2006 IRA Children's Book Award Notables 2005 SCBWI Golden Kite Honor Book (Picture Book Text) CCBC Choices 2006 2008 Bill Martin Jr. Picture Book Master List (Kansas) 2007-2008 Show Me Readers Award Master List (Missouri) 2007-2008 Arkansas Diamond Primary Book Award Master List 2008-2009 Georgia Picture Book Award Master List Six-year-old Sarah Marie, her mother, and her little sister travel down south to visit Grandmama in the summer of 1956. Grandmama makes every effort to shield her granddaughters from the prejudice that still plagues her town. But as Sarah Marie learns to read, she notices Grandmama's town is filled with signs and rules that she's never understood before. As Sarah Marie tries to make sense of the world around her, she’s left wondering if life in the South will ever change. 2006 IRA Children's Book Award Notables 2005 SCBWI Golden Kite Honor Book (Picture Book Text) CCBC Choices 2006 2008 Bill Martin Jr. Picture Book Master List (Kansas) 2007-2008 Show Me Readers Award Master List (Missouri) 2007-2008 Arkansas Diamond Primary Book Award Master List 2008-2009 Georgia Picture Book Award Master List "The straightforward text and arresting watercolor illustrations (the evocative cover says it all, showing the determination on Grandmama's face) brings home the fierce pride, the dignity, and the emotional impact of the times…Told in Sarah Marie's voice, this slice of dramatic history will touch both heart and mind."― Booklist "The gentle tone of Birtha's writing reflects the quiet dignity with which the adults in Sarah Marie's family meet the indignities of Jim Crow laws…The strong, sensitive writing is enhanced by beautiful watercolor paintings filled with chips of light. This story will generate discussions on a range of topics including racial segregation, bullying, and self-respect."― School Library Journal "Her first person narrative conveys wide-eyed wonder, and each of the superbly detailed watercolor illustrations is a short story in itself...Bittersweet nostalgia and a gentle introduction to an important and painful piece of our national past. A lengthy author's note gives the story a helpful historical context."― Kirkus Reviews Becky Birtha is the author of several picture books, including Grandmama's Pride and Lucky Beans . She has experienced having a family member in jail. Becky lives in Pennsylvania. Colin Bootman was born in Trinidad. He moved to the United States when he was seven, but the vibrant palette of the Caribbean has always influenced his painting. In 2004, he received a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Award. He lives in New York.