Child of the Civil Rights Movement

November 23, 2009
In her debut picture book, Shelton, a daughter of Andrew Young (activist, politician, and former U.N. ambassador), taps into her memories and those of her father, two older sisters, and others to offer a child's perspective of “the family of the civil rights movement.” She recalls her parents, native Southerners, moving their family from New York to Georgia to help combat erupting racial violence (“At first, I thought Jim Crow was a big black crow/ that squawked whenever a black person/ tried to get a good seat”). Shelton smoothly threads together personal anecdotes: being turned away from a restaurant; listening from under the table as her parents, Martin Luther King Jr., and other activists gather (“With everyone trying to talk at once,/ I thought they sounded just like/ instruments tuning up before a concert”); and participating as a four-year-old in the Selma-Montgomery march. Colón's (As Good as Anybody
) soft-focus art features his customarily rich textural backdrop of speckles, scratches, and waves. Both contributors evoke the drama and emotion of the times (while avoiding the violence) and a triumphal sense of community and family. Ages 4–8.

Starred review from December 1, 2009
K-Gr 3-When the author was a child, her father, Andrew Young, was a leader in the Civil Rights Movement. Her first picture book beautifully captures her childhood during those events that radically changed America. One episode recalls Shelton's unique contribution to the integration of restaurants. When white owners refused to seat her family, Shelton sat down and cried loudly, an action she calls "my very first protest, my own little sit-in." With this incident, she helps modern children understand the hurtful effects of segregation. Shelton also recalls how the movement united its leaders. The Youngs, the Kings, and other activists became like family because they "were brought together by a common goal." This positive tone prevails throughout the book, which ends with the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Colón's luminous watercolors effectively underscore the text's optimistic viewpoint, imbuing scenes of struggle with light that represents the activists' hope for positive results. The book therefore balances honesty about the challenges of the movement with the hope that inspired activists to continue their efforts. An author's note explains how Shelton does not always remember conversations verbatim, but draws on her family's shared memories. The back matter includes information about the leaders who are mentioned. History comes alive in this vivid account."Mary Landrum, Lexington Public Library, KY"

Copyright 2009 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from February 1, 2010
Grades 2-4 *Starred Review* The daughter of civil rights leader Andrew Young remembers her familys active role in the civil rights movement, beginning when she was four years old. In rhythmic free verse she tells how she and her family move from New York to Atlanta, Georgia, to join the struggle (back to Jim Crow, / where whites could / but blacks could not), and how Dr. King and other leaders become a warm personal presence in her home, close because we all struggled together. When her family is refused entry to a restaurant, she sits down and cries loudly, my very first protest, my own little sit-in. Colns dramatic, full-page pencil-and-wash illustrations in his signature style include portraits of famous figures as well as Paula and her sisters, hiding under tables and listening to adults in heated debate. Finally, in the storys climax, Paula and her family are part of the triumphant march from Selma to Montgomery. Many adults will want to talk about their memories of the time, and kids will appreciate the childs intimate viewpoint of world-changing history. Appended biographical notes offer more information about the leaders introduced in the text as well as a brief bibliography.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2010
Shelton's poetic prose captures elements of the civil rights movement through her childhood memories--thinking that "Jim Crow was a big black crow," being turned away from a whites-only restaurant, spending time with "Uncle Martin" Luther King. Colon's textured, layered illustrations showing civil rights leaders, segregationists, and scenes of a close-knit family extend a story well told. Bib.

(Copyright 2010 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)