TeachPeaceNow

Book Title Mississippi Bridge
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Author Mildred D. Taylor Illustrator Max Ginsburg

This title fits these categories:

Racial awareness and variety: Shows diverse people living their lives in realistic ways.

Racial pride: Provides strong, positive role model for diverse children

Racial issue: Shows historical or contemporary inequality based on race.

Activist: Shows ways we can make a difference.

Acceptable grade levels: upper elementary, middle school

Classification: Historical Fiction

Concepts/ Topics covered in book:

This very short (62 page) novel is set during 1930’s segregation in Mississippi. A white boy watches the white and black families who come to the store to wait for the bus. When a group of white people arrive at the last minute, the black ones are kicked off the bus. Just minutes later the bus falls off into a river, and one of the black men kicked off helps rescue the white ones. Note: These are the same characters that are in the Newberry Award Book Roll of Thunder.
Grade 4 reading level

Questions/ Activities

Why do you think Josias should have stayed on the bus? Why did he go rescue the people who had treated him so badly?

Find excellent activities for this book at http://www.teacherlink.usu.edu/tlresources/units/byrnes-literature/delange.html

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