by Tracy Briseño

Have you read a book that stayed with you? That you kept coming back to in your mind, and brought up in conversation with others? There are several juvenile nonfiction books that have had a long-lasting impact on me.

“Freedom Walkers” by Russell Freedman is a great place to start. I remember learning about the Civil Rights movement when I was younger but it was a very general. Reading “Freedom Walkers” opened my eyes to how long the Montgomery Bus Boycott actually lasted and how many people made it possible. Freedman does a great job telling about the impact on all sorts of people in Montgomery. (For more about the Montgomery Bus Boycott, read the biography of Georgia Gilmore and her pie and baked goods brigade.)

 “If Stones Could Speak” by Marc Aronson is about Stonehenge and new theories on the purpose that it served. The author and the archeologist explain the work done to develop and test their theory. I was struck by the affect that someone’s cultural beliefs and personal experiences can have on their interpretation of archeological information. It is especially interesting because when this book was written it was the first book with this information. Aronson also encourages readers to question findings and think critically.

“Sugar Changed the World” is by Marc Aronson and Marina Budhos. It describes how the sugar trade influenced the trans-Atlantic slave trade. It also gives insight into the interconnectedness of sugar and factory work in England. The searing view of the brutal lives of those enslaved on sugar plantations has stayed with me for years.

“Almost Astronauts” by Tanya Lee Stone tells the story of the 13 women who went through the training that the Mercury astronauts went through and fought to be considered as candidates. It covers the scientific part of the training along with the political and social hurdles.

Lastly, “Unspeakable” by Carole Boston Weatherford and Floyd Cooper tells the story of the Tulsa Race Massacre. This is a picture book, where the illustrations and the prose create a compelling introduction to this terrible story. The destruction of Black Wall Street and the killing of hundreds, injury of hundreds, and displacement due to the destruction of homes and businesses of over 8,000 black people by white mobs was heartbreaking to read about. The images and story continue to stick with me.

I hope you find some books that speak to you and keep you thinking and learning!