Book Description

Toni Morrison has collected a treasure chest of archival photographs that depict the historical events surrounding school desegregation. These unforgettable images serve as the inspiration for Ms. Morrison"s text—a fictional account of the dialogue and emotions of the children who lived during the era of "separate but equal" schooling. Remember is a unique pictorial and narrative journey that introduces children to a watershed period in American history and its relevance to us today. Remember will be published on the 50th anniversary of the groundbreaking Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision ending legal school segregation, handed down on May 17, 1954. ... Read more

Book Description

This is the moving story of how Jackie Robinson became the first black player on a major league baseball team and how on a fateful day in Cincinnati, PeeWee Reese took a stand and declared Jackie his teammate.
... Read more

Reviews (6)

the hardship in baseball
Teammates

Teammates is about 2 men named
Pees wee Reese and Jackie Robinson. Both of them were baseball players on the same
Team called the dogers. Pee wee
Reese was white and Jackie rob-
Inson was black. They were both
Friends and helped each other out. The players on their team
Came mostly from the south, men
Had been taught to avoid black
People since childhood. They moved to another table
Whenever Jackie sat down next
To them. Many opposing players
Were cruel to Jackie, calling him mean names from their
Dugouts. A few tried to hurt
Him with their spiked shoes.
It was bad for Jackie. Pitchers
Aimed for his head, and he
Received threats on his life,
Both from individuals and from
Oramizations like the Ku Klux
Klan. Jackie avoided all of it,
And made the team. Jackie and
Pee wee became really great
Friends and baseball legends.

Awesome!
This book teaches you alot about how blacks were treated back in the day. When Jackie Robinsion was signed to the Dodgers the fans and players treated him really badly. People threw stuff at him. Then a young teammate stood up for him and saved him from being ban from the team. So you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover.

classic
A simple telling of how Jackie Robinson came to play in the major leagues, this book portrays the prejudice he faced in a basic way that children can understand. And it shines a bright light on a quiet moment: PeeWee Reese's brave public declaration of solidarity with his teammate. This book has been my son's favorite for the past two years, since he was five.

Brooklyn Dodger Teammates: Jackie Robinson & Pee Wee Reese
"Teammates" tells the story of one of the more moving moments in the history of baseball that occurred during the 1947 season when the Brooklyn Dodgers traveled to Crosley Field in Cincinnati to play the Reds. Jackie Robinson, the first black man to play in the major leagues, was playing first base and being the target of hostility and abuse from the fans. At shortstop was Harold "Pee Wee" Reese, who born in the South, but who had refused to join other Southerners on the team in signing a petition to kick Jackie off the team. That day in Cincinnati, Reese did something that remains one of the bright moments of that historic season and which deserves to be more than a minor footnote in baseball history.

"Teammates" is written by Peter Golenbock, who heard the story of what happened that day from Rex Barney, who pitched for the Dodgers that day. Usually when the story of Jackie Robinson breaking the "color line" in baseball, the other key person in the story is Branch Rickey, the Dodger general manager. But Rickey could only support Robinson from the front office and not on the field, where it was Pee Wee Reese who decided to do something about that. Consequently, it is Reese who emerges as the hero of this particular story. Certainly it is safe to assume that anyone who reads this book knows something about Jackie Robinson; Golenbock talks about how Rickey needed somebody special to be the first, but does not get into the reasons why Robinson was that man (e.g., All-American football star at U.C.L.A., Army officer). But clearly "Teammates" is not intended to be the first book a youngster reads about the story of Jackie Robinson. Paul Bacon, as he did for the exquisite "Susanna of the Alamo," does both the design and illustration for this volume, combining historic photographs and items with his own watercolor paintings to tell the story.

