I love that this is written as a letter to young people. I could have read 100+ pages written by her. I can't wait to share this with my students, it will be a great discussion starter and way to raise their awareness of/in the world.

Short but powerful

Short children’s books with an important reminder-integrating schools wasn’t that long ago, and we still have a long ways to go.

Narrated by Ruby Bridges

Rubi Bridges is still young

This is a powerful book because of the pictures that are connected to it. They are real…and they force me to look to see white children in those pictures. Those white children were the same age as Rubi then…and are still the same age as Rubi now. They were taught to hate. They were taught to scream epithets at her as she walked in the school. Where are they now? What are they like? Have they apologized or do they pretend they aren’t/weren’t impacted by all of that? We have a lot of work to do…because although Rubi Bridges stands in our midst, so do those other children.

Very short but very important. Focused towards youth and would be a good tool to spark discussion in school-age children. The audio book version is lovely listening to Ruby Bridges herself read her words and dedicate her writing to John Lewis. Bless them both.

Add THIS IS YOUR TIME to the list of titles you gift.

A quick listen thanks to Libro.fm’s educator alc program. It is very special to get to hear the book read aloud by Ruby Bridges herself and the fact that she is still so young to be writing this story is a reminder that the social conditions she faced are really so recent in our nation’s history. Of course, she also reminds us of the imperative to continue the work, especially inspired by the young people that she meets, that we must break the cycle of teaching our children racism. It would be cool to also see the physical book with images since I am sure that also holds so much power. Probably a combo of the physical book with her audio reading would be the ultimate.

I chose this book to read first as we start a new year, 2021. I wanted something to give me hope yet rooted not in rose-colored glasses, but in the reality of the human condition. I was not disappointed.

The straightforward and yet emotional text coupled with photos of the times and story bring the injustice and conflict alive. It becomes clear what needed to change, what was changed and what is left to change.

As I read the book and observed the photographs, I began to wonder if we could use this as a schoolwide observation of MLK Day or the beginning of Black History Month, Feb. 1. Then I remembered Feb 3 is World Read Aloud Day. This book has my creative juices rolling.