Malcolm Lives is a well researched and informative book about the life of Malcolm X. Kendi, award winning author, writes history that is not only informative but easy to read. The book is quite long at 400 pages. This fact may be a deterrent for 10-14 year old readers unless they are big fans of Malcolm X.

Malcolm Little, later Malcolm X, grew up in Nebraska where his parents openly defied white supremacy. In 1931, his dad died in an incident the police ruled accidental, but in actuality, he was most likely murdered by the Ku Klux Klan offshoot called the Black Legion.

Malcolm was six when his father died. Traumatised by this event, Malcolm became involved in criminal behavior and developed a deep mistrust of white people.

As a youth, Malcolm endured violence, loss, hunger, foster care, racism, and being incarcerated. Still he persevered through it all to make a lasting impact, as a Black Muslim, a family man and a revolutionary.

Kendi has included, in this biography released 100 years after his birth, never-before-published letters, notes, flyers, photos, and extensive source notes.

Reading this book offers readers a front row seat into the intimacies of Malcolm’s legacy.

I must admit that I did not know that much about Malcolm X before I read this book. His history is just not talked about or taught as readily as MLK Jr. I believe this book is much needed for the youth of today so that they can learn about him and understand his legacy. Who knows??? Some angry black boy might pick up this book and understand exactly what Malcolm is describing and that might help him learn to not be so angry anymore. While this book is informative and educational, it is also heartbreaking. A life ended at thirty nine years old with so much good left to do and sweet children left to raise. Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I will definitely discuss this book with my students and help to educate them on the life of an important man in American history.

Kendi tells the fascinating story of Malcolm X's life in his refreshingly candid way. A compelling read for young readers and curious adults.

There are a lot of misconceptions about Malcolm X, spread in part by a white power establishment terrified - as it has been since the beginning of the American Republic in fact - by any suggestion of Black militancy. Whites turned to MLK, Jr. in the 1960s in part because they believed (not entirely accurately) he represented a more conciliatory alternative to demands for Black rights.

But as Award-winning author Ibram X. Kendi points out in an interview about this book:

“What’s striking is in 1967, Martin Luther King started expressing ideas from the Black Power movement that was largely birthed by Malcolm X. By 1967, King was moving towards Malcolm. King was talking about the importance of Black solidarity, and the recognition that there are these ideas suggesting that everything Black is bad.”

[Fortunately for King’s favorable reputation among whites, he was assassinated before he could make too many moves in that direction.]

Kendi seeks to correct misconceptions about Malcolm X, directing his writing toward younger readers, particularly those who have not had much Black history. The publication coincides with the centennial of Malcolm’s birth on May 19, 1925.

The result is a thoughtful, fair examination of Malcolm X’s life, that is poignant, compelling, and inspirational. Kendi makes great efforts to clarify terms and political circumstances from earlier periods with which readers might not be aware (such as residential racial covenants, the idea of “Sundown Towns,” the legacy of “Little Black Sambo,” overt racism in the police and among firefighters (it tends to be more hidden today) and the potential lethal consequences of that, and so on. (But he is evenhanded: he also identifies Black behavior he finds objectionable when appropriate.)

He poses uncomfortable questions when the narrative suggests them, questions that may be uncomfortable for readers of all races; he is interested in stimulating thought and discussion, and getting at the truth, rare qualities these days.

He even devotes space to explaining the construct of racism itself. As Kendi points out, “race” is a *power* construct made up in the 1400s to justify enslavement of Africans, which necessitated “establishing” a differentiation between “superior” and “inferior” races. In spite of no biological or genetic differences, the construct continues to hold immense power both for those who need to feel superior and for those who have absorbed the message of inferiority.

As for the biographical content, anyone who has the least bit of empathy will feel for the injustices and repeated life-threatening circumstances that Malcolm’s family endured as a Black family trying to thwart racist “rules” and live in the same way and in the same places as white people. But whites were determined not to allow it. The story of what happened to Malcolm’s parents and to Malcolm as a young boy is horrifying, and quite painful to read about.

Kendi shows us how Malcolm Little became Malcolm X, and how a boy with so much tragedy in his life and so many disadvantages (such as being poor and Black) overcome all of it to become a leader that was loved (and feared) by so many.

