This is the story of three first grade little girls who integrated schools in New Orleans BEFORE Ruby Bridges. It shares their experiences of being escorted to school by National Guards, the other children's (and their reactions) and how impacted their community.

This is a perfect educational tool to include in your child(ren)'s personal library. It is important that our history be taught at home.

I love reading children’s books and learning something new for myself. There was a lot of good information included after the story as well. This picture book was a very honest depiction of the experiences of the children involved in desegregating schools in New Orleans. The author didn’t shy away from the difficult realities of these events. I look forward to reading this with my older children. I can see how this book will be a great opportunity to talk about race and how people fight to make social change. The illustrations are also beautiful. Thank you NetGalley for offering this book in exchange for my honest review.

This illustrated nonfiction book tells the story of the three girls who integrated a formerly all-white school just ten minutes before Ruby Bridges started her school day in a different part of the same city. Although Ruby Bridges has received lots of press, most people have never heard of Leona Tate, Gail Etienne, and Tessie Prevost, and this author shares their little-known stories in an incredibly powerful way.

The author did a wonderful job weaving in historical context throughout the book, and she shares the girls' perspectives in a way that feels authentic and touching, representing the ways that their experiences both overlapped and differed. The illustrations throughout the book are beautiful, and they greatly enrich the true story. There is also even more information at the end, along with photographs.

This is aimed at a middle-grade reading level, and although it is too wordy for younger elementary students, parents and teachers can read it aloud. I would also recommend this to teens and adults, both because of the story's historical importance and because the book is so well-crafted and engaging.

This book puts the integration of McDonogh 19 Public School in New Orleans in its historical context, explaining how three young black girls entered the school ten minutes before Ruby Bridges entered the William Franz Elementary School. The girls faced white protestors outside each day and harassment even when at home, including death threats. The clearly written, engaging text explains the process of integrating the school and focuses on the experience of the three girls The illustrations are vivid and informative and support the text well. The back matter extends readers' understanding by providing additional information about school segregation in New Orleans, information about the Norman Rockwell painting, "The Problem We All Live With," additional information about the three girls, a glossary and a bibliography. This large format picture book is an exemplary example of high quality nonfiction--clear, engaging, and informative. A fine choice for social studies classes, read alouds, and libraries. By focusing on the three girls' experiences, it makes the larger social context also understandable.

Leona Tate, Gail Etienne, and Tessie Prevost didn't set out to make history. But when these three Black first graders stepped into the all-white McDonogh No. 19 Public School in New Orleans on November 14, 1960, that's exactly what they did.

Incredibly important history that should be required reading for children everywhere.

This is a great book for older elementary aged kids about an important part of history that needs to be told. Many adults have never heard of these girls, and I'm glad someone is writing to teach children about them. It is key to hear about all of those who struggled through these days to create the integrated system that we have now. I absolutely recommend this book for libraries and educators of 4th grade and above.

This is a good nonfiction book for upper elementary age children. It provides a new prospective on desegregation of schools in the south. Most children learn a small bit about Ruby Bridges, but this book provides a unique perspective on another group of young girls who helped pioneer desegregation. The back of the book also provides information on these women today. Wonderfully written book with a powerful message.

This beautiful book will be added to my picture book history collection. Most students have heard of Ruby Bridges, but some students don’t realize there were other children equally as brave. The story is very important for students to hear and the author did a great job telling it in a way that is age appropriate.

Well, I just cried. As a SE Louisiana resident, I know about Ruby, but I HATE I never learned about these ladies. Their stories need to be heard!

I love the quotes and updates at the end.

The glossary is also fantastic.

Wow. To think this happened in the USA only 63 years ago. What a history lesson. These girls are true pioneers.

It's ironic, to think how far we've come, and to see how far we have yet to go.

This book is powerful. It should be required reading for all our kids, in every classroom, school, and library.

Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this advanced review copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest review on the book!

“Small Shoes, Great Strides” is about three young girls who integrate their elementary school in New Orleans. Interestingly, the girls enter their school just 10 minutes before Ruby Bridges does the same at her elementary school in the same city. We learn about the first three years of Leona, Gail, and Tessie’s experience in a previously all white school, then the book skips ahead to what happened at the end of elementary school.

There is a LOT of text in this picture book, but I don’t know how you could approach the story without a great deal of explanation. The illustrations capture both joy and fear. I really liked what amounts to an epilogue that tells us what happened after the girls finished elementary and secondary school.

The courage of the children and their parents really strikes me. I can’t imagine six year olds resolutely walking into a building while being yelled at and spit upon by adults. I can’t imagine the fear of the parents as they sent their children off to school each day and the courage they had to move mountains to make sure their daughters had equal access to education.

This book is great for kids of all ages. Even teenagers could get a lot out of this story.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book provided by NetGalley and the publisher, Carolrhoda Books. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The artwork is so beautiful in this story! It depicts their hair and differences so well and makes the story utterly ravishing. While this is nonfiction it tells it like a story. A story where these poor girls had to be the first at such a hard thing. They show how hard it was and how it was nothing we could imagine in a million years. I have nothing but kind words for this book but it does seem to be a little wordy for younger audiences. I would love for a copy of this book to be in my 4th or 5th grade classroom to teach lessons about how we need to be grateful for being there.