When Ruth and her parents take a motor trip from Chicago to Alabama to visit her grandma, they rely on a pamphlet called "The Negro Motorist Green Book" to find places that will serve them.
I had never heard of a "Green Book" until I read this book. The book is fictional, but there are lots of facts about The Green Book at the back of the book.
From the back of the bus, an African American child watches the arrest of Rosa Parks.
The child's innocent viewpoint personalizes the well-known historical event, while Cooper's oil paintings-show...stunning portraits. (Booklist)
An African-American man addresses his grandson a gently told story, repeatedly bidding him to "Look at these hands, Joseph." Gracefully segueing between present and past, the grandfather mentions feats he once performed ("Did you know these hands used to tie a triple bowline knot in three seconds flat?") and what his hands accomplish now ("Well, I can still help a young fellow learn to tie his shoes—yes, I can"). Narrative and art then flash back to a time when "these hands" were not allowed to mix dough in the Wonder Bread factory, but instead swept floors and loaded trucks. Yet that changed after many hands joined together to sign petitions and carry protest signs, and now "any hands can mix the bread dough, no matter their color." An author's note provides historical context. It's a moving study of multigenerational relationships and triumph over discrimination. (Publisher's Weekly)
Check out any of these or many other amazing books at the McGowen LMC!
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