Importantly, as Kendi demonstrates, Malcolm played a significant role in promoting the message of “Black is Beautiful” and encouraged cultural pride.

Malcolm was assassinated in 1965. His wife Betty was pregnant with twins, and they had four other children. The week before, his house, full of his family, had been firebombed, but they survived. Police claimed Malcolm did it himself “to get publicity.” Malcolm announced plans to speak on February 21 and reveal the names of those who actually did the firebombing. Five armed men came to the event with orders to kill Malcolm, which they did with multiple shots. He died on the stage; he was only 39 years old.

Tragically, the five assassins were members of the Nation as Islam, the same as Malcolm was. But there are still unanswered questions about the role played by the NYPD, the FBI, and even the CIA.

Kendi concludes:

“They killed Malcolm X. Then again, they failed to kill Malcolm X. Because Malcolm did great things in his thirty-nine years on this Earth. He told Black people to love themselves. He fought for human rights. He fought against racism. He fought against global White supremacy. He tried to generate an antiracist revolution so Black people - so all people - could finally be respected and secure their human rights. . . . When you have done great things people remember you. When people remember you, they speak your name. When people speak your name, you live. Like history, Malcolm lives.”

Evaluation: This is a beautiful, excellently-written book that would be a “must” inclusion in any library, but like Kendi’s book “How to Be an Antiracist,” recently removed at the direction of Pete Hegseth from the U.S. Naval Academy Library, chances are it will not receive its due. It is everyone’s loss.

I had high hopes for Malcolm Lives but sadly it fell flat. Although I think it’s fantastic there is a YA book about Malcolm X, and it was interesting to learn his story I don’t see students getting caught in the writing wanting to know more. That being said, I’ll still be buying it for my classroom library because I know Malcolm X’s story is an important one for students to learn, and is one that is often undervalued.

I did enjoy this book. It is clearly well researched. It is also very wordy. 400 pages for 10-14 year old's is A LOT. To put this into perspective, my 7th graders read The Hobbit each year. It is the longest novel we read and takes us about a month to get through it. It is around 300 pages. The size alone is going to intimidate many young readers and will probably cause them to not pick up the book. I would definitely use excerpts of this book in my curriculum and keep it on my shelf for students who might want to read it on their own, but I would not be able to utilize it as a complete novel study.

As far as the wordiness, Dr. Kendi often speculates on what is happening in certain situations. He starts the book with "Maybe they rode through the rustling trees in the distance. Maybe not." I understand the purpose of the speculation but now you have a 400 page book meant for 4th and 5th graders. The word 'maybe' is used in the book 82 times by my kindle's count and the majority of them are when Dr. Kendi is speculating on what would have been going on during a certain event. It seems a bit excessive. I would assume Dr. Kendi wants kids to read this book. But maybe not.

Malcolm Lives! is Ibram X. Kendi's biography of Malcolm X, written for young readers. The book goes all the way back to the beginning, introducing Malcolm's parents (followers of Marcus Garvey) and taking us deep within his family to understand not only his contributions as an adult, but how he got there. Written in Ibram X. Kendi's unflinching and honest voice, the style meets kids where they are with short, clear sentences. This will be an essential book for readers in building a better understanding of Malcolm X's life and legacy. Malcolm X's story is often missing from discussions of the Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s in middle grades, and this book will hopefully open the door to broader conversations and deeper understanding of the history of the period. Readers should proceed with care for discussions of substance use, systemic racial trauma, and family trauma.

Ibram X. Kendi is the only author who could have written this fantastic official biography for young readers. As he says in his acknowledgements, he learned to write in a way that young people like to read. And does he ever! Throughout the prose, there are lyrical almost hip-hop verses where he uses a hard stop after each word, or repeats a phrase in a few different ways. He writes like young people speak, and I can't wait until this is available as an audiobook, because I would love to hear Jason Reynolds narrate it.

I highly recommend this for schools and libraries, and as required reading for young adults. So much of history is being relived, and Kendi points this out time and again. He also drew parallels between the wars in the middle east today just as Malcolm X did upon his visit. Students will learn current events and history simultaneously and make connections to injustice.

Don't hesitate to add this one to the collection--it is sure to win many awards!