James Otis Smith is the illustrator of Showtime at the Apollo: The Epic Tale of Harlem’s Legendary Theatre, and a multi-talented artist whose work spans illustration, comics, motion graphics, and video. This is his first book as both author and illustrator. Smith lives in Brooklyn, New York.Kadir Nelson is the author or illustrator of more than thirty children’s books including The Undefeated, written by Kwame Alexander, which received the 2020 Caldecott Medal, the Coretta Scott King Award, and a Newbery Honor. In his introduction to Black Heroes of the Wild West, Nelson writes, “It’s time that we hear every American’s story: from every background and creed, we’ve all worked together to weave the grand tapestry of America.”

NYPL'S TOP 10 BOOKS ​FOR KIDSNPR Book Concierge Favorite Books of 20202021 ALA Best Graphic Novels for Children Reading List2021 Great Graphic Novels for Teens, Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA)A 2020 VLA Graphic Novel Diversity Award Honor BookA Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection"These biographical comics are entertaining overviews that disrupt Wild West mythology."—The New York Times "Highly recommended for all collections."—Booklist STARRED REVIEW"[Smith] manages to capture the humanity of each subject, while giving the entire book the 'hero' vibe promised in the title."—Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast by Julie Danielson"Smith is an exceptional storyteller and you’ll be pulled into the stories immediately."—Imagination Soup“The racial and cultural diversity of the Old West gets the comic-book treatment in Smith’s exploration of the lives and adventures of three Black historical figures…It’s about time."—Kirkus Reviews"Really brings the sizzle”​—School Library Journal“Witty punch lines and comic strip-style illustrations…with an emphasis on biographical details and the landscape.”—Publishers Weekly"The inclusion of photographs as endpapers and chapter openings reinforces that these are real people behind these almost unbelievable tales. They provide valuable evidence that grounds the extraordinary events, as well as showing how many more stories were out there."—Good Comics for Kids, School Library Journal

James Otis Smith is the illustrator of Showtime at the Apollo: The Epic Tale of Harlem’s Legendary Theatre, and a multi-talented artist whose work spans illustration, comics, motion graphics, and video. This is his first book as both author and illustrator. Smith lives in Brooklyn, New York.Kadir Nelson is the author or illustrator of more than thirty children’s books including The Undefeated, written by Kwame Alexander, which received the 2020 Caldecott Medal, the Coretta Scott King Award, and a Newbery Honor. In his introduction to Black Heroes of the Wild West, Nelson writes, “It’s time that we hear every American’s story: from every background and creed, we’ve all worked together to weave the grand tapestry of America.”

NYPL'S TOP 10 BOOKS ​FOR KIDSNPR Book Concierge Favorite Books of 20202021 ALA Best Graphic Novels for Children Reading List2021 Great Graphic Novels for Teens, Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA)A 2020 VLA Graphic Novel Diversity Award Honor BookA Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection"These biographical comics are entertaining overviews that disrupt Wild West mythology."—The New York Times "Highly recommended for all collections."—Booklist STARRED REVIEW"[Smith] manages to capture the humanity of each subject, while giving the entire book the 'hero' vibe promised in the title."—Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast by Julie Danielson"Smith is an exceptional storyteller and you’ll be pulled into the stories immediately."—Imagination Soup“The racial and cultural diversity of the Old West gets the comic-book treatment in Smith’s exploration of the lives and adventures of three Black historical figures…It’s about time."—Kirkus Reviews"Really brings the sizzle”​—School Library Journal“Witty punch lines and comic strip-style illustrations…with an emphasis on biographical details and the landscape.”—Publishers Weekly"The inclusion of photographs as endpapers and chapter openings reinforces that these are real people behind these almost unbelievable tales. They provide valuable evidence that grounds the extraordinary events, as well as showing how many more stories were out there."—Good Comics for Kids, School Library Journal

James Otis Smith is the illustrator of Showtime at the Apollo: The Epic Tale of Harlem’s Legendary Theatre, and a multi-talented artist whose work spans illustration, comics, motion graphics, and video. This is his first book as both author and illustrator. Smith lives in Brooklyn, New York.Kadir Nelson is the author or illustrator of more than thirty children’s books including The Undefeated, written by Kwame Alexander, which received the 2020 Caldecott Medal, the Coretta Scott King Award, and a Newbery Honor. In his introduction to Black Heroes of the Wild West, Nelson writes, “It’s time that we hear every American’s story: from every background and creed, we’ve all worked together to weave the grand tapestry of America.”

NYPL'S TOP 10 BOOKS ​FOR KIDSNPR Book Concierge Favorite Books of 20202021 ALA Best Graphic Novels for Children Reading List2021 Great Graphic Novels for Teens, Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA)A 2020 VLA Graphic Novel Diversity Award Honor BookA Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection"These biographical comics are entertaining overviews that disrupt Wild West mythology."—The New York Times "Highly recommended for all collections."—Booklist STARRED REVIEW"[Smith] manages to capture the humanity of each subject, while giving the entire book the 'hero' vibe promised in the title."—Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast by Julie Danielson"Smith is an exceptional storyteller and you’ll be pulled into the stories immediately."—Imagination Soup“The racial and cultural diversity of the Old West gets the comic-book treatment in Smith’s exploration of the lives and adventures of three Black historical figures…It’s about time."—Kirkus Reviews"Really brings the sizzle”​—School Library Journal“Witty punch lines and comic strip-style illustrations…with an emphasis on biographical details and the landscape.”—Publishers Weekly"The inclusion of photographs as endpapers and chapter openings reinforces that these are real people behind these almost unbelievable tales. They provide valuable evidence that grounds the extraordinary events, as well as showing how many more stories were out there."—Good Comics for Kids, School Library Journal