This beautiful picture book biography tells the story of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf who grew up in Africa, went to business school in the United States and worked in a variety of roles such as treasurer and in other government offices. In between escaping two civil wars in her home country of Liberia, managed to campaign to make monumental change in Liberia after the second civil war, this time, as president! As a result of the challenges Ellen faced and conquered, many young girls in Africa have a wonderful role model to inspire them to face their fears and follow their dreams. This book is an excellent picture book biography alternating between detailed pictures and pages with approximately 3 paragraphs of text. I would recommend this book to teachers and families of children in the 7-11 range, with younger readers likely needing help to read the text. As a teacher, I could see using this book to discuss topics of human and women's rights as well as the genre of biography. I so appreciate Netgalley and the publisher giving me the opportunity to read and review this book!

A well-meaning book, but one I see struggling to engage audiences outside Liberia itself. For this concerns the first female African president, in Liberia obviously, and how she worked hard to get there. A violent husband, having to abandon her young sons to go to America to study, black-on-black racism about her mixed heritage and perceived lack of colour – it's all there, and I'm sure a lot is left out as well, about her failures and the problems she did not manage to address in this benighted corner of the world. I would never pretend Ellen Johnson Sirleaf's life story so far isn't the right thing for a young non-fiction or biography book, but the way this is done here, with slightly dry text and just a plain selection of portraits of her as the bulk of the illustrations does show there was scope for improving this. Still, three stars, and at least within Africa and her diasporas this will hold some appeal.