A few brave men
This book is a true story that vividly describes the era of baseball and the scoial climate of race relations in the early 1940's. The Brooklyn Dodgers were the first Major Leauge Baseball team to hire an African American. Branch Rickey of the Dodgers was looking for "a man strong enough not to fight back". Jackie Robinson was of course that man and it was known as the "Great Experiment". It was tough for Jackie who ws not well recieived by many whites, including his teammates. One teammate was different, he knew he should always do what is right even if everyone around him including family or friends felt differently, that man was Pewee Reese. This book looks at how racism affected many aspects of society and how the strength of one indidual can change many attitudes. There is a variety of mediums used for the illustrations that only enhance the book. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Noticing differences among people is biological. At six months, aninfant can distinguish skin color, hair texture, and facial features. Butforming attitudes about differences is social, say Caryl Stern La Rosa and EllenHofheimer Bettman in this perceptive and practical book developed by theAnti-Defamation League, Hate Hurts. The authors offer a clear andcompelling guide to understanding the way children learn and unlearn prejudice,suggesting hundreds of strategies, role plays, and sample dialogues for parentsand teachers to shape the way children value the differences they perceive.

Prejudice--an all-too-common response to dealing with differences of race,religion, ethnicity, or sexual orientation--is contagious, the authors warn.They offer both the theory and the practice to teach children to "turn the fearand pain of prejudice into the courage and cooperation of understanding andrespect." Insightful chapters illuminate how children see differences at variousages, from toddler to teen, and detail the tough questions they may ask.

The most powerful segments of the book are devoted to true stories that describehow to respond to children of all ages who have been the initiator or the objectof hateful words and actions. For example, one section redefines "big words"(prejudice, stereotype, and discrimination) for "little people"; another tacklesadolescent name-calling, exclusion, and "zooing." Specific tools for counteringbias in schools, media, books, and online are underlined with conviction andclarity. Parents and teachers could not wish for a wiser guide to confront andconquer prejudice in our children and ourselves. --Barbara Mackoff ... Read more

Reviews (2)

a lesson to "unlearn"
I had to read this book at work (I'm an assistant editor for a teachers' magazine) and was pleasantly surprised at the outcome of my reading assignment. If you are a parent or teacher, you will have no trouble finding some benefit from this book.

"Hate Hurts" addresses issues that different ages of children have, from a preschooler's inquiries ("Why don't that man's legs work?") to more serious teen-age deliberations ("I don't like how my friends were teasing that gay guy, but I don't want them to think I'm gay...").

The only reason I don't give this 5 stars is the scattershot approach the book takes. Having said that, this approach makes the book digestible by parents and teachers alike, and the material is appropriate for sharing with nearly anybody. This book is an easy read, and has many applicable anecdotes and a great lesson for all.

A Wonderful Text For Concerned Parents
A marvelous book! As the mother of young twins, I wonder (and worry) about how best to teach my children what it means to be a citizen in a diverse society, one where people of different races, religions, nationalities, ethnicites, ages, sexual orientations, looks and customs all participate equally (whew, that was a lot for one sentence!) -- but where, alas, a good deal of prejudice and misunderstanding still exist. 'Hate Hurts' is full of fine, useful advice. The authors offer insights and suggestions that are always practical, though not always obvious. What's more, part of the proceeds go towards efforts by the Anti-Defamation League to eradicate prejudice. This book will have a permanent and prominent place in our family library. ... Read more

Book Description

Us and Them illuminates the dark corners of our nation's past and traces our ongoing efforts to live up to the American ideals of equality and justice. Fourteen case studies--enhanced through the use of original documents, historical photos, newly commissioned paintings, and dramatic narrative--bring readers a first-hand account of the history and psychology of intolerance. We read about Mary Dyer, executed for her Quaker faith in Boston in 1660. We learn how the Mormons were expelled from Missouri in 1838. The attack on Chinese miners in Wyoming in 1885, the battle of Wounded Knee in 1890, the Ku Klux Klan activities in Mobile, Alabama in 1981, and the Crown Heights riot in 1991 are among the memorable episodes presented in clear, evocative language that brings to life history that is often forgotten or slighted. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

The Face of Prejudice
In an age of sanitized history and calls for revisionism that make people feel comfortable, there is a great need for more books like Jim Carnes' history of intolerance in America. With 128 pages of text and 16 concise chapters this book corrects much of the white washing that is taking place in much longer history texts, even at the college level. Religious liberty, Native American exile, freedom from slavery, racial extermination, and ethnic tensions are highlighted with graphic images and easily accessible narratives. The trials of diverse groups such as Mormons, Catholics, Chinese, Native Americans, Jewish immigrants, Mexican Americans, Japanese citizens, and just playing Americans are dramatically highlighted in an unforgettable montage of images and words that give the lie to the "melting pot" that is the United States.

