Gr. 3^-6. Two illustrated biographies provide a powerful introduction to Malcolm X and his times. Both middle-graders and older reluctant readers will be caught by these accounts of a leader who still speaks to us of commitment, pride, and openness to change. Adoff's strong, clear text, first published in 1970, is reissued here as a chapter book, with new black-and-white illustrations by Rudy Guiterrez (one in each chapter) that reflect the intense drama, from Malcolm's childhood to his years as leader and his tragic death. Myers' YA biography Malcolm X: By Any Means Necessary (1992) was a Coretta Scott King Honor Book. In this picture book for older readers, he focuses on the crucial stages in Malcolm X's life. Leonard Jenkins' full-page, full-color montage illustrations, in acrylic, pastel, and spray paint, are like mural art, with larger-than-life individual portraits set against the crowded streets and the swirl of politics. At the same time, the pictures express the intense inner conflict and changes in the boy and the man. There's a painful close-up of a white teacher telling teenager Malcolm to give up his hopes of being a lawyer, and wonderful contrast between Malcolm as a cool, sharp street operator in a powder-blue suit and as a prisoner behind bars, reading in his cell--reading everything he can find. Public scenes show Malcolm X as eloquent speaker and leader. Then there's his pilgrimage to Mecca and his break with the Nation of Islam. On almost every page, there's a quote in bold black type from Malcolm X's speeches or writings. They make us hear his voice. --Hazel Rochman