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The First Step: How One Girl Put Segregation on Trial
In 1847, a young African American girl named Sarah Roberts was attending a school in Boston. Then one day she was told she could never come back. She didn't belong. The Otis School was for white children only.
Sarah deserved an equal education, and the Roberts family fought for change. They made history. Roberts v. City of Boston was the first case challenging our legal system to outlaw segregated schools. It was the first time an African American lawyer argued in a supreme court.
These first steps set in motion changes that ultimately led to equality under the law in the United States. Sarah's cause was won when people--black and white--stood together and said, No more. Now, right now, it is time for change!
With gorgeous art from award-winning illustrator E. B. Lewis, The First Step is an inspiring look at the first lawsuit to demand desegregation--long before the American Civil Rights movement, even before the Civil War.
Backmatter includes: integration timeline, bios on key people in the book, list of resources, and author's note.
Sarah deserved an equal education, and the Roberts family fought for change. They made history. Roberts v. City of Boston was the first case challenging our legal system to outlaw segregated schools. It was the first time an African American lawyer argued in a supreme court.
These first steps set in motion changes that ultimately led to equality under the law in the United States. Sarah's cause was won when people--black and white--stood together and said, No more. Now, right now, it is time for change!
With gorgeous art from award-winning illustrator E. B. Lewis, The First Step is an inspiring look at the first lawsuit to demand desegregation--long before the American Civil Rights movement, even before the Civil War.
Backmatter includes: integration timeline, bios on key people in the book, list of resources, and author's note.
40 pages, Hardcover
First published January 5, 2016
5 people are currently reading
525 people want to read
About the author
Susan E. Goodman
127 books32 followersSusan E. Goodman is the author of more than thirty nonfiction books for children, including How Do You Burp in Space?; See How They Run: Campaign Dreams, Election Schemes, and the Race to the White House;All in Just One Cookie, an ALA Notable Book; and On This Spot, a Washington Post Top Picture Book of the Year. She lives in Boston, Massachusetts.
from https://us.macmillan.com/author/susan...
see also http://www.carolhurst.com/authors/sgo...
from https://us.macmillan.com/author/susan...
see also http://www.carolhurst.com/authors/sgo...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 190 reviews
August 22, 2025
I am guessing this will win awards or honors at least in the 2017 ALA awards. This is the way nonfiction should be written: clear, informative, direct, beautiful! The after matter is as important, especially a wonderful timeline that shows steps forward and backward for equality. Goodman makes the point that even steps that end in defeat can still lead to progress eventually. She also managed to interview a living relative of the little girl who prompted this first case, Sarah Roberts. The author says that there are many lessons to learn from this book but the most important is "if you feel something is wrong, speak up. And keep trying." The illustrations fit the book perfectly. I can see why the author made a point to mention the artist, E.B. Lewis in her acknowledgements.
I'll have to revisit this book after it has won something. Goodman has been an excellent author for a long time but she has a real achievement in this book! Shocked this did not win anything at ALA.
I'll have to revisit this book after it has won something. Goodman has been an excellent author for a long time but she has a real achievement in this book! Shocked this did not win anything at ALA.
February 13, 2016
First reviewed on Literaritea
Rather than looking at school segregation through the lens of Brown v. Board of Education, Goodman takes readers back 100 years to the 1840s when a young African American Bostonian named Sarah bravely went to an all-white school. When Sarah was kicked out, her parents hired one of the first African American lawyers to plead their case. He ended up working closely with a white lawyer, and the two together presented Sarah’s case to a packed courtroom. They lost.
Goodman walks readers through this “first step” for school integration, ending with Brown v. Board of Education to give readers some context. Goodman’s tone throughout is matter of fact and clear. She lets the story speak for itself with rare intrusion.
Lewis’s illustrations are stunning. Composition, perspective, palette–it’s all used to wonderful effect. The title page shows Sarah in a blue dress set against a sepia city backdrop. Our eyes are focused on her, and we want to turn the page to see what she’s walking into. She’s all but eclipsed in the first courtroom scene, reminding us how young she is. The Brown v. Board of Education scene is particularly moving. Linda Brown in her rosy dress stands in front of a unified group of all-white justices in their black robes, the rosy backdrop echoing her dress. Stark, momentous, and effective.
