Monday, November 16, 2009

Ron's Big Mission


Since I haven't had time to finish some of the books I have started (I am hopeful that tonight will be the night) I have a picture book to share that my kids are loving at school.

Ron's Big Mission by Rose Blue is the fictionalized story of Ron McNair and his quest to be allowed to check out books from the public library despite segregation laws.

First of all, Ron McNair is not someone that most kids have heard of. However, I was extremely interested in the Space Shuttle Challenger while I was growing up, and McNair was one of the astronauts who perished in the explosion.

This story features Ron as a child enjoying his visits to the local public library. He was a frequent library patron yet was not allowed to check out books because of the color of his skin. When he takes a stand about this issue, the librarian, police, and others at the library must decide if they can follow the law, or allow Ron to have his own library card.

My students enjoyed this story a lot. They especially were interested in my knowledge about Ron as an astronaut. I always enjoy exposing my students to people from history that have made a contribution to society that they may not be aware of. It is always exciting to see their enthusiasm and excitement about these people. This was also a hit at home in our bedtime reading, and one I will recommend to a wide range of ages.

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