Child of the Civil Rights Movement

Author: Paula Young Shelton

Illustrator: Raul Colon 

Genre: Historical Fiction

Grade level: K-3

A little girl named Paula who lives in New York grew up following Jim Crow Laws. One day they were watching tv a story appeared and it was about freedom riders. Paula's parents wanted to immediately do something to help protest the Jim Crow Laws. They moved to Georgia instantly. While living there they are denied access into things just based on the color of their skin and Paula never understood why. She would cry every time that they would be denied access. She soon would be surrounded by her uncle Martin Luther King Jr and many others protesting against Jim Crow Laws. She talks about different things that happened in order to eventually pass the Voting Rights Acts. 

This book can be used to teach about the civil rights movement. There is a lot of information in this book about the movement and is in the viewpoint of a child. This book can relate to students on a personal level since it is in the viewpoint of a young child. It can teach lessons about racism and segregation. 

The illustrations are very colorful depictions of what it was like to be black during that time period. It showcases emotions as well as detailed things to illustrate the time period this was taking place. The blurred edges of the illustrations give it the feel of a memory which it is a child's memory.