Paintings, etchings, drawings, and photographs illustrate in no uncertain terms would hate has done to this country. More than that the pictures combined with the simple prose personalizes each inequity that is introduced. For example, "A Rose for Charlie" presents photographs of the community disrupted by hate, as well as that community's response to the hate. From photographs of hate speech scrawled on walls to portraits of citizens mourning the victim of a deadly hate crime present a view of America that could not be farther from the Norman Rockwell ideal we all wish this country would be. For those interested, a fictionalized account of this particular crime can be found in "The Drowning of Stephan Jones" by Bette Greene, which chronicles the death of the young man simply because of who he loved.

It should be an essential book for all classrooms.

An important book for educators
I used this book in both my 6th and 8th grade classrooms with great success. I embarked on a diversity project using it and the video (which I strongly recommend); it's an excellent starting point because its scope is so wide and yet it gives very detailed accounts of intolerance in America, starting from the beginning (you see, we have a rather long history of intolerance). Middle school students find it interesting and easy to understand, and it's perfect for the teacher because it covers many ethnic and racial groups in the U.S.. Use this book! It's very important.

This book effectively tells the story and links oppressions.
This terrific book effectively tells the story of oppression inthe United States and subtly connects the interrelatedness ofoppressions by putting the chapters side by side. The information and sidebars are magnificent in their detail and it is nice to have many sides of history that are so rarely shown. I learned more about history from this book than any history textbook I can remember. The stories of racial, religious, ethnic, and gay oppressions become human stories in this book--hopefully stories that we can learn from and choose not to repeat. ... Read more

Book Description

The kidnapping and murder of Emmett Till is famous as a catalyst for the Civil Rights Movement. Emmett Till, a fourteen-year-old Black teenager from Chicago, was visiting family in a small town in Mississippi during the summer of 1955. Likely showing off to friends, Emmett allegedly whistled at a white woman. Three days later his brutally beaten body was found floating in the Tallahatchie River. The extreme violence of the crime put a national spotlight on the Jim Crow ways of the South, and many Americans-Black and white-were further outraged at the speedy trial of the white murderers.Although the two white men were tried and acquitted by an all-white jury, they later bragged publicly about the crime. It was a galvanizing moment for Black leaders and ordinary citizens, including such activists as Rosa Parks.In clear, vivid detail Chris Crowe investigates the before-and-aftermath of the crime, as well as the dramatic court trial, and places it into the context of the nascent Civil Rights Movement.

With lively narrative and abundantly illustrated with forty fascinating contemporaneous photographs, this impressive work of nonfiction brings fresh insight to the case in a manner that will be accessible and eye-opening for teenagers and adults alike. ... Read more

Book Description

For months six-year-old Ruby Bridges must confront the hostility of white parents when she becomes the first African American girl to integrate Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans in 1960. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

True story of courage in a six year old girl
Wonderful, powerful, humbling true story of Ruby Bridges, a six year old African American girl in 1960, sent to integrate an elementary school in New Orleans. Children of the 1990's will be speechless with astonishment when they come to understand the ugliness of racism. Ruby's calm perseverance, academic commitment, and gracious forgiveness are powerful lessons for all of us, parents as well as children. MUST READ FOR MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY. Ruby's story makes it all make sense.

Ruby Bridges Opens the Door
The Story of Ruby Bridges By Robert Cole Ruby Bridges opens the doors to education for all black children. This original true story by Robert Cole tugs at the reader's emotions. Children of ages six and up learn the importance of equal rights. During early 1960, in New Orleans, the courageous Ruby Bridges fights her way through angry white mobs to learn in an empty classroom. In facing this unfairness, she finds help with someone special in her life... her teacher. In this descriptive book, the reader learns quite a few lessons. One is that a person should never give up. Another of the lessons is that a person should never hate someone for any reason. The Story of Ruby Bridges also teaches readers about American history. In this emotional book, the reader finds out if this brave hearted girl can pull through hard times of overt racism.

