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When little Tansy wakes up on the morning of September 6, 1919, she has no idea that she will be changing history for the better. Unaware of what the day will hold, she hurries to get herself ready for the big day as Big Mama rushes her along. Tansy's anticipation begins to grow when she sees Big Mama in her Sunday dress talking on the phone to someone about how exciting the day will be. She wonders if today is the first day of school. Big Mama, wearing her Colored Women's Political League sash, explains the day's importance, saying that today will be the day that their voice is heard. They stand tall in the voting line and wait their turn. When it is finally time, Big Mama even lets Tansy drop the ballot in the ballot box. Their walk home is filled with pride and joy in their hearts as Tansy tells everybody that they got to vote.
Winner of the Eric Hoffer Award as well as the Grand Prize Short List, the author's book has made big strides in sharing this important piece of history in a way that children can understand and appreciate. With cover pages filled with newspaper clippings, documents, and articles on the subject, young readers will likely immediately sense that the book is based on historical events, potentially making them that much more eager to read and find out what has happened. The author's work pays tribute to Agnes Sadler, the first black woman to vote in Knoxville, Tennessee, in September of 1919. Caruthers turns this historical event into a beautiful story that teaches children the value of their rights and the importance of voting. It may even inspire children to question what historical events they might be a part of one day.
A 2022 Eric Hoffer Book Award Children's Category Runner-Up and Grand Prize Short List book
RECOMMENDED by the US Review