Nelson, Vaunda Micheaux. Small Shoes, Great Strides: How Three Brave Girls Opened
Doors to School Equality. Alex Bostic, Illus. Lerner/Carolrhoda, 11/2023. [40]pp. Picture
Book. Trade $19.99. 978-1-7284-1923-7. GRADES 2–6. OUTSTANDING.
Ten minutes before Ruby Bridges entered William Frantz School in New Orleans and became the face of Louisiana school integration, three Black girls accompanied by U.S. Marshals entered McDonough 19 School across town. Their names were Leona Tate, Tessie Prevost, and Gail Etienne. Through extensive research including interviews with the McDonough Three themselves, Nelson shines a light on the important but overlooked roles these pioneers played in making Louisiana school integration a reality. The detailed text pairs well with Bostic’s luminous acrylic on board paintings to take the reader into the daily lives of the three girls in their first grade year as they are taught in a nearly empty classroom, have lunch under a stairwell for safety, and return to homes guarded by round-the-clock police patrols. Brown paper collage backgrounds evoke the window coverings that the school placed to protect those inside from the angry mob outside. Back matter is comprehensive, though text-heavy for young readers, and includes a glossary, bibliography, websites, and historical photos. This is a lengthy and engaging picture book that would work well as a readaloud over several sessions in a classroom.
Cindy Gullikson—Joaquin Miller School, Oakland Unified School District