Sit-In: How Four Friends Stood Up by Sitting Down by Andrea Davis Pinkney, illlustrated by Brian Pinkney
Inspired by the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. four young men sat at the Woolworth’s lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina on February 1, 1960. They placed their simple order of a doughnut and coffee, with cream on the side, and sat quietly, refusing to comply with the Whites Only rule. The next day, more people joined them, sitting still for what was right. The sit-ins got bigger and moved beyond lunch counters to buses, parks and libraries. The students were jailed for loafing, but they didn’t resist. All of these brave actions led to the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Pinkney has written this book with such verve and style that it reads like a King speech. Throughout, she has woven the threads of the lunch counter, coffee and recipes, reminding readers again and again where it all started. Her use of repetition and poetic style really make the book sing. Brian Pinkney’s illustrations are done in watercolor and India ink. They capture the time with an exuberant style that is filled with colors and the swirls of motion. Though the people sit still, the illustrations are in motion, moving to the future with them.
Highly recommended, this book truly captures the wonder of this time, the courage it took to sit still, and the progress that was made. This husband and wife team have created a powerful book about a vital time in our history. Appropriate for ages 7-10.
Reviewed from copy received from Little Brown and Company.
Also reviewed by Muddy Puddle Musings and Wild Geese Guides.