April 1, 2020
K-Gr 2-Readers are given basic introductions to four familiar women who were involved in civil and equal rights movements. Each title provides brief biographical information and then takes a deeper look at the individual's work and the impact it had on society. Organized chronologically, the simple narrative structure uses short sentences and limited vocabulary, making these titles accessible to very young readers. The digitally drawn artwork appears on every page and adds some visual interest to the story. VERDICT Helpful back matter, solid introductions, and a story-like structure to the writing make this series a solid choice for many elementary libraries.
Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
April 1, 2020
Grades K-3 Young readers are introduced to Ruby Bridges in this volume of the Beginner Biography series (4 titles). First, it sets the scene by describing how Black and white children had separate schools until a 1954 Supreme Court ruling deemed this practice illegal. Ruby made history by attending first grade at a previously all-white school, and illustrations show her as a happy little girl, brave and unflappable while walking past a crowd of white protesters. Readers will pick up on the crowd's hostility, though protesters' placards likening integration to communism will go over kids' heads. The biography touches on Ruby's adult life as well, affectingly ending with a full-page photo of her meeting with President Barack Obama. Scattered fact boxes and a time line add to the text's educational value.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)