MG/YA – A Mighty Long Way: My Journey to Justice at Little Rock Central High School (Adapted for Young Readers)

Posted on April 24, 2024 by pslamediaselectionreview

LaNier, Carlotta Walls, and Lisa Frazier Page. A Mighty Long Way: My Journey to Justice at Little Rock Central High School (Adapted for Young Readers). Delacorte Press, 2023. 978-0-593-48675-7. $17.99. 294 p. Grades 5-10.

A Mighty Long Way is the first person account of Carlotta Walls LaNier, the youngest member of the Little Rock Nine–the first nine students to integrate Little Rock Central High School in 1957. Walls LaNier grew up in a close-knit community, full of extended family and friends. Her family placed a high value on education, and Carlotta enjoyed school and was a good student. When, following the Supreme Court ruling ordering desegregation of schools, the opportunity arose for Carlotta to attend Little Rock Central High School, noted for its excellent academic programs, Carlotta immediately signed up. Thus, with eight other students, she enrolled in the school in the fall of 1957. The members of the group faced many challenges, including regular verbal and physical abuse from some students. Their family members lost jobs and had to leave town to find employment. In 1960, the Walls’ home was bombed while Carlotta and her family slept inside. Despite these obstacles, Carlotta graduated from Central High in 1960, and went on to earn a college degree, become a realtor, and raise a family.

THOUGHTS: This powerful first-person account deserves a spot on shelves in libraries serving middle and high school students. It would also be an excellent choice for book studies in American history classes.

Biography

MG – Black Americans of Distinction (Series NF)

Posted on February 2, 2024 by pslamediaselectionreview

Black Americans of Distinction. Reference Point Press, 2023. $32.95 ea. $164.75 Set of 5. 64 p. Grades 6-8.

Allen, John. Important Black Americans in Sports. 978-1-6782-0290-3.
Castilo, Kristina. Important Black Americans in Business and Commerce. 978-1-6782-0284-2.
Currie, Stephen. Important Black Americans in Civil Rights and Politics. 978-1-6782-0286-6.
Kallen, Stuart. Important Black Americans in Arts and Culture. 978-1-6782-0282-8.
Nardo, Don. Important Black Americans in Science and Invention. 978-1-6782-0288-0.

Judging from the sequence of chapters in two of the books, the authors present information in chronological order with in-depth explanation of the history and distinguished professionals attached to these fields. Interesting textboxes highlight special events or pertinent people. This series is an updated, worthy series focusing on well-known and lesser-known Black Americans. Includes Other Sources and index.

THOUGHTS: I read the Business and Commerce and Sports titles and found valuable information suitable for the middle-grade researcher.

Elem. – Justice Rising: 12 Amazing Black Women in the Civil Rights Movement

Posted on September 7, 2023 by pslamediaselectionreview

Russell-Brown, Katheryn. Justice Rising: 12 Amazing Black Women in the Civil Rights Movement. Viking, Illustrated by Kim Holt. 2023. 978-0-593-40354-9. unpaged. $18.99. Grades 3-5.

This biography compilation tells the story of thirteen women who were the backbone of The Civil Rights Movement. It includes a short introduction to what the movement stood for along with thirteen short biographies of women who were instrumental in the movement. We’ve all heard of Rosa Parks and Coretta Scott King, but this picture book includes women such as Bernice Jognson Reagon, Gloria Richardson, and Jo Ann Robinson along with other lesser known Civil Rights figures. Includes quotes from many of the women featured as well as sources for each woman.

THOUGHTS: This is a great starting point for students interested in The Civil Rights Movement. The illustrations are clear and bright and the information is provided in a way that makes it accessible for many.

323 Civil and Political Rights
Picture Book

Elem./MG – Because Claudette

Posted on January 4, 2023 by pslamediaselectionreview

Baptiste, Tracey. Because Claudette. Illustrated by Tonya Engle. Dial Books for Young Readers, 2022. 978-0-593-32640-4. $17.99. 32 p. Grades K-8.

On March 2, 1955, Claudette Colvin refused to give up her bus seat to a white woman and was arrested. She was 15 years old. Claudette’s small act of resistance led to a chain of events that culminated in the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Through her courageous act of civil disobedience, Claudette met Civil Rights activists and leaders who were inspired by her bravery to change segregation laws. Most students will have heard of Rosa Parks, but few know that she was inspired by a young teenager. This text is told in a very simple narrative with stunning oil and acrylic paintings by illustrator Tonya Engle.

THOUGHTS: I did not know the story of Claudette Colvin prior to reading this book. The beauty of this narrative is how Baptiste shows a direct line from one small courageous act to a world-changing event. An excellent read aloud, and an important addition for elementary and middle school collections.