What helps set this picture book biography above the rest is the end matter. Goodman includes a timeline of integration milestones and events with directions to the young reader to decide for themselves if a given event is a step forward or backward. Her notes on the following pages invite young readers into the research process, give more information to “our heroes” from the story, and offer a nice list of sources and resources (including some other good examples of well-written history!).
Recommended for use in classrooms, libraries, and at home as a terrific example of how to “do” history. It’s also a nice extension of Civil Rights studies and African American history. Recommended for grades 2-6.
Rather than looking at school segregation through the lens of Brown v. Board of Education, Goodman takes readers back 100 years to the 1840s when a young African American Bostonian named Sarah bravely went to an all-white school. When Sarah was kicked out, her parents hired one of the first African American lawyers to plead their case. He ended up working closely with a white lawyer, and the two together presented Sarah’s case to a packed courtroom. They lost.
Goodman walks readers through this “first step” for school integration, ending with Brown v. Board of Education to give readers some context. Goodman’s tone throughout is matter of fact and clear. She lets the story speak for itself with rare intrusion.
Lewis’s illustrations are stunning. Composition, perspective, palette–it’s all used to wonderful effect. The title page shows Sarah in a blue dress set against a sepia city backdrop. Our eyes are focused on her, and we want to turn the page to see what she’s walking into. She’s all but eclipsed in the first courtroom scene, reminding us how young she is. The Brown v. Board of Education scene is particularly moving. Linda Brown in her rosy dress stands in front of a unified group of all-white justices in their black robes, the rosy backdrop echoing her dress. Stark, momentous, and effective.
What helps set this picture book biography above the rest is the end matter. Goodman includes a timeline of integration milestones and events with directions to the young reader to decide for themselves if a given event is a step forward or backward. Her notes on the following pages invite young readers into the research process, give more information to “our heroes” from the story, and offer a nice list of sources and resources (including some other good examples of well-written history!).
Recommended for use in classrooms, libraries, and at home as a terrific example of how to “do” history. It’s also a nice extension of Civil Rights studies and African American history. Recommended for grades 2-6.
May 27, 2018
This is the story of a little known 1849 school desegregation case. 100 years before Brown vs. the Board of Education of Topeka, a young girl of color, Sarah Roberts, was sent to the all white school rather than the run-down school for "coloreds" far from their own neighborhood. Sarah's parents chose to challenge school segregation using civil disobedience, much in the same way Rosa Parks did 100 years later. The author then summarizes what happened next after the case, jumping ahead to Linda Brown in 1954 (Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka). The author also includes a section on "What happened to our heroes?" to learn more. I have never heard of Sarah Roberts, surprisingly, and her story is left out of the oft-told tales of Boston history. I want to learn more but not much is known about her. The book includes sources and resources for kids and adults. The author explains why she used the term "African-American" and not the period correct term, which I found to be unnecessary. I probably would have gone with something a little more mild but still period correct to show kids how it was a long time ago and people were less sensitive about how their labels made people feel.
The illustrations are beautiful and evocative. They are very dark and rather gloomy for a children's book though. I'm not sure how popular this book is but I can see teachers using it in the classroom or librarians reading it to kids. I can't see a kid picking this up on their own but if they do, they will find a hero in Sarah Brown.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roberts...
The illustrations are beautiful and evocative. They are very dark and rather gloomy for a children's book though. I'm not sure how popular this book is but I can see teachers using it in the classroom or librarians reading it to kids. I can't see a kid picking this up on their own but if they do, they will find a hero in Sarah Brown.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roberts...
January 22, 2016
Wow! Another major person/event I learn about through a picture book! What a great story, with beautiful illustrations! Definitely a must have for classrooms! We focus so much on MLK in schools, and definitely hit on Rosa Parks, but unfortunately, a lot of black history (and American history) slows down there. This is one that should definitely be shared in classrooms so kids grow up knowing there is more to the story! There are more heroes to be celebrated!
