Sit-In

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This amazing story tells of four African American men who staged a Sit-in at a Woolworths, where a sign on the front door stated "Whites Only". This book, told in simple sentences and short pages the author shares an important movement in African American history with audiences of all ages. This story includes the story of these four friends, as well as how this movement was effecting other areas of the nation. At the end of the story there is a timeline of the Civil Rights movement that is also creatively illustrated by Brian Pinkney. Lastly, there is a note from the author that discusses the actual people the book is based on, along with a black and white photo of the four friends.

As is discussed in MULTICULTURAL LITERATURE AND RESPONSE, this picture book cleverly illustrates a historical perspective of the sit-in portion of the Civil Rights movement. From the elementary age up, students will be able to learn about this important part of African American culture. This story, while written for younger students, does not dampen the importance of what was happening in this movement, but brings the language down to a level where students at a young age can understand what is happening, so they can understand the struggles that the African American culture endured.

A book that is related to this would be FREEDOM ON THE MENU: THE GREENSBORO SIT-INS. This story follows a young girl, Connie, as she witnesses the sit-in discussed in this book. Students can compare and contrast the two books and can have discussions on the differences in the perspectives.

This book was reviewed by School Library Journal, an excerpt of this review follows:

Through effectively chosen words, Andrea Pinkney brings understanding and meaning to what four black college students accomplished on February 1, 1960, by sitting down at a Woolworth lunch counter in Greensboro, NC. With swirling swabs of color that masterfully intertwine with sometimes thin, sometimes thick lines, Brian Pinkney cleverly centers the action and brings immediacy to the pages. Both the words and the art offer many opportunities for discussion. The book concludes with a civil rights time line and an update on the aftermath of the lunch-counter struggle.—Barbara Elleman, Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, Amherst, MA

(c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc.

Citations: 

Pinkney, A. D. (2010). SIT-IN: HOW FOUR FRIENDS STOOD UP BY SITTING DOWN. Ill. by Brian Pinkney.  New York, NY: Little, Brown, and Co.

Smolen, L. A., & Oswald, R. A. (Eds.). (2011). MULTICULTRUAL LITERATURE AND RESPONSE. Santa Barbra, CA: Libraries Unlimited.

Weatherford, C. B. (2005). FREEDOM ON THE MENU: THE GREENSBORO SIT-INS. Ill by Jerome Lagrrigue. New York, NY: Puffin Books.