Picture Book Anne McKernan, Council Rock SD
Biography

MG – Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me ‘Round: My Story of Making Martin Luther King Day

Posted on December 8, 2022 by pslamediaselectionreview

Kirkwood, Kathlyn J. Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me ‘Round: My Story of Making Martin Luther King Day. Versify, 2022. 978-0-358-38726-8. 114 p. $16.99. Grades 3-7.

When Kathlyn Kirkwood is 17 years old, she realizes that racial discrimination is still very much present, especially in the South. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is fighting for change, and Kathlyn wants to be part of the movement. In 1968, The Negro Memphis sanitation workers go on strike for better working conditions like the white sanitation workers already receive. Dr. King comes to Memphis to support and lead the march – and Kathlyn decides to join in. The peaceful protest turns deadly when they are attacked, and it turns into a riot. The next month, Dr. King returns to march again, and Kathlyn cannot wait. The day before, she heads to the mall with her sister when she hears the breaking news: Dr. King has been killed right in her hometown of Memphis. All of his supporters knew that Dr. King deserved a day to commemorate the sacrifices he made to fight bigotry and hatred. One congressman, John Conyers, agreed, and introduced a bill for a Martin Luther King, Jr. federal holiday. It did not pass. Years go by and millions of people across the country sign a petition for the holiday, but it still does not pass. Undeterred, Kathlyn and fellow supporters (including singer Stevie Wonder) march, petition, and speak up for Dr. King until they finally accomplish their goal – 15 years later!

THOUGHTS: Kathlyn Kirkwood writes about this historical moment in lyrical verse paired with photographs, newspaper articles, flyers, and her own experiences. This is an important story for middle grade students to read and a must-buy for libraries.

Memoir Danielle Corrao, Manheim Central SD
Novel in Verse

YA – Victory. Stand! Raising My Fist for Justice

Posted on October 25, 2022 by pslamediaselectionreview

Smith, Tommie, Derrick Barnes, and Dawud Anyabwile. Victory. Stand! Raising My Fist for Justice. Norton Young Readers, 2022. 978-1-324-00390-8 . 208 p. $22.95. Grades 8-12.

In graphic format Tommie Smith shares the story of how he came to stand on the podium during the medal ceremony at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics as the gold medal winner in the 200-meter sprint. Together with bronze medalist John Carlos, Smith stood wearing black socks, and the two raised their black-gloved fists to protest racial injustices. But long before that pivotal moment, Smith came from a hardworking family of sharecroppers in rural Texas. Seeing their children’s education as an opportunity for a better life, Smith’s parents moved the family and Smith’s speed eventually was noticed, giving him more opportunities than they could have imagined possible. Smith attended schools that were being desegregated and a predominantly white college, facing many life-changing obstacles that shaped him into the activist he became.

THOUGHTS: Showing how great platforms come with great responsibilities, this graphic memoir deserves a place in secondary libraries looking to update their sports and/or nonfiction graphic novel collections.

Graphic Memoir Maryalice Bond, South Middleton SD
796.42 Track & Field

Elem – Sweet Justice: Georgia Gilmore and the Montgomery Bus Boycott

Posted on October 24, 2022 by pslamediaselectionreview

Rockliff, Mara. Sweet Justice: Georgia Gilmore and the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Random House Studio, 2022. 978-1-524-72064-3. $18.99. Grades 2-4.

Georgia Gilmore was cooking away when the news broke that Rosa Parks was arrested because she would not let a white man sit in her seat on the public bus. The outrage was loud, with radios urging people to boycott the bus on December 5, 1955. Throughout the protests and concerns, Georgia continued to cook and feed the protesters and raise money for support. Even when Georgia herself was fired, she continued to cook to do her part to help support the movement that was so critical to her and many Americans.

THOUGHTS: A nicely illustrated biography about Georgia Gilmore and the help and support she gave throughout the bus boycott. She personally met Martin Luther King Jr. and received support from him throughout this important part of American history. Overall this book is a great view of the bus boycott of Montgomery through the eyes of a person readers may not know about.

323.092 Civil Rights Leaders Rachel Burkhouse, Otto-Eldred SD
Biography
Picture Book

YA – In the Name of Emmett Till: How the Children of the Mississippi Freedom Struggle Showed Us Tomorrow

Posted on February 9, 2022 by pslamediaselectionreview

Mayer, Robert H. In the Name of Emmett Till: How the Children of the Mississippi Freedom Struggle Showed Us Tomorrow. NewSouth Books, 2021. 978-1-588-38437-9. 201 pp. $19.95. Grades 9-12.

