Carlotta's special dress How a walk to school changed civil rights history

A patterned cotton dress that is on permanent exhibit at the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture is the focal point of this riveting picture-book autobiography. LaNier, a member of the Little Rock Nine who received the Congressional Gold Medal for her role in desegregating Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1957, makes her story eminently relatable to children by describing her excitement to start at a new school and how getting a dress she loved was important for that first day. Present-tense prose and a tight chronological approach ramp up the tension over time as LaNier goes shopping with her mother for just the right dress, walks past an angry mob of white parents she and other Black students face on their first attempt to enter the school, and faces the National Guard blocking their entrance the next day--until President Eisenhower ensures their safety by sending in the U.S. Army's Screaming Eagles. The illustrations wonderfully capture the feel of the 1950s, featuring details like cars' outsize fins and grilles, a tiny black-and-white TV topped by an aerial, and a swirly poodle skirt. An author's note at the end includes a timeline and photographs.

Underlining the intersection of everyday and historic moments, Walls LaNier and Frazier Page take a child's perspective to recount Walls LaNier's experience in integrating Central High School in Little Rock, Ark., in 1957. When segregation laws change, and Carlotta Walls (b. 1942) receives money from her uncle for a store-bought dress, she picks a black frock covered in letters and numbers--"The perfect dress for a perfect first day." But the first day of school is delayed by protests, and even after lawyers affirm the right of Black students to attend, the Arkansas National Guard turns them away. Disheartened, Walls packs up the special dress, and it's nowhere to be seen after President Eisenhower sends the 101st Airborne to escort the Little Rock Nine into Central, in a moment when "the world is watching us win." Textile patterns weave throughout Brantley-Newton's loosely worked digital collage illustrations, which focus on portraiture. An abrupt ending depicts the frock on display in a museum. Background characters are portrayed with various skin tones. An author's note and timeline conclude. Ages 6--8. (Jan.)

LaNier, one of the Little Rock Nine, shares the moving true story of how she helped integrate an all-white Arkansas school. As the summer of 1957 drew to a close, Carlotta eagerly anticipated attending Central High, a fancy school near her home with well-equipped science labs ideal for preparing Carlotta for a medical career. With a $20 gift from her uncle, Carlotta and her mother found the perfect first-day-of-school outfit: an elegant black dress adorned with bluish-green numbers and letters. Despite Carlotta's excitement about starting at Central, white parents' objections to integration prevented the Black students from attending. When a judge ruled in favor of integration, Carlotta wore her new dress to school, praying that it would bring her good luck. Though surrounded by supportive white and Black ministers, the students encountered an angry mob, and the National Guard, called in by the governor, prevented them from entering the building. President Eisenhower intervened, sending soldiers to ensure that Black students could safely attend school. This colorfully illustrated, heartfelt account gives young readers an excellent introduction to the turbulent integration of public schools in the South. Brantley-Newton's vibrant digital and collage illustrations effectively portray the flair and style of this middle-class Black family as well as the trauma of racism. Rich backmatter explains that Carlotta's dress is now displayed at the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C., while also offering readers a deeper dive into this moment. An intimate, well-crafted glimpse at the Civil Rights Movement. (author's note, timeline, photographs)(Picture-book memoir. 8-11) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.