An informational picture book about Mamie Till-Mobley, the mother of Emmett Till, beautifully tells a wrenching story. The repeated refrain, “It was the braver thing,” underscores Mamie Till-Mobley’s lifelong inclination to do the thing that was often more frightening, more difficult. That included her decision to show the world Emmett’s body after the 14-year-old was lynched on a visit to relatives in Mississippi in 1955; as a result, the nation as a whole finally took notice of the brutality of racism. But before the aftermath of that awful event, Mamie and Emmett have space to live and breathe in these pages. Readers learn about Mamie’s childhood, her first marriage to Louis Till, and Emmett’s birth and childhood. They see Mamie’s love for her son, how she cared for him when he contracted polio and taught him to whistle to help calm himself when he was struggling with the stutter caused by the disease. In the aftermath of his murder, when his white killers were found not guilty, readers see her grief matched by courage as she continued to live a life of purpose. Every decision made and every judicious word chosen by the author is weighted with feeling, while the remarkable paper-cut illustrations, reproduced on matte pages in muted shades, are full of intentionality of line and movement. Exceptional back matter—including an author’s note telling more about Mamie’s life and the life and death of Emmett, a glossary, a timeline, and a playlist—round out this outstanding work of nonfiction.  ©2022 Cooperative Children’s Book Center   (Ages 8-12)

A Caldecott-honor winning picture book biography of the mother of Emmett Till, and how she channeled grief over her son's death into a call to action for the civil rights movement.

Mamie Till-Mobley is the mother of Emmett Till, the 14-year-old boy who was brutally murdered while visiting the South in 1955. His death became a rallying point for the civil rights movement, but few know that it was his mother who was the catalyst for bringing his name to the forefront of history.

In Choosing Brave, Angela Joy and Janelle Washington offer a testament to the power of love, the bond of motherhood, and one woman's unwavering advocacy for justice. It is a poised, moving work about a woman who refocused her unimaginable grief into action for the greater good. Mamie fearlessly refused to allow America to turn away from what happened to her only child. She turned pain into change that ensured her son's life mattered.

Timely, powerful, and beautifully told, this thorough and moving story has been masterfully crafted to be both comprehensive and suitable for younger readers.