woman.

At a period when women were supposed to be frail and meek, Stagecoach Mary (then 60 years old) ran the star route - one of the most treacherous roads - for the US Mail. She did this even during winter periods. Also, she was the second ever woman to ever do this.

Chances are you have never heard much of Willie Kennard either. Willie Kennard was a man who, around the 1870s, wandered into a town terrorised by a criminal who had killed its marshall and raped a fifteen-year-old. Kennard got rid of the threat and became the town's new marshal. Though a few people tried to run him out of town, angry that a black man was the town's lawman, Kennard stayed on until the town's mining prospects declined.

The characters above experienced severe discrimination and hard lives, but their talents, tenacity, (with the help of a few kind people) made them shine in adversity as an example to all.

If you want to learn more about these fascinating souls and many more, check out Strange Fruit, Volume 2 (Uncelebrated Narratives from Black History) by Joel Christian Gill. It is well worth your time.

An absolutely beautiful and educational look into the history that America refuses to tell us. Once I picked up I couldn't put down. This is definitely a fast addition to my personal collection and to the libraries where I work.

The stories included in this book are very compelling and well told. This book (and the first volume as well) should be required reading for elementary and high school children. Too often, when we're taught Black history, we fall back on the few dozen really famous heroes and heroines, but there is so much more to draw from. In addition to the captivating storytelling, the biographies in this book are visually fascinating as well. Truly a must-read . #28daysarenotenough #NetGalley