Betty Before X

Betty Before X

By Ilyasah Shabazz, Renée Watson

2 ratings 3 reviews 1 follower
Interest LevelReading LevelReading A-ZATOSWord Count
Grades 4 - 8Grade 5n/a4.934656

In Detroit, 1945, eleven-year-old Betty’s house doesn’t quite feel like home. She believes her mother loves her, but she can’t shake the feeling that her mother doesn’t want her. Church helps those worries fade, if only for a little while. The singing, the preaching, the speeches from guest activists like Paul Robeson and Thurgood Marshall stir African Americans in her community to stand up for their rights. Betty quickly finds confidence and purpose in volunteering for the Housewives League, an organization that supports black-owned businesses. Soon, the American civil rights icon we now know as Dr. Betty Shabazz is born.

Inspired by Betty's real life--but expanded upon and fictionalized through collaboration with novelist Renée Watson--Ilyasah Shabazz illuminates four poignant years in her mother’s childhood with this book, painting an inspiring portrait of a girl overcoming the challenges of self-acceptance and belonging that will resonate with young readers today.

Backmatter included.
This title has Common Core connections.

Publisher: Square Fish
ISBN-13: 9781250294180
ISBN-10: 1250294185
Published on 12/31/2018
Binding: Paperback
Number of pages: 256

Book Reviews (4)

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amy amy

I love this book so much and I love betty mom t is a really good book I will give it five stars

It's a really good book it talked about how some people is being racist and they were mean

I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!!it has instesting parts and funny ones but the most ones i like are when betty betrayed her biograly mother because she wants her real mother and not a fake one im also glad that her neighbor adpoted her to give her the best life she wants.betty has 2 brothers and 3 sisters so HARD to live with!!!!!she has a very hard time not trying to think of ur mother.i would be super duper sad to had a boigly mom i love my mom and she is mine and perfect!!!!LOVE U MOMMY AND DADDY!!!!OXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX!

This is a historical non~fiction. I am pretty sure this happened to the author's mother. This book is a awesome book. The main character (Betty) has been betrayed by her biological mother 2 times. She lived with her mother, lived with her aunt, lived with her mother and lived with her neighbor. The neighbor adopted her and lived happily. Betty has 2 brothers and 3 sisters. You want more information? Try reading this book.