Scan barcode
dame_samara's review against another edition
3.0
I have mixed feeling on being critical towards the how in depth Ball goes into "Greenwood, Black Wall Street, and the Tulsa Race Massacre", being a very white person, who hadn't known about this piece of history until roughly two years ago. But I felt like this didn't have the impact it could have.
I was surprised that Barnes and Noble has this listed a book recommended for those between 12 and 18. Because the way this book is presented reminds me of the non-fiction books I consumed between 8-12.
This reminds me of those pieces of non-fiction because it feels incredibly surface level, and while in an accessible form. It reads incredibly similarly to reading a textbook, where nothing is delved into to deeply, we don't get any first hand accounts from people. It is just information. That will likely need more follow up information provided with it.
I was surprised that Barnes and Noble has this listed a book recommended for those between 12 and 18. Because the way this book is presented reminds me of the non-fiction books I consumed between 8-12.
This reminds me of those pieces of non-fiction because it feels incredibly surface level, and while in an accessible form. It reads incredibly similarly to reading a textbook, where nothing is delved into to deeply, we don't get any first hand accounts from people. It is just information. That will likely need more follow up information provided with it.
alison_marie's review
informative
reflective
sad
fast-paced
3.5
I think this brief graphic novel is best for middle grade or high school readers as a primer on the Tulsa Massacre.
beyondevak's review against another edition
4.0
Quick Summary: Colorful, engaging, and filled with great content
My Review:
Across the Tracks: Remembering Greenwood, Black Wall Street, and the Tulsa Race Massacre by Alverne Ball was a colorful and engaging read. I appreciate that it was in the format of a graphic novel. Because it is written in that style, I think that it will be even more appealing to young readers. The layout and the lettering were simple to follow. The tidbits of historical content were informative and expansive. Other features that I particularly loved included the timeline and the author commentary. This would be a wonderful classroom resource. I believe it is a great introductory level read.
Rating: 4/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: Elementary, Middle, High
* This book was selected as a Multicultural Studies read from my local public library.
My Review:
Across the Tracks: Remembering Greenwood, Black Wall Street, and the Tulsa Race Massacre by Alverne Ball was a colorful and engaging read. I appreciate that it was in the format of a graphic novel. Because it is written in that style, I think that it will be even more appealing to young readers. The layout and the lettering were simple to follow. The tidbits of historical content were informative and expansive. Other features that I particularly loved included the timeline and the author commentary. This would be a wonderful classroom resource. I believe it is a great introductory level read.
Rating: 4/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: Elementary, Middle, High
* This book was selected as a Multicultural Studies read from my local public library.
pmileham's review against another edition
informative
fast-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Minor: Murder
hskrkelle's review against another edition
3.0
This was my first graphic novel, which was recommended by a local librarian. Not knowing what to expect, I did enjoy the quick read and the illustrations that complemented the narrative. This was a very high-level accounting of the Tulsa massacre of May, 1921. I found the narrative after the graphics most interesting as it linked racism against blacks with racism against indigenous people, a concept I had not considered.
pattydsf's review against another edition
4.0
Although this graphic non-fiction book is extremely short (64 pages), it does its job well. An important piece of American history, the Tulsa Race Massacre has been hidden from most (white) Americans for decades. Ball and the illustrator, Robinson, show us how horrible these events were and how they destroyed not only the African-Americans who lived in Tulsa, but also much of the wealth of African-Americans around the nation.
rachelwalexander's review against another edition
5.0
A brief, very accessible graphic history of Tulsa's "Black Wall Street" and the 1921 race massacre. I appreciated the narrative clearly identifying major players in the building of Greenwood, which gives readers ample avenues for further research. The inclusion of a timeline upfront and an essay in the back are great context and also situate the events in Tulsa in the larger context of colonization and indigenous land theft in Oklahoma, and the interactions between African-Americans and indigenous people at the time. The art is dynamic and page layouts work really well to add to the narrative flow.
haileyannereads's review against another edition
3.0
This is a good overview of the Tulsa Race Massacre. The focus is really on the individuals who built up the Greenwood District, rather than the tragedy that followed. It's definitely geared toward a younger audience, so it's a good introduction.
droar's review against another edition
4.0
A solid introduction to the Tulsa Race Massacre that's comic section is approachable enough to be read by younger readers with a more in depth discussion opening up in the closing essays. While I quite liked the art style, the coloring and highlighting are aggressively vibrant and makes everything look slightly wet which is... not optimal. Still, Across the Tracks is well worth the read.
saramarie08's review against another edition
4.0
Read more graphic novel reviews at The Graphic Library.