July 8, 2020
Read for my grad school class. This is an excellent story about a child's fight for equality. When I thought of segregation cases, I always thought of Brown vs. The Board of Education. I never realized that there were other cases! The illustrations are great, especially the page where the pictures are in the shapes of footprints and follow the "one step forward, three steps back" format. Each of the "three steps back" footprints portrays a dark moment in civil rights history.
February 22, 2016
This picture book biography tells the story of Sarah Roberts. Sarah was attending school in Boston in 1847 when she was told that she would have to stop. Instead she would be required to attend the school for African American children across town where there were fewer books and the subjects were not as robust. Sarah’s parents decided not to accept this decision and instead decided to fight for change in the courts. Two lawyers agreed to take Sarah’s case, Robert Morris the second African-American attorney in the United States and Charles Sumner known for his way of orating about justice. Though they lost this first court case challenging school segregation, it set other events in motion and in 1855, Boston became the first major American city to integrate its schools.
Goodman writes an inspiring book about how even losses can begin to change the way people view laws. She does not stop with the longing for change and the case itself, continuing to tell the story of Boston’s changes and then the way that this case led to more cases which resulted in the end of segregation in the nation. This book demonstrates many things to young readers. First that they themselves can create change in the world around them. Second that a loss does not mean the end, it means the fight continues in a different way.
Lewis’ illustrations are done in watercolor and gouache. They echo with historical significance, showing the power of a dream for change, the sorrow of one little girl, and the determination that it takes to make society better. The illustrations range from the subtlety of black and white photographs to the bright colors of change and hope.
A powerful and important story of how children change their world, this picture book is inspiring. Appropriate for ages 7-9.
Goodman writes an inspiring book about how even losses can begin to change the way people view laws. She does not stop with the longing for change and the case itself, continuing to tell the story of Boston’s changes and then the way that this case led to more cases which resulted in the end of segregation in the nation. This book demonstrates many things to young readers. First that they themselves can create change in the world around them. Second that a loss does not mean the end, it means the fight continues in a different way.
Lewis’ illustrations are done in watercolor and gouache. They echo with historical significance, showing the power of a dream for change, the sorrow of one little girl, and the determination that it takes to make society better. The illustrations range from the subtlety of black and white photographs to the bright colors of change and hope.
A powerful and important story of how children change their world, this picture book is inspiring. Appropriate for ages 7-9.
February 7, 2016
Wonderful narrative informational text. How often we learn about Brown vs. Board of Education, but that wasn't the first time school integration was brought before the courts.
Great author back matter.
And illustrated by the amazing E. B. Lewis.
Great author back matter.
And illustrated by the amazing E. B. Lewis.
February 8, 2016
The inspiring, little-known story of Roberts v. City of Boston, the first case challenging the U.S. legal system to outlaw segregated schools in the mid-19th century. Exceptional, as always, illustrations by E.B. Lewis.
June 20, 2018
Nonfiction #3
Goodman, Susan E. (2016). The first step: How one girl put segregation on trial. New York, NY: Bloomsbury Children’s Books.
Possible crossover subject: History
Fiction Twin Text:
Meyer, Susan. (2015). New Shoes. New York, NY: Holiday House Publishing.
New Shoes is about a young African American girl who goes to the shoe store with her mother to pick out a new pair of shoes. They are the first to arrive, but shortly after they walk in, a white girl and her father walk into the store. The white family is helped first and the little girl gets to enjoy trying on shoes, determining which ones fit her best. When the sales clerk finally gets around to helping the African American girl, he is not as friendly and won’t let her try on the shoes, instead her mother has to draw and outline of her foot and the clerk uses that to find shoes he thinks will fit the girl. The girl and her friend think it is unfair how people of their color are treated at the shoe store and decide to start their own “shoe store”. They gather around used shoes, buff them until they shine, and offer them for ten cents plus another used pair to exchange. All their friends and neighbors are invited to try on as many shoes as they would like so they find a pair that fit just right. In The First Step, a young African American girl eventually gets kicked out of her school because her parents enrolled her there when they “shouldn’t”. The school was for white children only, but her parents lived in the neighborhood where the school was and didn’t think their daughter should have to walk across the city to get to the African American school because that didn’t seem fair. This book is a true story about how that family went to court to fight for their child’s right to go to her neighborhood school, and how the family had lost the case. The book ends with the ruling to end segregation in schools nearly one hundred years later. For these twin texts I would use the webbing interactive strategy. After reading the fiction book, the students could put examples they saw of segregation from that book in the web. Examples such as being served last even though the girl and her mom were there first and not being able to try on shoes. Then after reading the nonfiction book, students could add to the web more examples of segregation, such as different schools. Then we can organize the web and categorize the different ways segregation occured and how long it was a predominant part of our culture in many areas of the country. The students can even have one category for the feelings segregation caused.
