These Hands
By: Margaret H. Mason
Illustrated by: Floyd Cooper
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books For Children Copyright Date: 2010
ISBN: 978-0-547-21566-2
Genre: Informational Format: Historical Fiction
Major Awards Received:
Notable Books For A Global Society
Charlotte Zolotow Award, 2012
Summary: In today's world we do not allow only Caucasian people to do certain jobs, but in the 1950-1960's that is the way it was. Africa American people could not make the bread in the Wonder Bread Factory but they could sweep the floor and unload the trucks. So when the African American people wrote a petition and the Civil Rights Act passed in 1964, the bakery had no choice but to allow the Africa American people to make the bread.
Personal response: After I read the story I also read the Author's Note and was so touched by the fact that the Author felt she had write this book to share some of the history of "unwritten rules" for African American workers. But like she says, "back then it wasn't news; it was just how things were". I am glad our nation finally decided that the color of your skin does not determine what job you are qualified to do.
Classroom connections: Before reading this story to the students, I would ask them if they knew what the Civil Rights Act was. If they knew, we would discuss it and if they did not I would give them a brief background about it. Then I would read the story to the students. After the story, I would ask them how they would have felt if they were not able to make the bread because of the color of their skin. Then I would show them the website http://www.amazon.com/These-Hands-Golden-Honors-Awards/dp/0547215665, where we would look at how the Illustrator drew the pictures. I would then have the children draw a rough sketch of a picture of their choice, then add more detail, and then finally color it in, like the Illustrator did.
Illustrated by: Floyd Cooper
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books For Children Copyright Date: 2010
ISBN: 978-0-547-21566-2
Genre: Informational Format: Historical Fiction
Major Awards Received:
Notable Books For A Global Society
Charlotte Zolotow Award, 2012
Summary: In today's world we do not allow only Caucasian people to do certain jobs, but in the 1950-1960's that is the way it was. Africa American people could not make the bread in the Wonder Bread Factory but they could sweep the floor and unload the trucks. So when the African American people wrote a petition and the Civil Rights Act passed in 1964, the bakery had no choice but to allow the Africa American people to make the bread.
Personal response: After I read the story I also read the Author's Note and was so touched by the fact that the Author felt she had write this book to share some of the history of "unwritten rules" for African American workers. But like she says, "back then it wasn't news; it was just how things were". I am glad our nation finally decided that the color of your skin does not determine what job you are qualified to do.
Classroom connections: Before reading this story to the students, I would ask them if they knew what the Civil Rights Act was. If they knew, we would discuss it and if they did not I would give them a brief background about it. Then I would read the story to the students. After the story, I would ask them how they would have felt if they were not able to make the bread because of the color of their skin. Then I would show them the website http://www.amazon.com/These-Hands-Golden-Honors-Awards/dp/0547215665, where we would look at how the Illustrator drew the pictures. I would then have the children draw a rough sketch of a picture of their choice, then add more detail, and then finally color it in, like the Illustrator did.