Amazing Story of Strength and Wisdom
Robert Cole did an excellent job of turning a biography into an interesting and enjoyable piece of literature. The phrasing was easy to understand, as was the explanation of the historical events. The subject is definitely worth reading about, to show the courage of the young Ruby Bridges. Children will be able to easily relate to Ruby because of her age and the setting of the story being at school.
Cole also included an afterword about the story of Ruby Bridges and gave a place to get further information about her. I thought that was a very good addition to the book, giving children and teachers a resource to broaden learning.
There were not photographs included in the book, but the illustrations were very life like, I thought. It is very easy to imagine Ruby Bridges, the teacher, the angry mob and other characters in the story because of the clarity of the illustrations. Overall, I think the author and the illustrator did an excellent job of bringing a biography to life with its easy and captivating words and illustrations.

A wonderful young heroine
The story of Ruby Bridges is a beautiful tale depicting the courage of six year
old Ruby Bridges and how she became the first black child to segregate the
elementary school system in New Orleans, Louisiana. Her story is one of hope
and encouragement to not only African Americans but also to the entire human
race. It teaches perseverance, forgiveness, and hope and should be read by all
to give insight into our history.

As for the illustrations, George Ford used watercolor paints mixed with acrylic
inks and conventional drawing inks to create images that are beautiful and so
real looking they're life-like.

Kudos to both author and illustrator on a job well done. I look forward to
sharing this book with family, friends, and my own children.

Reviewed by Tee C. Royal
The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

An excellent history lesson for young children
I teach Kindergarten in New York City. My students sat totally engrossed as I read the story of Ruby Bridge's struggle to gain an education in New Orleans, Louisiana.

After I finished the story they asked to hear it again. My five year students actually had a sophistated discussion about the moral wrongs of Ruby's experience. To quote one little boy, "But that's not right. It doesn't matter what someone looks like, they should be able to go to school."

My students totally got it! In January we learned about Martin Luther King, Jr. and they instantly connected the Civil Rights struggle lead by King to Ruby's experience of going to an integrated school. They also learned the value of education. It was an awesome experience.

I highly recommend this book to anyone with children or works with children. ... Read more

Book Description

In this inspiring collection of true stories, thirty African-Americans who were children or teenagers in the 1950s and 1960s talk about what it was like for them to fight segregation in the South-to sit in an all-white restaurant and demand to be served, to refuse to give up a seat at the front of the bus, to be among the first to integrate the public schools, and to face violence, arrest, and even death for the cause of freedom.

"Thrilling...Nothing short of wonderful."-The New York Times

Awards:

( A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
( A Booklist Editors' Choice ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Amazing Read
Many figures and groups of people are marginalized in the study of the Civil Rights Movement. This book is an excellent forum to give voice to the children of the movement. Especially powerful are the stories of students who were among the first to integrate. One student recounts the time when he asked a white friend to sign his senior year book. the white friend wrote "there was a time when I was a bigot and a racist... but knowing you changed me. I now know that people are people, black or white." He ended the entry by saying, "We shall overcome." Annecdotes like these illustrate the profound effect young people had on the movement. This book is a rich resource, and I recommend it to anyone. Though some parts are quite depressing, enough to make you cry, in the end you will feel a respect and appreciation for what "everyday" young people did to contribute to the movement. Essentially, a priceless collection.

heartfelt accounts... children's 'history' of Civil Rights
Touching and powerfully honest personal accounts of the daily lives of children / youth in the Civil Rights Movement. Children surviving domestic terrorism in a culture of violence, ever hopeful of realizing " all men are created equal". Though it documents 'traumatic' incidents the focus is on courage , hope, and our personal responsibility for making the world a better world. For the children each day, each choice, each action made a profound vote for justice and equality. They are truly activists, and advocates for 'humanity'. Our elementary class uses this book to learn about and portray each person. They often seek to emulate them.The children respectfully honor these young heroes, and find their own 'voice'.

