Through My Eyes

by Ruby Bridges, Margo Lundell (Editor)

On November 14, 1960, a tiny six-year-old black child, surrounded by federal marshals, walked through a mob of screaming segregationists and into her school. From where she sat in the office, Ruby Bridges could see parents marching through the halls and taking their children out of classrooms. The next day, Ruby walked through the angry mob once again and into a school where she saw no other students. The white children did not go to school that day, and they wouldn't go to school for many days to come. Surrounded by racial turmoil, Ruby, the only student in a classroom with one wonderful teacher, learned to read and add.

This is the story of a pivotal event in history as Ruby Bridges saw it unfold around her. Ruby's poignant words, quotations from writers and from other adults who observed her, and dramatic photographs recreate an amazing story of innocence, courage, and forgiveness. Ruby Bridges' story is an inspiration to us all.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, History, Picture Books, Memoir, Childrens, Autobiography

64 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 1999

About the author

Ruby Nell Bridges Hall is an American civil rights activist. She was the first African-American child to desegregate the all-white William Frantz Elementary School in Louisiana during the New Orleans school desegregation crisis on November 14, 1960.

Reviews

[Mariah Roze · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book to my students to give them a more in depth look into segregation than just a picture book.

In November 1960, Ruby Bridges, a six-year-old black girl, walked through a mob of screaming segregationists, surrounded by federal marshal, into her school. This book is her story! Her struggle and the amazing bravery that not only she had but her family.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect book for age 9-13. After reading, I'm going to take a look at Steinbeck's book Travels with Charley that documents part of Ruby Bridges' story. This is an easy book for a young child to middle grader to understand with great pictures as well.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had to read this book for school and it is about Ruby Bridges as a child written by Ruby Bridges.
Now surprisingly I somewhat enjoyed this book! I thought that Ruby was such a cool little girl and that she is pretty awesome! Some things I didn't like is the swearing(bad words) and I now this is such an immature thing considering I have read books the swear but I just thought that considering I am reading this book for school there shouldn't be curse words!!! IT SAID THE " N" word!!! Also(and I know this is mean) I only gave the book 4 stars because I don't like non fiction book! :(!! I just personally prefer fiction books!!

[Nathalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What attracted me to this book was that it was written by THE Ruby Bridges, little girl extraordinaire who lived through some unbelievable events at such a young age. All I can say is that you've got to be the deepest gall of bitterness and wickedness to throw eggs and rocks at a first grader, to scream vile and racial epithets at a first grader, to threaten to kill a first grader as she walks past surrounded by federal marshals, to make sure a first grader sees you holding a miniature coffin holding a black baby doll and on and on. Despite this incredible display of racial hate, again targeting an innocent first grader, it was inspiring to read about those who did help her, in particular of her white first grade teacher, Mrs. Henry, who bravely taught her (for the white people, including parents of white children who kept their children in the same school as Ruby, were targeted as well) and tried to help her make sense of what was happening outside the wall of that lonely classroom. The adult Ruby is inspiring as she is trying to use her experience to better children's school lives. A very worthy use of your reading time.

[Heidi J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this story aloud to my children. They already knew the basic story of Ruby Bridges, but they still found this book fascinating. Even my six year old listened to the whole thing (we broke it up over a couple of nights). It led to some much more in depth conversation with my older kids about race relations and inner city schools and such that was so appreciated. (She does go into some scary stuff-- parents should read before sharing with very young children so they can decide what might need to wait until they are older, but like I said, my six year old listened to the whole thing, though I had to do some reassuring and explaining along the way.)

Ruby was a truly courageous child (even though she didn't understand much of why the situation was so dangerous-- what first grader could?), and I loved this story told in her own words of what it was like. It was an especially meaningful story for my mixed-race family, a reminder of just how far we've come today and that there were heroes among both whites and blacks in the civil rights movement.

[Peacegal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many of us are now familiar with Ruby Bridges, the African-American kindergarten student who had to be escorted to her school by U.S. Marshals through the terrifying gauntlet of an angry mob who opposed desegregation. This is her story, told by Ruby herself, her mother, and her teacher.

Now that a majority of America has demonstrated that it relates more to the hate-filled rioters than Ruby and those who quietly and bravely supported her, it's an ideal time to read this book and remember that it wasn't all that long ago.

[Jonathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great non-fiction picture book that is a sort of autobiography with many other external text features.