This book seeks to chronicle the success that was Greenwood, Oklahoma, a portion of the city of Tulsa that was a completely segregated Black community. Several Black business owners, entrepreneurs, and real-estate investors had a vision for a community that could be sustained entirely without white businesses, and they went about creating a thriving town with grocery stores, entertainment venues, mortgage offices, banks, and just about everything else you need in a town. Because so much was offered, much of the Black community spent their money in Greenwood, rather than in Tulsa, and money was spent several times over inside Greenwood before going to white businesses. Greenwood got the nickname "Black Wall Street" from Booker T. Washington when he came on a visit. Then, a race war came to Tulsa, with claims that a young Black man touched a white woman. Residents of Greenwood armed themselves and marched on the courthouse to protect the young man. But white residents of Tulsa were also marching on the court house, and the ensuing battle resulted in the destruction of most of Greenwood, the implementation of a military state, the deputization of hundreds of armed white Tulsans, and the systematic execution of many of Greenwood's residents.
The main message of this book is to preserve the prosperity of Greenwood, rather than be a retelling of the violence that ended it. The actual massacre is only depicted over a few pages. This book spends most of its time showing the city and how this segregated town could sustain itself. While this might draw criticism, especially since the Tulsa Race Massacre is listed in the subtitle, I feel this story goes more into the celebration of Black Achievement. You hear it often around Black History Month - if you start the celebration of this month with a discussion of slavery, then you're leaning into the idea that the most important part about Black History is Black pain. Rather, this book celebrates the notion that a Black community could thrive economically and have a rich society all on its own, if actually given the opportunity to do so. Overall, my main complaint is just how short this novel is. With 64 pages, this book is more of an overview, and it could have delved more into the individual people who helped build Greenwood and make it successful.
Robinson illustrated the people a bit cartoony, but her landscapes and cityscapes are really beautiful. This review copy was in grayscale, but the few included color pages make this something to definitely look forward to.
There is no violence shown on the page. Men hold guns, and shots are fired, but there is very little bloodshed, and most of the violent acts are told, not seen. There is nothing objectionable or difficult for middle school readers, provided they have a little bit of historical context for which to anchor this text.
Sara's Rating: 7/10
Suitability level: Grades 7-12
This review was made possible with an advanced reader copy from the publisher through Net Galley. This graphic novel will be on sale May 4, 2021.
This book seeks to chronicle the success that was Greenwood, Oklahoma, a portion of the city of Tulsa that was a completely segregated Black community. Several Black business owners, entrepreneurs, and real-estate investors had a vision for a community that could be sustained entirely without white businesses, and they went about creating a thriving town with grocery stores, entertainment venues, mortgage offices, banks, and just about everything else you need in a town. Because so much was offered, much of the Black community spent their money in Greenwood, rather than in Tulsa, and money was spent several times over inside Greenwood before going to white businesses. Greenwood got the nickname "Black Wall Street" from Booker T. Washington when he came on a visit. Then, a race war came to Tulsa, with claims that a young Black man touched a white woman. Residents of Greenwood armed themselves and marched on the courthouse to protect the young man. But white residents of Tulsa were also marching on the court house, and the ensuing battle resulted in the destruction of most of Greenwood, the implementation of a military state, the deputization of hundreds of armed white Tulsans, and the systematic execution of many of Greenwood's residents.
The main message of this book is to preserve the prosperity of Greenwood, rather than be a retelling of the violence that ended it. The actual massacre is only depicted over a few pages. This book spends most of its time showing the city and how this segregated town could sustain itself. While this might draw criticism, especially since the Tulsa Race Massacre is listed in the subtitle, I feel this story goes more into the celebration of Black Achievement. You hear it often around Black History Month - if you start the celebration of this month with a discussion of slavery, then you're leaning into the idea that the most important part about Black History is Black pain. Rather, this book celebrates the notion that a Black community could thrive economically and have a rich society all on its own, if actually given the opportunity to do so. Overall, my main complaint is just how short this novel is. With 64 pages, this book is more of an overview, and it could have delved more into the individual people who helped build Greenwood and make it successful.
Robinson illustrated the people a bit cartoony, but her landscapes and cityscapes are really beautiful. This review copy was in grayscale, but the few included color pages make this something to definitely look forward to.
There is no violence shown on the page. Men hold guns, and shots are fired, but there is very little bloodshed, and most of the violent acts are told, not seen. There is nothing objectionable or difficult for middle school readers, provided they have a little bit of historical context for which to anchor this text.
Sara's Rating: 7/10
Suitability level: Grades 7-12
This review was made possible with an advanced reader copy from the publisher through Net Galley. This graphic novel will be on sale May 4, 2021.