This particular story is about a court case that is often overlooked in history. Sylvia Mendez, and her family fight is a must read. It is important for students to realize that desegregation has truly never manifested within the United States. In fact, some would argue that our schools are more segregated than ever before.
Evaluation
I absolutely love this book for several reasons. It is truthful. It is accurate. It is raw at times but in a way that children will understand. The pictures are intense but beautiful. I had a lot of interesting conversations with my students as we discussed Sylvia Mendez and compared/contrasted her experiences with Ruby Bridges. A lot of my students were surprised to know that Sylvia, of Mexican-Puerto Rican hertiage, we discriminated against because of one fact: the color of her skin. Because skin color has always mattered.