What was the compelling literary element of this book? The characters are essentially Ruby, her family and her teacher. While other people play some role in her experiences, they are mostly bystanders. The plot is fairly well-known and simple- a young girl attempts to go to a newly integrated school and meets with all kinds of problems. The theme is very common, especially among Civil Rights literature: don’t give up. The setting is what makes this special. Set in segregated New Orleans in the 1960’s, the people, the place and the time all come together to create a firestorm of controversy causing some to sink so low m orally and others to rise above.

Things that stick out for me:
One of the things that makes this books so special are the photographs that are used. Some of them are depressing (the burning cross on 33; Ruby in effigy in a coffin on 21; teenagers full of anger at desegregation on p 35), some inspiring (the Gabrielle family walking to school together on 29, the Norman Rockwell painting on 25) and some just beautiful (all the kids smiling together on 51 and 62; Ruby looking so happy on Thanksgiving on 36). The pictures alone tell such a great story.
Having read The Story of Ruby Bridges several times with classes over the years, it was really great to hear the story from her perspective- the difficulties her family faced and that eventually caused them to separate; how the stress affected her eating habits; her confusion over who she really was when she was being pushed and pulled in so many directions. Even how one child getting all the attention becomes a distraction for the rest of the family, part of the reason she did what she did was obedience, not bravery extremely personal. Not at all the story you get from the fictionalized picture book.
Knowing that she has returned to helping other break barriers was great too.
Things to discuss with a classroom:
1. People who wouldn’t send their kids to school is one thing but coffins and ropes are another. Why would people be so angry at someone they had never met? Just being racist is not enough.
2. Robert-Jay Green has a quote in the book about the IQ tests given being “culturally biased in favor of, White middle-class children.” What do you think of that? How does that happen? What would that test look like?
3. Through her memoir, I got the feeling that her parents argued over her school because her father didn’t like the risk but her mother wanted her to have the superior education. The movement was not really a consideration. Why is that?
4. What is the symbolism of burning a cross?
5. Would having your own teacher be a good thing or not? Would you learn more?
6. Would you have left NO or stayed? Why?
Good tie-ins:
The Story of RB
Study of the little rock nine
Watsons go to Birmingham
Their own experiences on the first day of school

I will definitely use this book, especially when teaching the Civil Rights Movement. Also would be good the first week of school to talk about how it feels. I loved it and I know that kids would love it as well, especially the photos. I loved the quotes and insertion of other memoirs.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my daughters hero and favorite book. She used this book for her first biography report this month. It provides a thorough account of school integration from Ruby's perspective and all the people involved. The photos and stories are great. I love that the story does not end at the end of the first school year but continues through Ruby's adult life with the impact desegregation had on her and others.

[Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook and I’m pretty sure they added to it because there is no way that was 64 pages. Also they had a podcast with her at the end which was very interesting. Anyways I really enjoyed this, it’s such an easy way to learn and refresh my memory. I really liked the quotes they had from ruby’s mother and her 1st grade teacher as well as newspaper quotes. I think if you want to learn more or refresh your memory about Ruby and this event this is a great book to do it. I also highly recommend the audiobook because she narrates most of it.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Only 10 years before I was born, racial segregation in schools was still a thing. 60 years later its effects remain. Ruby’s teacher was extraordinary. I loved this book. I listened to the audiobook, read by Ruby Bridges herself.

[Agnieszka · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great story in a disastrous format!

I loved the story, style and the fact it was told from the perspective of a child - describing (recent) U.S. history. Only after I started the book I realised it's a children's book and accordingly the language and style are rather simplistic but still interesting.
The only issue here is - there's no table of contents which would be very helpful with so many small chapters. Though it could be counted to the technical part of the book and this one is a disaster.
It's actually not an ebook. It looks like the paper book was scanned into a pdf file and converted into a mobi file so there's no possibility to mark or bookmark anything; no way to customize the font size - only the pdf-typical option to enlage the entire page and since several pages have text in two columns and a single block (at the top or bottom of the page) you either have to deal with tiny font size of constantly swipe right and left to read each line of the text.

If I would rate the content only it would be a 4* book, the rating for the technical part a solid zero but I don't think it would be fair to give an average of 2* - it doesn't reflect the book itself - so I decided not to rate this book at all.

Added 3/27/19
After stumbling several times about the fact this book was unrated in my reading history I decided to rate the content of the book only.

