Starred review from August 8, 2022
Moses (The Legend of Buddy Bush) pays homage to Black children living during the civil rights era whose contributions to the movement were often left undocumented, in this riveting historical fiction volume set in 1963 Birmingham, Ala. Ten-year-old Rufus Jackson Jones Jr. lives with his mother and sister in Bull Hill, a Black neighborhood where the “houses are all raggedy and owned by a white man.” After steelworker Mr. Paul marries Rufus’s mother, the family moves to Ivy Town, which is “home to mostly poor white folks,” where the siblings revel in having an indoor bathroom instead of an outhouse. Though Rufus’s mother claims “ain’t no colored folks” living in Ivy Town, Mr. Paul remains optimistic about their reception. The family’s arrival incites rage among their neighbors, however, so when Rufus’s pastor, Reverend Shuttleworth, and Martin Luther King Jr. collaborate to organize segregation protests, Rufus—against his mother’s wishes—feels compelled to join them. Birmingham and its citizens, culture, and struggles are empathetically wrought in this eye-opening novel. With intention, Moses thoughtfully highlights the real-world horrors that Rufus courageously faces—including police, fire hoses, and dogs—and provides levity through his introspective and energetic first-person narration. Ages 10–up.
Starred review from October 7, 2022
Gr 4-7-Eleven-year-old Black boy Rufus Jackson Jones lives with his mother and little sister in a shantytown in Birmingham, AL, in 1963. The city is firmly under the grip of Bull Connor and is so segregated that Rufus's pastor, Reverend Shuttleworth, is hoping for a visit from the Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. to help the civil rights activists. Rufus keeps abreast of community news through a network of friends and by watching the nightly news. Rufus's father died in a steel mill accident, and his mother, having received nothing in the way of a settlement, works hard to support her family. Their life eases somewhat when she marries Daddy Paul. He wants to move the family to a better neighborhood and accepts the offer to rent a home from the owner of the steel mill-much to the chagrin of the white tenants and the local KKK. Rufus is a keen observer of the fraught racial dynamics and recognizes the dilemma the adults in his community face-they stand to lose their jobs, or worse, if they picket for civil rights. That leaves the children to step up, but Rufus's mother has forbidden him from participating. Rufus's voice is appropriately child-like, even though he, his family, and friends experience overt racism and threats. He is a thoughtful and endearing character, even while suspense is high. The setting and strong sense of community among his Black neighbors are vividly drawn. VERDICT This compelling and powerful story will resonate with many readers. A first purchase.-Brenda Kahn
Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
September 1, 2022
Birmingham, Alabama, in 1963 was "a city that little children brought to its knees." Residents were tired of poor housing, poor pay, poor schools, and the lack of voting rights. So they protested, with children leading the way. Thousands of young people poured into the streets to protest segregation, and over three thousand were jailed. Moses leads readers into the scene through the eyes and voice of eleven-year-old Rufus Jackson Jones Jr., rooting these historical events in a compelling family story. Rufus's mama and stepdaddy tell him and his little sister, Georgia, that they are too young to join the protests, but Rufus does anyway. After witnessing beatings and police dog attacks, he faces Bull Connor's fire hoses; he wonders where the fire is but realizes that the protesters "were the fire," one the police intend to extinguish but also one igniting the passions of citizens seeking justice. This is a good match with Christopher Paul Curtis's The Watsons Go to Birmingham -- 1963 (1995), though Moses's novel ends months prior to the horrific church bombing, allowing her to highlight the protests' successes, including desegregation of the city (though much work remained). Moving and memorable for such a brief novel; and the author's note is important reading in its own right. Dean Schneider
(Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)
Starred review from August 1, 2022
An African American tween finds a way to contribute to his community's struggle for an end to segregation. Eleven-year-old Rufus Jackson Jones Jr. lives in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1963. Following the death of his father, his mother struggles to provide for their family. Life improves when his mother marries Paul Joe Peele. Daddy Paul, as Rufus and his sister call him, insists that they find a better home than their run-down house. So the family rents a home on the property of Miss Boone, the owner of the mill that employs most of the town--a move that angers some White people in the community, as the other families living on the property are mostly White. The civil rights movement is a major topic of conversation for young and old alike, and Rufus wants to learn all he can. Plans for a march involving Dr. Martin Luther King and the Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth are in the works, and for the first time, students will march. The first marches result in jail for many but continue to grow until the protestors face police dogs and fire hoses. Moses takes readers inside the movement that saw its youngest become effective challengers to the segregation status quo. Her narrative seamlessly weaves a personal family story with the larger one of the fight for change. Rufus is an engaging, thoughtful narrator whose voice and perspective ring true as he works to make a difference, even disobeying his mother, who is terrified about what might happen. The love and determination of his community are realistically and richly portrayed. A stirring, cleareyed look at the young people who risked much for social change as they fought for their civil rights. (author's note) (Historical fiction. 9-12)
COPYRIGHT(2022) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
July 1, 2022
Birmingham, Alabama, in 1963 was "a city that little children brought to its knees." Residents were tired of poor housing, poor pay, poor schools, and the lack of voting rights. So they protested, with children leading the way. Thousands of young people poured into the streets to protest segregation, and over three thousand were jailed. Moses leads readers into the scene through the eyes and voice of eleven-year-old Rufus Jackson Jones Jr., rooting these historical events in a compelling family story. Rufus's mama and stepdaddy tell him and his little sister, Georgia, that they are too young to join the protests, but Rufus does anyway. After witnessing beatings and police dog attacks, he faces Bull Connor's fire hoses; he wonders where the fire is but realizes that the protesters "were the fire," one the police intend to extinguish but also one igniting the passions of citizens seeking justice. This is a good match with Christopher Paul Curtis's The Watsons Go to Birmingham -- 1963 (1995), though Moses's novel ends months prior to the horrific church bombing, allowing her to highlight the protests' successes, including desegregation of the city (though much work remained). Moving and memorable for such a brief novel; and the author's note is important reading in its own right.
(Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)
October 13, 2023
Grades 4-7 Rufus, a Black boy from Birmingham, Alabama, before and during the famous Children's March in 1963 that helped break segregation in the Southern city, matures as his family becomes active in the civil rights movement. An energetic but poor boy whose father died in an accident and who lives in a place where Black people face prejudice about where they live, shop, and are educated, Rufus' life begins to change when a man named Paul courts and marries his mother. Paul is ambitious and moves them to a white neighborhood owned by a mill owner, a progressive white woman who helps the family. Like Paul, she is involved in the movement's meetings. While Rufus' mom tries to shield him from becoming involved in the marches planned by, among others, Martin Luther King Jr., Rufus and his friends are listening intently to local teenagers planning to help, and eventually Rufus follows his ideals despite consequences that include being beaten and jailed. Readers learn along with Rufus, and the book provides a good introduction to this important part of our nation's history.
COPYRIGHT(2023) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.