It was a great book!!!!!
Freedom's Children was a very good book because it involved different interveiws by thirty people so every person's story was different. It is probably one of the best African-American books for children. I really recommend it to people who like true stories and the 50's and 60's. At some points it was depressing, and at some points it was happy.

It is an inspiring story about child activists!
Freedom's Children is filled with inspiring real life stories of children who lived in the 1950's. It tells about their separate lives and how they fought for Civil Rights. This book describes many aspects of the movement. One part is about the Little Rock Nine. I admire them for having enough courage to attend an all white school. They were made fun of and even physically threatened by fellow students. The book also tells about the bus boycott, Freedom Riders, and all the laws passed to make a better life for African Americans. I enjoyed this book mostly because of how much it taught me and I recommend it to anyone who wants to learn ... Read more

Book Description

Racial discrimination is cruel—and especially so to younger children. This title encourages kids to accept and be comfortable with differences of skin color and other racial characteristics among their friends and in themselves. A First Look At… is an easy-to-understand series of books for younger children. Each title explores emotional issues and discusses the questions such difficulties invariably raise among kids of preschool through early school age. Written by a psychotherapist and child counselor, each title promotes positive interaction among children, parents, and teachers. The books are written in simple, direct language that makes sense to younger kids. Each title also features a guide for parents on how to use the book, a glossary, suggested additional reading, and a list of resources. There are attractive full-color illustrations on every page. (Ages 4–7) ... Read more

Book Description

Readers young and old will be enchanted by this imaginative and appealing book. With provocative questions and strikingly beautiful artwork, this book will surely trigger valuable family discussions about the joy of embracing and celebrating the magnificence that is inherent in our diversity. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

An important message for any age
It's never to early to teach your child the importance of harmony and tolerance and this little book is a great place to start. When some zebras lose their white stripes and others their black stripes, they must look inside themselves and each other to learn to get along.

I especially appreciated the very last page which placed the zebras with many children of different races and nationalities so that my 5-year old and I could talk about the differences in people, too.

Awesome!
My 5 year old loves this book and it has a very positive message!

Top Priority Message
What If Zebras Lost Their Stripes gives you a perfect occasion to open young minds to how adults of different colors and nationalities -- and kids -- should think about their diversity. With just a little thought, kids will get this top priority message instantly. A great contribution.

Outstanding!
A wonderful book that encourages children and adults to appreciate each others differences. A classic!

A Must For Every Child's Library!
This is an incredibly inspirational and thought-provoking story of diversity. It is written in a very light-hearted context, yet sends a powerful message. The illustration is fun, lively and colorful. My kids as well as their teachers, love this book! ... Read more

Book Description

For thousands of slaves--whose exact number will never be known--the North Star marked the way to freedom on the Underground Railroad.The stories of the brave "passengers" on the escape route whose extraordinary fortitude broke their own chains, and of the "conductors" who risked their lives to help others, are a testament to the human spirit.

In this fascinating and thorough account, Gena K. Gorrell movingly describes the history of the Underground Railroad, from the origins of slavery through the Civil War and beyond.She depicts the passage from Africa on desperately crowded slave ships, the station-by-station development of the powerful Railroad routes to the northern United States and Canada, and the immense challenges runaways faced once they reached freedom.Throughout the narrative, Gorrell highlights the pivotal roles played by various people of the era, those who became famous and those who remain too little known.

