A True Heroine, As Told by Someone Who Was There
This book is a gem. The story is beautifully told in a manner that the reader imagines him- or herself right there, in New Orleans, Louisiana, 1957. The author, Robert Coles, is a highly respected child psychiatrist and the author of many, many books. He was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for his "Children of Crisis" series; in fact, in the first book, "A Study of Courage and Fear," Dr. Coles describes in great detail the time he spent with a 9-year-old African American girl named Ruby, along with the rest of her family. He recounted his stay in a later volume, "Lives of Moral Leadership." Dr. Coles, thus, tells us Ruby's story first hand. Dr. Coles follows up with an Afterword about Ruby Bridges, both as a girl and an adult. George Ford's illustrations complement the text beautifully; his artwork has graced many other books about prominent African Americans and have earned him at least two prestigeous awards. Both the author and the illustrator bring young readers of all ages a beautiful, sensitive portrayal of a remarkable event and equally remarkable person.