[Carlos Gastelum · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bridges, R., & Lundell, R. (1999) Through my eyes. New York, NY: Scholastic Press.

Through My Eyes, is an inspirational story about Ruby Bridges and the racial events she encountered growing up. The story takes place in 1960 as a young African American child makes her way to school past yelling mobs. During this time white and black parents are evacuating their children from schools and keeping them from attending class. Despite the classroom being empty and all of the controversy going on Ruby decides to look past it all and continues to show up to class. Here a marvelous teacher helps her learn the basics of math and reading as they work alongside. The text followed by the photos open up the readers eyes and allow them to see how hard living during Ruby’s time actually was. I could use this book in my classroom to show students how racism against blacks was common to see during the Civil Rights Movement. I could also assign students to research a critical historical event of their choice and have them present their findings to the class.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

although i knew who ruby was, i have to say i’ve never read very in depth about her and this was an incredible first hand account of how she helped to change history (it is insane to me that she is only the same age as my mum... how was segregation still that recent?! it is mind blowing and appalling to think how recent the civil rights movement was and how far we still have to go!)

there were also excerpts from others in the book to show a more rounded picture of things ruby might not remember and that really made it feel like a complete account.

the audio version i listened to was read by the author and also included a recent 2020 podcast which she had appeared on discussing the book and also the BLM movement and that was a wonderful edition that made me very emotional.

highly recommend, especially for kids to introduce them to the subject of racism.

[Q_Ayana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Through My Eyes is an inspirational autobiography about a little girl who perseveres through a troubling time in American history – the Civil Rights Movement. This book allows young readers to understand that racism unfortunately affected African Americans of all ages. The images, some charismatic and some too difficult to look at, give an honest account of what it was like to be Ruby in the 1960s. Her story shows great courage and determination, pressing forward in the midst of hatred and violence – a message all readers can receive. Many students, young and old, do not know the specific stories of the Civil Rights Movement. I believe that this book should definitely be shared with children (and adults).

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Though this is really a children's book, I still enjoyed reading Ruby's story - I've wanted to learn more about her experience.

A Note about the KINDLE Edition: Basically, don't attempt to read this on Kindle. This is formatted for paper and shouldn't even be sold on Kindle, but, it can be read fairly well on a full size iPad (9.7) - anything smaller simply won't work. You still may need to "pinch and zoom" to make various sections larger for comfortable reading.

[Brianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ruby Bridges was one of my very first heroes as a child and one I haven't thought much about in years. It was new and wonderful to hear the stories again, this time in the words of those actually present, foremost among them, Ruby herself.

[Erika · Rating 3 out of 5]

Been reading the elem Reading Olympics books after Seth if he recommends them. I have been learning a lot! It is shocking that we ever treated people this way, but oh wait, we still do :(

[Kris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never fails to stun me that Ruby Bridges is younger than my parents. This is her story, in her own words, of what being that tiny 6-year old who had to be surrounded by federal marshals in order to walk into her elementary school was like. This is not ancient history. This is the 1960s, and schools were still not integrated in the south. Her descriptions of the mothers who stood outside chanting terrible and obscene things to a child; how one of the ties she was really scared was when one of the protestors had a Black baby doll in a coffin, and how the school she was attending went from having 576 white students before Ruby attended to THREE while she was there in 1st grade. How she was taught one-on-one because there was only one teacher who would teach a Black student, and she wasn't allowed to be near the other children. She ate lunch alone and didn't go to the playground.

This book is informative and engaging, and it is a worthwhile read.

[Elsie]

finally getting around to writing reviews from this week. I honestly recommend this book to everyone. It went into a lot of depth for so few pages. It was informative and uplifting but most importantly it's in essence, a historical document exemplifying the recency and severity of the Jim Crow south.

[Justin · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastic book! I wish I’d had my hands on a copy back when I was a teacher. This should be a must-read for all classrooms in this country. Ruby’s story is one of humility and courage, and hearing it told in her own voice is such a special experience.

[Carol Baldwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read Through My Eyes by Ruby Bridges as a part of my research for Half-Truths. I came across a photograph of Norman Rockwell's painting depicting Ruby's brave integration of her Louisiana elementary school. I saw the original "The Problems We All Live With" at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Ma. The huge painting of the white guards escorting the young black girl to school stuck in my mind. The docent remarked how Rockwell used a splatter of red to emphasize the story behind the illustration and how Ruby is pictured, but the men walking with her are faceless.