The immediacy of the writing is complemented by period posters, photographs, and paintings, making North Star to Freedom a living history so gripping that it will be impossible to forget. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The American Underground Railroad from the Promised Land
"North Star to Freedom" is a matter of fact Canadian view of the American Underground Railroad and the historical periods it existed written for children. Considering that Canaan and the Promised Land were used as code words for Canada in spirituals used in the Underground Railroad it is an intriguing viewpoint. People weren't happy as slaves but being a fugitive slave in another state or country was a tough situation. People risked recapture, started out poor, and struggled against racial prejudice. The Underground railroad is portrayed as varying from kind people acting on impulse to help a runaway to highly organized conductors and stations. Slavery is honestly shown as existing throughout Canada and the United States in different degrees. Occasional freedom from slavery through manumission and self-purchase through savings are mentioned. The only problem I have with the book is that it covers freedom earned by slaves fighting for the Loyalist Cause and emigrating to Canada but not the Patriotic slaves earning their freedom on the American side in regiments such the First Rhode Island during the Revolutionary War. The result was a stable population of free African -Americans in Canada and New England sometimes assisting others to freedom and often camouflaging them. The 1793, Canada legislated the eventual freeing of all its slaves and declared any American slaves crossing the border were free. In contrast, The United States of America passed the first Fugitive Slave Law in 1793 to give slave catchers the right of search and seizure in any state. The Underground Railroad became organized around that time. Some slaves went all the way to Canada but many disappeared into the communities of free African-Americans in the North. Some became active in the Underground Railroad to help others escape, some became well-known abolitionists, some struggled to create a new life for themselves. The Second Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 put all fugitive slaves and some free African-Americans at risk of being captured and sent into slavery on the word of a slave hunter and any white person claiming to be their owner. Active abolitionists who had escaped slavery years previously were especially at risk. Roughly forty thousand fugitive slaves went to Canada. Some returned to fight for the North in the Civil War. After the American Civil War, about two thirds of the fugitive slaves returned to the United States. "North Star to Freedom" describes succinctly how and why the Underground Railroad existed. I would recommend it as a reference book for elementary and middle schools that could also be read for pleasure. The historical treatment of slavery and the Underground Railroad is excellent for the age group. The period illustrations create a parallel story to capture readers. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (6)

One of the Best
This is one of the best books for kids during the holidays (or year round for that matter). It's great for adults too, I look forward to reading it every Hanukah.

A good true story read aloud by actor Bill Pullman
The Christmas Menorahs is a compelling story. The Jewish Community Library of Los Angeles selected this book to be included in its public radio production "One People, Many Stories." One People, Many Stories is a 6 CD set of over 30 children's Jewish stories read by Hollywood talent. This particular story was read by actor,Bill Pullman who happens to own a ranch in Montana...the location of this true story of tolerance and sensitivity. You can purchase the CD set (6 CD set $$$) to hear Bill Pullman read The Christmas Menorahs

A small city's courage and decency
I don't generally review children's books but, I bought this for my niece and read it. I was touched by this heartwarming tale. This is a true story of the people of Billings, Montana who stood up against hatred when anti semitic skinheads through rocks through the windows of Jewish homes displaying Hanukkah menorahs. The good people of this city got together and displayed menorahs also. Since there were not enough menorahs avilable, many displayed pictures of menorahs.

This charming account is told from the point of view of a young boy whose window was smashed. Seeing the events unfurl from his eyes and the eyes of his parents truly humanized the account of events. It is written to read like a fictional story even though, for the most part, the events are true. This book is worth reading by the whole family, Jewish and non Jewish alike. All kids, even good readers, are entitled to be read to occasionally and this book should be read by the family together.

An inspiring book of how young and old can fight bigotry
I first saw the documentary of the true story in Billings, Montana on which this book was based. The story comes to life through simple yet powerful words and vivid drawings. When thousands of non-Jewish citizens, including young children, fight bigotry by putting menorahs in their windows, they inspire us that no issue is too big to face head on. Every child over the age of nine should read this book, no matter what the racial or religious make up of his or her community.

