Growing Up in the South
What was it like growing up in the Deep South with Jim Crow laws everywhere?
How did it feel to sit down to dinner with grown-ups who planned protests between bites of Mama's creamy macaroni and cheese?
And imagine walking right beside Uncle Martin and Aunt Coretta in that historic march from Selma to Montgomery- until your legs were so tired that you had to ride on your father's back.
Paula Young Shelton, a daughter of civil rights leader, Andrew Young, and Raul Colon take readers on a vivid trip back to Paula's childhood in an extraordinary family- the family of the American civil rights movement.
Upcoming Appearances:
Friday, February 1st
Maret Elementary
Washington, DC
Friday, February 15th
St. Louis, MO
including appearances at 3 St. Louis County Schools:
Crestwood Elementary
Long Elementary
Sappington Elementary
Monday, February 25th
Forest Grove Elementary
Sterling, VA
Friday, March 8th
Rolling Valley Elementary
Springfield, VA
Invite Paula to read or speak at your event.
STARRED REVIEWS
"Civil rights can be a difficult topic, even for adults, so finding simple language to explain the complexity of injustice and oppression to children is challenging. Shelton, daughter of Andrew Young, accepts the challenge and rises to meet it, approaching the topic from the point of view of the child she was in the ’60s: a four-year-old girl living in the midst of the leaders who helped change the nation."
KIRKUS REVIEWS, 11/15/09
"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."
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL, 12/09
Photo by Rick Banks
