Author: Ann Malaspina
Illustrator: Colin Bootman
Publishing Information: 2009 by Albert Whitman & Company
Grade: 3rd through 5th
Topic: Social Studies
TEKS: §113.14. Social Studies
- (1) History. The student understands how individuals, events, and ideas have influenced the history of various communities. The student is expected to:
- (A) describe how individuals, events, and ideas have changed communities, past and present.
Summary:
Set in Alabama during the 1950’s segregation, Malaspina follows the journey of a young African American boy, Louis, who cannot use the public library for a class assignment over Abraham Lincoln. However, a young librarian allows Louis to come to the library after hours where she assists him in finding the book he needs. Malaspina includes historical notes about segregation during the 1950’s, followed by a short biography of President Lincoln, and sources for more reading.
Snippet:
“On his way home from school, Louis walked past the main library. The doors swung open, and Louis could see an enormous room filled with books. Why, there must be a million books in there, maybe more. Louis wished he could go inside and count them for himself.”
“The books reminded Louis that he had to write an essay on President Lincoln. But the library was for white people only, just like the strawberry milkshakes at the drugstore lunch counter, the swings in the city park, and the best seats at the movie theater.”
“It was 1951 in Alabama, and Louis could play all his piano scales and roller-skate backwards. Still he couldn’t borrow a book from the main library.”
This book is a great find! The first time I heard about it was when you read a snippet of it to us in class. The book has vibrant imagery, is personal and easy to connect to, and it pulls at the heart of readers and listeners.
Sitting here reading your post, I couldn’t help but think of how well this book connects to students. Students are asked to write biographies and research important figures in our countries history. I was wondering when to incorporate this book in a classroom, when would it be the right time? Clearly, it is a book that would always be effective and informational for the students, but is there a time that it would be just perfect?
What a wonderful book! I love how it is told from a young boy’s point of view because it makes it much more accessible to young readers. This book covers a heavy topic, but I think it addresses it gracefully. It would also be a good way to introduce the concept of historical fiction. It’s a versatile book because it can be used for so many topics. Great find!