Rockwell published this illustration in the January 14, 1964 issue of LOOK magazine. As Bridges quoted, Rockwell was inspired by John Steinbeck's Travel with Charley:

"The show opened on time. Sound of sirens. Motorcycle cops. Then two big black cars filled with big men in blond felt hats pulled up in front of the school. The crowd seemed to hold its breath. Four big marshals got out of each car and from somewhere in the automobiles they extracted the littlest Negro girl you ever saw, dressed in shining starchy white, with new white shoes on feel so little they were almost round. Her face and little legs were very black against the white.

"The big marshals stood her on the curb and a jangle of jeering shrieks went up from behind the barricades. The little girl did not look at the howling crowd but from the side the whites of her eyes showed like those of a frightened fawn. THe men turned her around like a doll, and then the strange procession moved up the btoad walk toward the school, adn the child was even more a mite becase the men were so big. Then the girl made a curious hop, and I think I know what it wa. I think in her whole life she had not gone ten steps without skppin, but now in the middle of her first skip, the weight bore er down and her little round feet took measured, reluctant steps between the tall gaurds. Slowly they climbed the steps and entered the school."

Ruby Bridge's account of the events leading up to that day in New Orleans in 1960 are fascinating. She believes that she lost her childhood during that first grade year, when she integrated the school amidst boycotts, riots, and tremendous community tension. She was the only child in her class the entire year because white parents moved their children out. Attendence in school dwindled. Next year, her second grade class was integrated. "William Frantz School was integrated, but the long strange journey had changed me forever." (p. 53)

It wasn't until thirty years later, after her brother's death in a drug-related shooting, that Ms. Bridges began to realize the importance of what she had done in 1960. At that point she began to become proactive in the Frantz School and established the Ruby Bridges Foundation.

This book integrates Ruby's story with local and national history. Newspaper photographs, accounts by her teacher and a child psychiatrist, and a 1960 quote from John F. Kennedy, "Can we honestly say that it doesn't affect our security and the fight for peace when Negroes and others are denied their full constitutional rights?" provide historical context for this picture book for all ages.

Great book for classroom use for African American History month.

[CH13_Lisa Matthews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Through My Eyes is an autobiography of Ruby Bridges who at the age of six on November 14, 1960 surrounded by federal marshals, became the first African American student to attend William Frantz Public School in New Orleans which at the time was an all white school.

Ruby Bridges tells her story and throughout the book, there are quotes from newspaper accounts of the William Frantz Public School protest of the integration of black and white in schools, quotes from people in Ruby’s life including her mother, Ruby’s first grade teacher, Barbara Henry and her childhood psychologist Robert Cole.

Many white people were angry about school’s integration and removed their children from the school, even though Ruby attended the school and whites parents pulling their children left Ruby the only child in her class. However six year old Ruby with the help of her wonderful teacher made it through a harsh, difficult year and paved the way for many African American children who followed in her footsteps in integrated schools.

Through My Eyes is a great book to use on the theme civil rights each page includes information from Ruby Bridges herself as well as additional information from other reliable sources. The organization of this book is mainly the chronological story of a year in the life of Ruby Bridges. It begins with a preface to set the story, and then the first year, in which she is integrated into the school as a first grader, the book ends with information which brings the reader up to the present with the life of Ruby Bridges

The illustrations are in black and white, which was the medium of the time, the early 1960’s. The black and white photographs also help to set the tone of the seriousness of the subject matter. The illustrations are actual photos that were taken and these alone with the text bring to life the civil right movement and have the reader feeling as if they were actually there.

This book can be used with children in grade 5th – 8th studying the civil rights movement or school integrations in the 1960’s. Readers’ Advisory the N word is used throughout the story and I would recommend that students are told about the history of the N word and it significant to the story and how the N word should not be used in any circumstance.

Through My Eyes won the following awards: Publishers Weekly Best Books of the Year (1999), School Library Journal Best Books of the Year (1999), American Library Association Notable Books for Children (2000), Jane Addams Children’s Book Award (2000), Carter G. Woodson Book Awards (2000), NCTE Orbis Pictus Award (2000), ABC Children’s Booksellers Choice Awards (2000)
More information on Ruby Bridge can be found at http://rubybridges.com/. I also found Ruby Bridge the movie online.