Goodman, Susan E. (2016). The first step: How one girl put segregation on trial. New York, NY: Bloomsbury Children’s Books.
Possible crossover subject: History
Fiction Twin Text:
Meyer, Susan. (2015). New Shoes. New York, NY: Holiday House Publishing.
New Shoes is about a young African American girl who goes to the shoe store with her mother to pick out a new pair of shoes. They are the first to arrive, but shortly after they walk in, a white girl and her father walk into the store. The white family is helped first and the little girl gets to enjoy trying on shoes, determining which ones fit her best. When the sales clerk finally gets around to helping the African American girl, he is not as friendly and won’t let her try on the shoes, instead her mother has to draw and outline of her foot and the clerk uses that to find shoes he thinks will fit the girl. The girl and her friend think it is unfair how people of their color are treated at the shoe store and decide to start their own “shoe store”. They gather around used shoes, buff them until they shine, and offer them for ten cents plus another used pair to exchange. All their friends and neighbors are invited to try on as many shoes as they would like so they find a pair that fit just right. In The First Step, a young African American girl eventually gets kicked out of her school because her parents enrolled her there when they “shouldn’t”. The school was for white children only, but her parents lived in the neighborhood where the school was and didn’t think their daughter should have to walk across the city to get to the African American school because that didn’t seem fair. This book is a true story about how that family went to court to fight for their child’s right to go to her neighborhood school, and how the family had lost the case. The book ends with the ruling to end segregation in schools nearly one hundred years later. For these twin texts I would use the webbing interactive strategy. After reading the fiction book, the students could put examples they saw of segregation from that book in the web. Examples such as being served last even though the girl and her mom were there first and not being able to try on shoes. Then after reading the nonfiction book, students could add to the web more examples of segregation, such as different schools. Then we can organize the web and categorize the different ways segregation occured and how long it was a predominant part of our culture in many areas of the country. The students can even have one category for the feelings segregation caused.
June 20, 2019
Book 4: The First Step: How One Girl Put Segregation on Trial by Susan E. Goodman and All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold
Goodman, S. E., & Lewis, E. B. (2016). The First Step. New York: Bloomsbury.
Penfold, A., & Kaufman, S. (2019). All are welcome. London: Bloomsbury Children's Books.
I decided to pair these two books together because I think they would be perfect for a social studies lesson on the Civil Rights Movement. I think that this kind of topic can be a little bit difficult for younger students, so I think that by reading All Are Welcome, students will be able to connect the idea of welcoming everyone to the historical idea where not everyone was so welcomed. I would incorporate a KWL chart, and I would start the activity by reading the fiction book to the students. I would then tell the students that schools were not always so welcoming. There use to be a thing called segregation in which students of color could not attend the same schools as white students. I would then ask the students what they know about segregation. I would have students tell me ideas as I write them on the Know part of the chart. I would then ask the students what they would want to know and write those ideas on the Want part of the chart. I would then begin reading the nonfiction book. This book is about a young girl who was kicked out of a school in Boston because it was only for white students. I would then have the students tell me what they learned from the book and write their ideas down on the Learn part of the chart. I think this would be a good Twin Text to utilize since it would give the students a chance to connect what schools are like now from what they used to be in the past. I would connect these books in a social studies unit that talks about the Civil Rights Movement. I think these would be good books to begin the unit with as it talks about different racial relations that occurred during the time period.