The holiday spirit is alive in this book!
I bought this book last holiday season for everyone in my family (from 3 to 70)! It's a powerful true story of diverse families coming together and working together to put an end to hate crimes during Hanukkah in their small town. Families realize their similarities, even though they are Christian and Jewish. To me, this story is a story of the holiday season - and the spirit of human kindness - at its finest. A wonderful book to read during the holiday season! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

great book with tons of facts
This book really opened my eyes to how the "nationalist" Americans really treated the Japanese-Americans. This book totally blew my mind and made me angry. I was angry because we were just as bad as those nazi's. All in all i'd recommend this book if you want to learn the truth. ... Read more

Book Description

Segregated Charleston, SC, 1955: There are 62 official Little League programs in South Carolina - all but one of the leagues is composed entirely of white players.The Cannon Street YMCA All-Stars, an all-black team, is formed in hopes of playing in the state's annual Little League Tournament.What should have been a time of enjoyment, however, turns sour when all of the other leagues refuse to play against them and even pull out of the program.As the only remaining Little League team in the state, Cannon Street was named state winner by default, giving the boys a legitimate spot in the Little League Baseball World Series held in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.While the Cannon Street team is invited to the game as guests, they are not allowed to participate since they have not officially "played" and won their state's tournament.

"Let Them Play" takes its name from the chant shouted by the spectators who attended the World Series final. ... Read more

Book Description

If a bus could talk, it would tell the story of a young African-American girl named Rosa who had to walk miles to her one-room schoolhouse in Alabama while white children rode to their school in a bus. It would tell how the adult Rosa rode to and from work on a segregated city bus and couldn't sit in the same row as a white person. It would tell of the fateful day when Rosa refused to give up her seat to a white man and how that act of courage inspired others around the world to stand up for freedom.

In this book a bus does talk, and on her way to school a girl named Marcie learns why Rosa Parks is the mother of the Civil Rights movement. At the end of Marcie's magical ride, she meets Rosa Parks herself at a birthday party with several distinguished guests. Wait until she tells her class about this! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Moving Story About Civil Rights Movement
What would you do if a bus with eyes, nose, red hair, and a yellow cap pulled up to your bus stop? When the door opens and a voice calls out, "Step on up, young lady," Marcie does just that. It will be the ride of her life, for she hears the courageous story of Rosa Parks straight from Rosa's bus itself. This story spans a spectrum of detail in 32 pages: from Rosa McCauley's childhood in Pine Level, Alabama, to her marriage to Raymond Parks, to that fateful bus ride on December 1, 1955, to her continued struggle for equality after the boycott. The artistic style of Faith Ringgold leaps from the page in dramatic acrylic color on canvas. The suggested reading age for this book is 5 - 9. Yet it is not a quick read. Text is detailed enough to make some younger listeners restless. Vocabulary is challenging enough to daunt some older beginner readers. But don't let that deter you from sharing If a Bus Could Talk with your children. No doubt they take their integrated schools, pools, movies, and restaurants for granted. If anything, this story will get THEM to talk!

A good informitive book!
If a bus could talk is about a little girl named Marcie who steps onto a bus that can talk. The bus tells her that she is ridng on the Rosa Parks bus. Then the bus tells her about Rosa Park's life and about Martin Luther King and the bus boycott. I learned alot about Rosa Park's life from reading this book, and I would recommend If a Bus Could Talk to any child who doesn't know much about the civil rights movement. ... Read more

Book Description

This book is about Human Rights written, illustrated, and edited by Young People from all over the World. This ground-breaking title is a compliation of the Words of Children who express their Hopes and Fears About how we treat each other.This is a practical guidebook, including details of Organizations to join and ten tips for Human Rights action from Amnesty International. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A Peace Child International Project celebrating Human Rights
"Stand Up for Your Rights" is a book written by and for children around the world from over 60 countries, who describe in their own words and pictures the importance of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Declaration was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948 and sets forth the basic civil, economic, political, and social rights and freedoms of every person. This book divides the Declaration into two broad sections, the first dealing with legal and political issues, such as freedom and equality for all people, while the second relates to the daily quality of life of an individual. Within this context the book explores each of the 30 Articles, beginning with the language of the article made simple and then a mixture of historic and contemporary events with the words and drawings of the children and young people. It is the later that provides thought-provoking material, which should serve as an excellent starting point for class discussions. Certainly the topics touched upon within these pages will be easily relatable to what young students see on the nightly news. The book also includes the Convention on the Rights of the Child adopted by the U.N. General Assembly in 1989. Comparing the difference in the rights of children versus those of "humans" should also prove interesting, especially as a way of defining the difference between children and adults. There is also a list of organizations and efforts, such as Amnesty International and Defense for Children International, which gives children an opportunity to do something about this issues besides just reading about them.

