Susie King Taylor: Nurse, Teacher & Freedom Fighter (Rise. Risk. Remember. Incredible Stories of Courageous Black Women #1)

Dunbar (Never Caught, the Story of Ona Judge) and Buford (Good as Gold) pull inspiration from the 1902 autobiography of Susie King Taylor (1848–1912) to spotlight one of the first Black nurses during the Civil War. Based on the creators’ “informed speculation,” as referenced in an author’s note, this biographical work endeavors “to estimate what Taylor would have experienced—even though she may not have told us about her feelings” via an intimately rendered first-person voice. Though Susie was born to an enslaved woman in Savannah, Ga., she and her siblings lived with their formerly enslaved grandmother Dolly, who owned a laundry business. Because of her grandmother’s influence, Taylor was able to secretly gain an education that would later provide her with opportunities to teach, nurse, and support the 33rd U.S. Colored Infantry Regiment, one of the very first Union Colored Regiments, while a teenager. Following the war and emancipation, she went on to become one of the key figures in establishing an educational system for formerly enslaved children in Georgia. This captivating work concludes with Taylor’s original manuscript, which highlights her personal experiences and provides contextualizing information. Ages 10–up. (Sept.)