I accessed a digital review copy of this book from the publisher.
Willie Mae Brown wrote stories about her childhood in Selma, Alabama in the 1950s and 60s. While she did not participate in some of the more famous big events, like the march across the bridge, she was surrounded by events and people that were part of the civil rights movement. She gives readers an idea of what it was like to live during this time, both the normal moments of childhood and the more racially charged moments.
This was a good read that gives more insight into this time period. It's a good read for younger readers to introduce them to the topic and show people who were living ordinary lives at the time.

This work of nonfiction is the autobiography of the author’s childhood in Selma, Alabama during the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s. As the author states, everyone has a different story of the place they grew up in; this work is the story of the author’s Selma.

I enjoyed that while this was a work of nonfiction, it largely read like a novel. The author did write in a more stream-of-consciousness way that became a little difficult to follow in certain places, with time jumps or recollections interspersed throughout the main storyline. I enjoyed how this seemed to represent how one remembers things and makes connections when looking back on events, though this writing style would likely be less engaging for younger readers.

The author included many interesting historical details that added to the work. She made the setting and characters come alive. While there are some darker topics discussed in this work, it’s not all heavy – there are humorous moments incorporated as well as some important lessons. The focus on familial relationships, the strength of the community, but also the hardships and dangers Black families faced at the time were woven throughout this story in a cohesive way.

I highly recommend this coming of age read for Middle Grade readers and older and think it would be a valuable addition to school libraries and curriculums throughout the United States. Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me to read this powerful work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

My Selma is memoir set during the Civil Rights Movement, told through the eyes of the author during that time. It reads in a fairly linear fashion, with a couple of exceptions. It does not read as large broken-up chunks of time that are unrelated to each other. I loved the weaving of family life with young Willie Mae's view of the people around her. There were heartwarming stories of Christmas gifts Christmas get a doll and a bike, which were contrasted with frankly terrifying tales of abuse. I think it would be disingenuous and antithetical to the purpose of this memoir to write a memoir strictly with just joyous moments for a Black family in the South during this time period. Written for a YA audience, this memoir in terms of technical writing is easy and fast. But the subject matter demands thought, feeling, and time to digest. Topics discussed include racism, sexism, community, religion, the justice system, reform, education, and family. Famous and noteworthy historical events and figures appear. But they are balanced nicely with relatable family stories that make it all feel intimate and close to the reader in a way that I think you miss when you read a textbook. I enjoyed this as much as an adult as I think younger readers will as well. There's a vulnerability delivered as well. A child for the first time realizes how dangerous the world can be, that people can hate you for nothing you've done or have control over. It's sobering to experience again through the eyes of a child.

<3 This was a memoir infused with historical incidents during the turbulent times surrounding the Civil Rights Movement. #KarenChilton narration with the local Southern vernacular of the Alabama residents and her down home #sanging gave it a tangible authenticity; this voice actor's performance was outstanding! The intro and conclusion narrated by the author just cloaked the novel brilliantly! The mixture of the racial tensions of those times and the reliving of her childhood to her adulthood and all that trauma that remained with her were healed just a little more through the telling of these stories. This was so well done! <3
#MLK #MalcomX #ProtestSitIns #NationalOfIslam #PoliceBrutality #GenerationalTrauma #MySelma #NetGalley #CivilRightsMovement #macmillanaudio <3

My Selma provides a journey to Alabama for the listener. You can almost smell the food cooking and see the residents going about their day. So much detail is given that it truly becomes a journey for the senses. And if a travelogue full of detail is what you are anticipating, your expectations will be fulfilled.

Willie Mae Brown has created an excellent book with her personal stories of living in Selma, Alabama. Brown has woven the stories of her life into an enlightening look at a child during the civil rights movement in the heart of the rebellion.

As a white woman, I have no personal experience with hatred like Willia Mae. Her emotions are laid out in her words allowing readers to understand a child's perspective better.

This was an incredible real perspective of what it was like to live in Selma, Alabama in 1965 as a young girl of color. Willie Mae was able to see so many of the horrible and also amazing things that were happening at the time. There were moments that Willie Mae feared for her life as a young girl as well as those around her. These things are always hard to hear, but so important. This was a great memoir overall and I definitely recommend the audio!

I thought this was going to be a random collection of stories, but it was way more flowing than that.
The stories are all sequential and center around Willia Mae, her family and friends.
The stories vary from the sweet naivety of a child to the heart wrenching adult realizations of the past. I highly enjoyed having multiple age perspectives on the same moments in time.
Much love to Macmillan Audio & NetGalley for my DRC.

Love this one. I was hoping for Roll of Thunder vibes and it delivered. As a former teacher, I can imagine using this in the classroom. As a mother of three boys in Mississippi, I can’t wait to read it with them.

I enjoyed the narration and the dialect. A wonderful way to introduce young people to important history.

My Selma portrays Brown's coming of age in Selma, Alabama during the height of the civil rights movement. I loved the way this read. It's incredibly powerful, thought-provoking and touching. Even if you're not normally a fan of nonfiction, I would still highly recommend this book.

My Selma is an autobiographical account of a young black girl growing up in Selma, Alabama during the height of the Civil Rights Movement. Willie Mae Brown tells us snippets and anecdotes from her life growing during a time of immense hope and tragic violence, rooted in racial prejudice and discrimination. I appreciated the stories and her experiences but I found them to be a little choppy and hard for me to really get to know her story and experience in a deeper manner. While I absolutely think we need more voices and more experiences shared with the world, this one had much potential but less depth than I had hoped for. Overall, I enjoyed the audiobook and am glad that the author shared her stories with the world. And as always, be sure to read the author's note at the end.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an early listening copy of this memoir. Be sure to look for it when it hits shelves on 1/3/2023. this review is posted on IG @maria.needs.t.read and Goodreads.