If you are looking for a read aloud history book in the form of a picture book, we have a good one for you: Lizzie Demands a Seat! Elizabeth Jennings Fights for Streetcar Rights by Beth Anderson is wonderfully researched and beautifully illustrated by E.B. Lewis. This book is a roller-coaster of an emotional ride, from the infuriating beginning of the book to the heroic end. Whether you know Ms. Jennings’ history or not, this is a wonderful read, and the illustrations are amazing from cover to cover. The gorgeous watercolor paintings add so much to the story and heighten the emotional drama in a very profound way.
We especially appreciated the Author’s Notes in the back which give even more insight into the events surrounding this story. If you love non-fiction as much as we do, then you know that there are precious few non-fiction picture books geared towards young children that tell a story in a gripping and engaging way, but this one does exactly that and we are adding it to the list of books that some of our Youth librarians read to their own kids.