Goodman, S. E., & Lewis, E. B. (2016). The First Step. New York: Bloomsbury.
Penfold, A., & Kaufman, S. (2019). All are welcome. London: Bloomsbury Children's Books.
I decided to pair these two books together because I think they would be perfect for a social studies lesson on the Civil Rights Movement. I think that this kind of topic can be a little bit difficult for younger students, so I think that by reading All Are Welcome, students will be able to connect the idea of welcoming everyone to the historical idea where not everyone was so welcomed. I would incorporate a KWL chart, and I would start the activity by reading the fiction book to the students. I would then tell the students that schools were not always so welcoming. There use to be a thing called segregation in which students of color could not attend the same schools as white students. I would then ask the students what they know about segregation. I would have students tell me ideas as I write them on the Know part of the chart. I would then ask the students what they would want to know and write those ideas on the Want part of the chart. I would then begin reading the nonfiction book. This book is about a young girl who was kicked out of a school in Boston because it was only for white students. I would then have the students tell me what they learned from the book and write their ideas down on the Learn part of the chart. I think this would be a good Twin Text to utilize since it would give the students a chance to connect what schools are like now from what they used to be in the past. I would connect these books in a social studies unit that talks about the Civil Rights Movement. I think these would be good books to begin the unit with as it talks about different racial relations that occurred during the time period.
November 16, 2016
Written by Susan E. Goodman and illustrated by E. B. Lewis, the story of equal-education-seeking young Sarah Roberts couldn't be in better hands. Many young readers have come to know Ruby Bridges and her solitary studies during the civil rights school integration enforcement in the 1960's. The little-known case of Sarah Roberts, though, set the groundwork for establishing desegregation through the courts those many years later.
Back in 1847, four-year-old Sarah was escorted out of her all-white classroom by a police officer. This launches the heartbreaking story of her family's legal, political, and social battle to gain equal educational opportunities for Sarah and all children of color.
Despite set-backs and disappointments, in 1855, before the Civil War, Boston became the fist major American city to integrate its schools. That was more than a hundred years before the BROWN vs. The BOARD of EDUCATION case that finally established "separate is NOT equal". As Goodman says midway through Sarah's process,
"Every big change has to start somewhere".
The back matter in this picture book is particularly well-suited to close reading and discussion. As she often does, author Goodman doesn't shy away from significant truths. (After all, she's the author of The Truth About Poop and Pee.) In this case she addresses her remarks to young readers, discussing reliable research sources, making decisions about depicting "cloudy" aspects of history, and using modern language within historical context (when the words used for people of color at the time were insulting and demeaning). She provides a timeline of desegregation landmark events with a challenge to readers to decide for themselves which ones are steps forward and which were set-backs.
Back in 1847, four-year-old Sarah was escorted out of her all-white classroom by a police officer. This launches the heartbreaking story of her family's legal, political, and social battle to gain equal educational opportunities for Sarah and all children of color.
Despite set-backs and disappointments, in 1855, before the Civil War, Boston became the fist major American city to integrate its schools. That was more than a hundred years before the BROWN vs. The BOARD of EDUCATION case that finally established "separate is NOT equal". As Goodman says midway through Sarah's process,
"Every big change has to start somewhere".
The back matter in this picture book is particularly well-suited to close reading and discussion. As she often does, author Goodman doesn't shy away from significant truths. (After all, she's the author of The Truth About Poop and Pee.) In this case she addresses her remarks to young readers, discussing reliable research sources, making decisions about depicting "cloudy" aspects of history, and using modern language within historical context (when the words used for people of color at the time were insulting and demeaning). She provides a timeline of desegregation landmark events with a challenge to readers to decide for themselves which ones are steps forward and which were set-backs.
March 14, 2017
"The First Step: How One Girl Put Segregation on Trial" by Susan E. Goodman is a fantastic informational text/ biography picture book that describes how Sarah Roberts, a young African American student, influenced the fight for unsegregated, equal education in Boston, Massachusetts. Sarah was kicked out of her neighborhood school because it was exclusively for white students. Her parents were angry and took her case to court with the help of lawyers Charles Sumner and Robert Morris. This book highlights how although Roberts' trial was not a victory of itself, it was the first step towards equality and other cases like Brown vs. Board of Education.