Great Introduction to Human Rights
Stand Up for Your Rights is a great intoduction to humanrights. Children will appreciate the detailed and well chosen artwork and the short passages contributed by children from around the world. The passages come in the form of poems, letters, interviews, and narratives. These passages are short and easily accesible to both children and adults. While the book does attempt to give a balanced view of human rights, some ethnocentric and unbalanced reporting did come through. In several cases the authors failed to explain the reasons behind human right violations. In this respect, Stand Up for Your Rights is a good resource manual for teachers and parents to go over with children, who can supplement the book with discussion or other resources. At the end of the book is a listing of organizations and ways for children to get involved with human right causes. In all, this is a gook book about human rights and I believe children will appreaciate it as well.

Great Learning Tool for Children and Adults
Stand up for Your Rights is a fascinating and informative book. Written by youth from around the world, this book puts the Universal Declaration of Human Rights into terms that everyone can understand. Photographs, drawings by children, first-person narratives and explanatory paragraphs make this a very readable and eye-catching book. As an ESOL teacher with young students from around the world, I find this book to be unparalleled in offering a view of life that doesn't always make it into the daily news or the movies. I highly recommend this book for anyone of any age who wants to learn more about our world and its people. ... Read more

Book Description

When the Supreme Court decision to desegregate public schools was handed down in 1954, the course of American history was forever changed.Here are personal reflections, stories, and poems from ten of today's most accomplished writers for children, all young people themselves at the time of the Brown v. Board of Education decision. Included are Michael Cart, Jean Craighead George, Eloise Greenfield, Lois Lowry, Katherine Paterson, Ishmael Reed, Jerry Spinelli, Quincy Troupe, Joyce Carol Thomas, and Leona Nicholas Welch. With a compelling introduction by editor Joyce Carol Thomas and stunning pastel artwork by Curtis E. James, this collection celebrates the hard-earned promise of equality in education. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Linda Brown, You Are Not Alone, Ed. Joyce Carol Thomas
One of the most moving and memorable reading experiences that your child will have is "Linda Brown, You Are Not Alone," edited by the celebrated children's author, Joyce Carol Thomas. Cover-to cover, from the commemorative opening of this volume of stories and the stirring introduction by Ms. Thomas, to the very last story, this is by far one of the best anthologies that has been written for young people. In Jerry Spinelli, Eloise Greenfield, Lois Lowry, Quincy Troupe, Katherine, Joyce Carol Thomas, Michael Cart, Ishmael Reed, Jean Craighead George, Leona Nicholas Welch, you will find some of the finest writing in a single volume.
Joyce Carol Thomas has managed to gather together this very fine ensemble of writers and asked them to remember where they were when the Brown vs. Board of Education decision was handed down by the Supreme Court. They have all written stories worth reading over and over again. A full range of emotions, are expressed in these pages-anger, despair, hope, humor, sadness. These writers speak very forthrightly about racism, segregation, and injustice. They speak candidly about their own fears, loss of innocence, and their own hope for the future. They speak about the work that we still have to do as a society to bring full equality to every person. They also speak about our miserable failure at doing so. This is one of the strongest aspects of this collection-that it never condescends to its intended audience. The editor and the writers rightfully expect that their young readers have the maturity and the intellectual capacity to be able to embrace the varied truths and emotions expressed in this book. A volume like this requires that kind of trust between writer and reader. And, this makes this book one of the very best that I have read.
Editor Thomas has brought together the right mix of writers, who with grace and clarity, provide a very unforgettable reading experience for our children. Ms. Thomas' own poem "Stormy Weather" is no exception. It is one of my favorites. And, last but not least, is the exquisite artwork of Curtis James! You'd have to look inside the book to really see how beautiful his work is!
Thank all of these writers and illustrator, Curtis James by buying "Linda Brown, You Are Not Alone." Read it to your children. Read it with them. It's a magnificent read for adults, too! It's required reading for all of us. ... Read more