[Paige Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

1) This is a biography of a 6 year old African American girl, surrounded by federal marshals, walking through a mob that was screaming over segregation rights, who walked right into her school like it was nothing. She went to the office, and from where she was in the office she could hear students being yanked out of classrooms by their parents, because the parents did not want their children there. However, little Ruby the next day went to school again through the mob, but didn't see a single student. She later learned that the white children did not go to school, and that they wouldn't be there for awhile until all of the crazy things happening outside went away. However, that did not bother Ruby, she still went to her classroom, where she found her teacher. Throughout the days that the white children did not come to school Ruby learned to read and add from her teacher, which in turn resulting in the reason Ruby wanted to go to school was to learn even if all of the crazy things were going on outside of the school.
2) Grade Level: 3rd-7th grade Age Level: 8-12 years old
3) Appropriate classroom use: History - civil rights movement
4) Individual students who might benefit from this book: students who like History, or who want to see the perspective of the civil rights movement from a child that is close to their age.
5) Small group use: Have each group come up with why they think the mob was screaming outside of the school, before reading the story and make their predictions and then read the story to see what happens and if they were right or not.
6) Whole class use: read the book aloud and ask students to picture themselves in Ruby's shoes the whole time, and ask them what they would do. Would they go to school or stay home?
7) Related books: The Story of Ruby Bridges, Ruby Bridges Goes to School: My True Story, Ruby Bridges
8) Multimedia connection: There is a elementary school appropriate video on YouTube about the civli rights and Ruby Bridges that could be shown while discussing this book.

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Through my Eyes is an autobiography about the integration of public schools from the view of Ruby Bridges. The story is told by Bridges with recounts from her teachers, family, and psychologists. The book starts with the background of the time period and the beginning of Bridges life. She was born in 1954 and moved from Mississippi to New Orleans at the age of four. The facts are extremely accurate as they are told first hand. What is great about this book is that it adds the emotions of a little girl that makes the story feel real as the readers’ moves through the text. At the end of her kindergarten year all of the African American students were given a test to see if they could be integrated into the white schools. Bridges was one of five girls who passed the test. Her family was contacted by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) who offered support as Bridges went through her first year at the white school. On her first day of school the U.S. Federal Marshalls escorted Bridges and her mother to the school. Outside the building was a mob of protesters. What was interesting about Bridges story is that she does not remember being scared. It was not until she had to walk through the crowds for a few days that she even started to hear the threats and terrible words being shouted at her. Bridges spent her first year alone with her teacher. It was a lonely experience, but at the end of the year she received high marks. As Bridges entered the second grade the room was full of students and the events from the previous year were never mentioned. The book ends with a quick summary of Bridges life as an adult. I was glad to learn that she was able to find herself and is still making a difference. This book would make a great addition to a lesson on the Civil Rights Movement.

[CH_Emily Scholnik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Through My Eyes: Autobiography of Ruby Bridges
1999 Non-Fiction
Ages: 8 - 12 yrs.
Author: Ruby Bridges
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
ISBN: 0-590-18923-9
Publishers Weekly Best Books of the Year, 1999
School Library Journal Best Books of the Year, 1999
American Library Association Notable Books for Children, 2000
2001 Jane Addams Children's Book Award, 2001
Carter G. Woodson Book Awards, 2000
NCTE Orbis Pictus Award, 2000

This story is told as the memoirs of Ruby Bridges, the actual child whom was integrated into an all white school in 1960. She describes what she remembers and how she felt. Each page includes information from Ruby Bridges herself as well as additional information from other reliable sources. These sources give further insight as to what was happening at the time. For example, on the day which Ruby first travels to her new school, she discusses traveling five blocks from her home under the protection of armed U.S. Federal Marshals. As she arrived at the school she remembers the barricades, policemen, and people shouting angry, hurtful, racist words. There is additional information on these pages from THE NEW YORK TIMES and GOOD HOUSKEEPING. These sources include news articles of the times. These types of articles add to the reliability and validity of what is being remembered by Ruby Bridges. This is a moving story of self-discovery, and courage, not only by Ruby, but by her white teacher, Mrs. Henry, who had the courage to do what others didn't.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing autobiographical account of Ruby Bridges' unique and incredibly moving story. At just 6 years old, Ruby Bridges walked into William Frantz Public School for her first day of first grade. Instead of walking amongst a group of friends into the entrance of the school, Ruby was escorted by U.S. federal marshals past mobs of people screaming vile and horrible things directed towards her. She saw white mothers grabbing their children out of classrooms as she entered the school building. Once she got into the classroom, she was joined by only one other person: her teacher, Mrs. Henry. The way in which Ruby Bridges describes her memories of her experience at William Frantz is so touching because it's shown through the eyes of an innocent child--an innocent child that had no idea that she was one of the few black children to integrate a white school. It was heart-breaking to read what Bridges thought of that school at the time, especially paired with the pictures of her six-year-old self walking past the hate-filled crowds into the school entrance. It's not an easy story to read--some of the pictures of the riots and the stories from the mobs were very disturbing--but it's a real story that needs to be shared with both children and adults. I would recommend this story to late elementary/middle school-aged students while they are learning about the Civil Rights movement, the integration of schools or about important figures throughout history.