This book would be great for instruction in grades 3 and above. It would be a good piece to highlight when talking about Black History Month and the Civil Rights Movement because it talks about a person that is not commonly known. Students are typically exposed to historical figures like Linda Brown or Ruby Bridges, so it would be interesting to include complimentary books like this that provide a different perspective on the same topic.
The teacher can also use this book to talk about perseverance. Although the Roberts family lost the trial, they continued to raise support through petitions and was a great influence on their city. I also believe this is a great book to use for vocabulary instruction.
This book is a "WOW" book for me because it highlights historical figures that I never heard about. It is clearly written and the illustrations are beautiful. Along with being informative, the author inspires the readers to persevere and always fight for what is right. I love the timeline and mini biographies that are provided in the back of the book as well.
This book would be great for instruction in grades 3 and above. It would be a good piece to highlight when talking about Black History Month and the Civil Rights Movement because it talks about a person that is not commonly known. Students are typically exposed to historical figures like Linda Brown or Ruby Bridges, so it would be interesting to include complimentary books like this that provide a different perspective on the same topic.
The teacher can also use this book to talk about perseverance. Although the Roberts family lost the trial, they continued to raise support through petitions and was a great influence on their city. I also believe this is a great book to use for vocabulary instruction.
This book is a "WOW" book for me because it highlights historical figures that I never heard about. It is clearly written and the illustrations are beautiful. Along with being informative, the author inspires the readers to persevere and always fight for what is right. I love the timeline and mini biographies that are provided in the back of the book as well.
April 23, 2018
"The First Step" is an informational text about two girls and their families and communities who fought for their right to an equal education. Sarah Roberts and Linda Brown were both young girls when they had the horrible reality of segregation thrust on them. This book talks about their journey to change the unfair, unjust policy of school segregation. It details the legal process and the ups and downs that both "agents of change" went through. The water color illustrations beautifully characterize the journey faced by both girls and their loved ones.
This book became a "WOW Book" for me when I read the page, "The march toward justice is a long, twisting journey. Three steps forward, one step back. One step forward, three back. Laws change, and the march moves forward. People resist change, and the march slows to a standstill, waiting for a better time. Then, at last, ideas have changed enough and people have changed enough. Finally the march cannot be stopped."
I read this book out loud to my fourth grade class for my Re-Envisioning project, and they were captivated by every word and every illustration. They were so interested in Sarah and Linda's actions for a better world. I introduced the BHH framework to the students with this text, and they responded well. This book is inspiring because it shows students that young people can be catalysts for change and that they should always stand up for what is right and just. Another way to use this in the classroom is to have students research both landmark cases to become more familiar with the legal system and the history of the segregated school system.
This book became a "WOW Book" for me when I read the page, "The march toward justice is a long, twisting journey. Three steps forward, one step back. One step forward, three back. Laws change, and the march moves forward. People resist change, and the march slows to a standstill, waiting for a better time. Then, at last, ideas have changed enough and people have changed enough. Finally the march cannot be stopped."
I read this book out loud to my fourth grade class for my Re-Envisioning project, and they were captivated by every word and every illustration. They were so interested in Sarah and Linda's actions for a better world. I introduced the BHH framework to the students with this text, and they responded well. This book is inspiring because it shows students that young people can be catalysts for change and that they should always stand up for what is right and just. Another way to use this in the classroom is to have students research both landmark cases to become more familiar with the legal system and the history of the segregated school system.
July 21, 2016
THE FIRST STEP: HOW ONE GIRL PUT SEGREGATION ON TRIAL by Susan E. Goodman tells the inspiring story of the first lawsuit focusing on segregated schools.
Set in the 1840s, this biographical picture book follows the experiences of a young African American girl named Sarah Roberts who sought to attend a white school in Boston. The book concludes by tracing Sarah’s legacy. Although she didn’t win her case, the experience did provide a few small steps forward at the beginning of the fight for civil rights.
