



I Am Ruby Bridges (Digital Read Along)
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5.0 • 1 Rating
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
Ruby Bridges tells her story as never before and shares the events of the momentous day in 1960 when Ruby became the first Black child to integrate the all-white William Franz Elementary as a six year old little girl -- a personal and intimate look through a child's lens at a landmark moment in our Civil Rights history.
My work will be precious.
I will bridge the "gap" between Black & white...
...and hopefully all people!
I suppose some things in life are just meant to be.
When Ruby Bridges was six years old, she became the first Black child to integrate the all-white William Frantz Elementary in Louisiana. Based on the pivotal events that happened in 1960 and told from her point of view, this is a poetic reflection on her experience that changed the face of history and the trajectory of the Civil Rights movement.
I Am Ruby Bridges offers hope and confidence to all children. It is the perfect learning tool for schools and libraries to teach the story of Ruby Bridges and introduce this landmark story to young readers in a powerful new way. This story of innocence and courage is brought to life by NAACP-nominated artist, Nikkolas Smith through stunning and breath-taking illustrations. Embracing the meaning of her name, Bridges reflects with poignancy and heart on the way one brave little girl stood proud to help build a bridge between all people and pave the path for future generations.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In an autobiography told through a child's eyes, Ruby Bridges (b. 1954) recounts her experience as the first Black child desegregating William Frantz Elementary School in 1960 New Orleans. External events mean little to six-year-old Bridges as she contemplates "how much I didn't even like my name" and starts out "at a regular school with lots of other kids to play with." But following Brown v. Board of Education, her parents' choice of a school "with better opportunities" brings white federal marshals to the door as an escort. "Who told them I needed a ride to school anyway?" says Bridges, seemingly unaware of the context behind the moment. Viewing class pictures at school finally offers clarity for the child, who sees her experience as a good thing for all: "Who cares what colors we are?... School is just school and kids are just kids." Smith's vigorous digital brushwork portrays Ruby, in sharp relief against blurry backgrounds, as she celebrates being "the first." Ages 4–8.