Freedom Riders

November 1, 2014

Gr 6 Up-First-person accounts from white and African American activists, protesters, politicians, and eyewitnesses are woven into the text of this informative series on the civil rights movement. The quotes, borrowed from newspapers, government records, interviews, and speeches, reflect a variety of viewpoints. For example, there is the vehemently pro-segregationist Governor Wallace: "I say, segregation now, segregation tomorrow, and segregation forever," as well as concerned college student and activist Diane Nash: "It was critical that the Freedom Ride not stop, that it be continued immediately." The illustrations are revelatory and sometimes chilling. One 1957 photograph shows stone-faced National Guardsmen forming a barricade with their bodies to block black teens from going to school in Little Rock, AR, while another depicts a 1965 KKK nighttime rally in which hooded members congregate beneath a tall burning cross. An ideal purchase.

Convincing students that history is important can be a tricky task. Many write the subject off as dull and irrelevant. With these new, exciting series, emphasizing history's importance gets easier. After all, who can resist a well-told chronicle about beavers or a gripping, first-person account of violence and injustice? Be sure to check out Powerkids' unique "How Animals Shaped History," Rosen's moving "A Celebration of the Civil Rights Movement," and Cavendish's expansive "Life in Colonial America." A great variety of events and people are represented in these books, many of which will make excellent additions to school and public libraries.

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.