Liberty's Civil Rights Road Trip

Product Description
Time to board the bus! Liberty and her friend Abdullah, with their families and a diverse group of passengers, head off to their first stop: Jackson, Mississippi. Next on their map are Glendora, Memphis, Birmingham, Montgomery, and finally Selma, for a march across the iconic Edmund Pettus Bridge.
As told through the innocent view of a child, Liberty's Civil Rights Road Trip serves as an early introduction to places, people, and events that transformed history. The story is inspired by an actual journey led by author Michael W. Waters, bringing together a multigenerational group to witness key locations from the civil rights movement. An author's note and more information about each stop on Liberty’s trip offer ways for adults to expand the conversation with young readers.
A portion of the publisher's sales proceeds will be donated to Foot Soldiers Park in Selma, Alabama, a nonprofit dedicated to honoring the history and continued relevance of the Selma movement.
From School Library Journal
PreS-Gr 2—A young Black girl named Liberty, along with her family and others, embark on a road trip to visit landmarks of the Civil Rights movement. The diverse group, made up of different ages, races, and religions, have several stops scheduled. Liberty is most excited for the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, AL, but the tour includes Jackson, MS, the home of Medgar Evers, then Glendora, MS, to learn about Emmett Till, among others. Tadgell's gentle illustrations expertly link the historical events with Liberty's tour group, as dialogue among Liberty, her family, and others includes explanation and reflection of the events and sights. This book, based on the true story of actual road trips coordinated by the author, pairs excellently with works such as Monica Clark-Robinson's Let the Children March and Cynthia Levinson's The Youngest Marcher. Back matter includes additional information on the figures and locations visited in the book. VERDICT This introduction to historic individuals and monumental locations is both inspiring and a useful teaching tool, and will see wide use in most collections.—Olivia Gorecke, Cape May Cty. Lib., Ocean View, NJ
Review
"On an interfaith, family-based road trip, a young Black girl visits important landmarks of the civil rights movement . . . A unique and valuable perspective." ―Kirkus Reviews
"This introduction to historic individuals and monumental locations is both inspiring and a useful teaching tool, and will see wide use in most collections." ―School Library Journal
"An accessible, anecdotal introduction to pivotal civil rights events and luminaries." ―Publishers Weekly
About the Author
Michael W. Waters is an award-winning author, activist, professor, and pastor. His picture book For Beautiful Black Boys Who Believe in a Better World, illustrated by Keisha Morris, won the 2020 Goddard Riverside CBC Youth Book Prize for Social Justice and was named a Must-Read Book about Race by Essence. A sought-after speaker, he is a frequent commentator for major media outlets and has been honored for his work in peace and justice. Michael W. Waters lives in Dallas, Texas. \nNicole Tadgell is the acclaimed illustrator of more than thirty picture books, a speaker and workshop leader, and an advocate for diversity in children's literature. Her many honors include the Children's Africana Book Award, the Américas Award, and numerous best-books lists. She lives in Virginia.