[Kimberly Pilling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Almost everyone in the United States has learned about the civil rights movement of the 1960’s. Brown v. the Board of Education was a pivotal moment in our history and the struggle to truly and adequately integrate education is still one that faces us today. It is a struggle and a story that we have all heard many times but rarely from the perspective of one of the children who was at the center of it. “Through my Eyes” by Ruby Bridges is the autobiographical tale of one little girl who unwittingly helped change the world. Too seldom do we take a moment to try and understand what the day to day life must have been like for the small children at the center of the storm. The fight for equality through the eyes of a 6 year old boils hatred and racism down to its simplest, ugliest forms. The most inspiring thing about this story is that faced with such hatred, vitriol and incomprehensible …….Ruby never gave way to those negative emotions. Despite the struggles that were cause because of, and following the fight for desegregation, Ruby has lived a life of faith, kindness and dignity.
This book is of tremendous value to educators who wish to help younger readers see the civil rights movement from a perspective with which they can completely relate. I loved it because, having grown up in Canada, I was not as immediately involved in the civil rights movement and for me, to learn about it from someone who was literally at its center was so enlightening.

[Alex Macchi · Rating 5 out of 5]

During the time of segregation and schools being separated, Ruby Bridges attended the first school to ever allow an African American child into their building, nonetheless a female. This inspirational autobiography depicted the courage of a young girl pursuing what she believed was right despite what others said and thought for the good of her education. Angry mobs, other children, and even her teachers could not stop Ruby from attending this new school. Just like the book's title, this book is an inside look at segregation and what it must have felt like to walk into an all-white school and still work towards an education.

In the classroom, this book would be great for grades 3-5 as a read aloud. This book could lead into a social studies lesson on this time period. It could also lead into writing pieces in which students are asked to put themselves in Ruby's shoes and write about how they would have felt. This book could also open up a class discussion and allow all students to share their thoughts on history and the present.

I personally enjoyed this autobiography because it was told from the point of view of a child. Yes, she wrote it when she was older, but she wrote it based on what she saw, felt, and experienced at the time, and I feel other children can relate to this book as well.

[Massanutten Regional Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lisa, North River patron, July 2018, 5 stars:

Although this book's intended audience is children, adults will likely enjoy it as well. Ruby's story is told mostly in her own words but contains some passages from her first grade teacher and others involved in the 1960 integration of this black child into a formerly all white school in Louisiana. I was enthralled and horrified by Ruby's experience of being a young black girl escorted to school by U.S. marshals in the midst of screaming and protesting white mothers. Because the parents of the other students who were supposed to be in her classroom refused to let their children attend school with Ruby, she spent almost her entire first grade year alone with her teacher. Her bravery and attitude are inspirational, and her story is an important one. Younger readers who did not experience segregation of schools themselves would do well to read this account of the racial tensions and bigotry that were so prevalent in the South at the time that schools were first integrated.

[Ms. Goodbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

While the intended audience for this book is children, I found this book to be valuable in filling in the blanks for me on this episode of our nation's history. Told by Ruby herself, the book provides a deeper look into the experiences of children of color during these years. I am left wondering why we adults leave our children to do so much of the fighting for us when it comes to issues of such magnitude. The book provides excerpts and quotations from news articles and magazines that were published at the time. This enriches the account by giving the reader a broader accounting of the political and social climate during the struggle to desegregate schools. I'm grateful for the convictions of those like Ruby Bridges, her mother, and Rosa Parks who, in spite of overwhelming social opposition stood unwaveringly on their convictions. They are true heroes. This book is a must read for children and adults.