Robert H. Mayer opens this collective history of the “Children of the Mississippi Freedom Struggle” with the event that impacted their lives and motivated their activism: The brutal 1955 murder of Emmett Till. Many young people in Mississippi identified with Emmett. They also were Black, close to his age, and knew that a system that allowed such a terrible crime to go unpunished would likely also fail to protect them if they were ever assaulted or imprisoned (whether justly or unjustly). Spurred to action, they rejected the world of Jim Crow laws, organized youth chapters of the NAACP, planned sit-ins and vigils, and spearheaded marches. Profiled members of the “Emmett Till generation” include the Tougaloo Nine, the Freedom Riders, the North Jackson Youth Council, and many more. Brief chapters on the “Elders” of the Mississippi freedom struggle – Medgar Evers, Bob Moses, and Fannie Lou Hamer – appear at intervals, chronicling the contributions of the movement’s architects, especially their impact on younger people. The final chapter poses a question to readers: “Are you encouraged to examine your world and consider ways you and your peers might act to make the world better?” (177).

THOUGHTS: There’s always room on the shelf for well-written nonfiction with a different perspective on the Civil Rights era, and here Robert H. Mayer focuses on many spirited young activists and the events that shaped their commitment to the struggle. Readers without a strong interest in the topic may find In the Name of Emmett Till slow going, but excerpts would also work well for classroom discussion and research purposes. Note that in a prefatory comment, Mayer discusses his choice to include hateful racial slurs within quotes in order to illustrate “how often people used this word and how comfortable they were saying it” (xii).

323 Civil Rights Movement Amy V. Pickett, Ridley SD

Elem. – The Voice That Won the Vote: How One Woman’s Words Made History

Posted on January 12, 2021 by pslamediaselectionreview

Boxer, Elisa. The Voice That Won the Vote: How One Woman’s Words Made History. Sleeping Bear Press, 2020. Unpaged. 978-1-534-11049-6. $16.99. Grades 2-5.

This picture book biography tells the lesser known story of an important contributor to women’s suffrage. Since 1848, women had been lobbying for voting rights and finally in 1918, Congress passed the 19th Amendment, giving women the right to vote. The final step in the process was state ratification and by 1920, it all came down to one last state-Tennessee. State lawmakers there were under pressure to reject the amendment, and one woman decided to do something about it. Febb Burn was a college educated woman from Tennessee, who loved to read and study lawmaking. She knew the vote was close, so she wrote a letter to her son Harry, who was a state lawmaker. She asked him to support the amendment and not to “keep them in doubt.” Although Harry Burn had voted no in the first round, he surprised everyone by breaking the tie with his Aye vote, thus “freeing seventeen million women from political slavery.” By using her own voice, Febb Burn helped women gain the right to vote so their voices could be heard. The back matter contains details about the letter and a timeline of the suffrage movement. The author discusses the similarities between the anti-slavery movement and women’s fight for equality. Mildenberger has created charming illustrations with a folk art quality and includes a photograph of Febb in one of them.

THOUGHTS: Since 2020 was the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment, this story is especially relevant. This book could be used in social studies or civics units to spark discussions about the Constitution and civil rights and would be a good read aloud during Women’s History Month. A worthwhile purchase.

324.623 Voting Rights Denise Medwick, Retired, PSLA Member
Suffrage, Voting and Electoral Process
921 Biography

Elem. – Above the Rim: How Elgin Baylor Changed Basketball

Posted on December 1, 2020 by pslamediaselectionreview

Bryant, Jen, and Frank Morrison. Above the Rim: How Elgin Baylor Changed Basketball. Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2020. 978-1-4197-4108-1. Unpaged. $18.99. Grades 3-6.

“Whenever Elgin played, people stopped what they were doing and watched.” Elgin Baylor had that kind of effect on the game of basketball, but that was not all. As he grew and played, he also learned and watched what was happening in the world around him. He saw civil rights leaders bravely and peacefully standing up (or sitting down) for change. When Elgin finally made the NBA, he was still facing many forms of discrimination, and now it was his turn to act. “Sometimes you have to sit down to stand up.” The lessons from this poetic biographical picture book by the stellar Jen Bryant are sure to land with young sports fans; meanwhile, the stretched artistic oil paintings portray a man that seemed larger than life in an ever changing time. Just watch and see the impact this book could have on your young readers!

THOUGHTS: Elgin Baylor may not be a household name for young fans, but if they stop and discuss it, they will see how the work of LeBron James, Jackie Robinson, and others are intertwined with his leadership and talent. The timeline at the end offers its own intertwined path between civil rights events and Elgin’s career. A very worthy addition to picture book biographies.

Biography Dustin Brackbill, State College Area SD

Literature Review

Part of the Pennsylvania School Librarians Association (PSLA)

Tag Archives: Civil Rights