Cracking the Wall: The Struggles of the Little Rock Nine

by Eileen Lucas, Mark Anthony (Illustrator)

Overview

In 1957, nine teenagers were chosen to be the first black students to attend all-white Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. A small group of people in Little Rock, including the governor of Arkansas, wanted to keep them out. But those nine students knew they had a right to a good education. And they would do anything to crack the wall that had kept black people and white people apart.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781575052274
Publisher:	Lerner Publishing Group
Publication date:	08/01/1997
Series:	On My Own History
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	48
Sales rank:	1,030,939
Product dimensions:	(w) x (h) x 0.24(d)
Lexile:	540L (what's this?)
Age Range:	8 - 9 Years

About the Author

Eileen (O'Donnell) Lucas grew up in Chicago, spent a semester in college in Ireland, and graduated from Western Illinois University. She lived near Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, for over 20 years, where her sons Travis and Brendan were born. She worked as a freelance writer and an elementary and middle school teacher during these years. She now lives in Florida, where she loves to go to the beach and listen to Jimmy Buffett music. She also loves to visit her trailer in the woods in central Wisconsin, where she takes care of her garden and hikes in the pines. Besides nonfiction children's books, she writes for an educational software publishing company in Wisconsin.

Editorial Reviews

Gr 1-5 - In 1957, nine African-American teenagers made history by integrating Central High School in Little Rock, AR. There was danger, and the young men and women involved showed the strength of character necessary to clear the way so that others might follow. The book by Eileen Lucas (Carolrhoda Books, 1997) celebrates their achievement. Charles Turner reads the simple yet effective narrative, enhancing the dialogue with unique voices for each character. Occasional music and sound effects add emotional emphasis. While the watercolor illustrations by Mark Anthony suit the text well and will be appreciated by students in small listening centers, the story has enough power to stand alone, making this a good choice for a whole-class listening activity. An excellent selection for Black History month, the powerful and inspirational message is worth hearing year round.-Teresa Bateman, Brigadoon Elementary School, Federal Way, WA

Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information

School Library Journal

In September 1957, nine black teenagers were sent to integrate an all-white high school with 2,000 students in Little Rock, Arkansas. Without the pretense of Southern accents, Charles Turner's sober, measured reading of the text conveys the tenacity and bravery required of those teens. Sound effects such as angry crowds and shattering glass emphasize the tension and danger of their experience. An author's note on the first page explains the concept of school segregation, and an afterword tells what happened to the students when, guarded by federal troops, they were finally allowed into the school. This is part of the On My Own History series. R.H.H. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine

OCT/NOV 07 - AudioFile