This Is The Dream

Shore, Diane
Alexander, Jessica

Ransome, James

HarperCollins,2002

Picture Book, Multi-cultural

All Ages

This book is about the time in our history where blacks were treated unequal to whites. It tells the story of how they were treated and what they went through. The book talks about the fountains that they had to drink out of and how the African Americans had to sit in the back of the bus. It tells about the white only restaurants and libraries. It tells about the classrooms and how they were segregated. It tells about the time that blacks first integrated into white schools and how poorly they were treated when this first happend. It talks about Ella Baker, Walter White, Thurgood Marshall, and Martin Luther King Jr. and how they fought for freedom. After this it talks about how restraunts were then intregrated and buses were integrated and last but not least the classrooms were integrated. I really liked the way that the book ended and that was many students standing saying the pledge to the American Flag.

I really love this book. This book can be used for any age to teach history. The pictures that the illustrator used are so realistic and do such a wonderful job showing what happend. The author used collage and paint to create the illustrations. Each picture has so much detail and it really enforces what the text is saying. My favorite picture is at the end when all of the children of all cultures are standing saying the pledge of allegiance. It shows how far this country has come and even though we still have a lot of growing to do we have gained a lot as well. I made connections with this book because i have learned about this even in college. This is such a great book and tells a beautiful story.

You could use this book in a variety of ways in the classroom. You could teach about important African Americans and how they have shaped our country, you could teach the basics on what went on during this time and you could teach a lesson on equality. This book could be used from early ages on into the college level.