Goodman’s straight forward, easy-to-understand narration makes this book an effective resource for classroom social studies and history activities. E.B. Lewis’ touching watercolor images capture the time period and fervor of the times.
The backmatter includes useful information including a timeline, biographies, resource list, and author’s note.
Librarians will find that most students and teachers are familiar with the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, however they may not realize that the fight against segregation began more than a century earlier in the courts. Use this picture book to jumpstart a discussion of the long history of the Civil Rights Movement.
To learn about the author, go to http://www.susangoodmanbooks.com/.
To learn about the illustrator, go to http://eblewis.com/.
Published by Bloomsbury on January 5, 2016. ARC Courtesy of the publisher.
Set in the 1840s, this biographical picture book follows the experiences of a young African American girl named Sarah Roberts who sought to attend a white school in Boston. The book concludes by tracing Sarah’s legacy. Although she didn’t win her case, the experience did provide a few small steps forward at the beginning of the fight for civil rights.
Goodman’s straight forward, easy-to-understand narration makes this book an effective resource for classroom social studies and history activities. E.B. Lewis’ touching watercolor images capture the time period and fervor of the times.
The backmatter includes useful information including a timeline, biographies, resource list, and author’s note.
Librarians will find that most students and teachers are familiar with the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, however they may not realize that the fight against segregation began more than a century earlier in the courts. Use this picture book to jumpstart a discussion of the long history of the Civil Rights Movement.
To learn about the author, go to http://www.susangoodmanbooks.com/.
To learn about the illustrator, go to http://eblewis.com/.
Published by Bloomsbury on January 5, 2016. ARC Courtesy of the publisher.
November 28, 2018
In the book, The First Step, Goodman introduces a young African American girl named Sarah Roberts. This book begins in Boston during the year of 1847. One day, Sarah is escorted out of her school by a policeman. Due to segregation laws, Sarah is unable to attend this school because it was only for white students. Instead, Sarah would have to attend a school for African Americans. Her parents were displeased with this, so they decided to take this case to court. However, the judges did not rule in favor of the Roberts family. Despite the results, this trial ignited the fight against segregation further. Goodman includes other stories of African Americans who fought against the segregation in schools. Among these stories include the well-known Brown family (Brown v. Board of Education).
Overall, this was a pretty good book. I liked how Goodman included various stories regarding school segregation case trials within this book. The illustrator's use of water color to convey this story was wonderful as well. However, the book felt "disconnected" in some parts. I wish it was divided more "clearly" and specifically between these stories. But, this was a good picture book that taught important U.S. history.
Overall, this was a pretty good book. I liked how Goodman included various stories regarding school segregation case trials within this book. The illustrator's use of water color to convey this story was wonderful as well. However, the book felt "disconnected" in some parts. I wish it was divided more "clearly" and specifically between these stories. But, this was a good picture book that taught important U.S. history.
March 23, 2016
A part of history that I was unaware of. African American descendants of a Revolutionary War soldier took on Boston's school segregation laws for their daughter. They chose Robert Morris the second African American to be a lawyer in the US to represent them. How Morris chose Charles Sumner to help argue the case. They lost, however, 5 years later Boston becomes the first major city to officially integrate its schools. Goodman also includes later history in the desegregation of American schools.
Enjoyed E. B. Lewis's illustrations - especially his footstep illustrations while Goodman talks about the steps forward and backward in the journey to justice.
Wonderful back matter: time line, lets the reader know what happens to the main characters, gives sources and resources, and an extensive author's note. The time line includes the Harvard University's Civil Rights Project that found US schools more segregated in 2000 than they were in 1970. Making this not only a timely book, but one that could make the reader wonder how many steps back we will take before moving forward...
Non-fiction as it should be.
Enjoyed E. B. Lewis's illustrations - especially his footstep illustrations while Goodman talks about the steps forward and backward in the journey to justice.
Wonderful back matter: time line, lets the reader know what happens to the main characters, gives sources and resources, and an extensive author's note. The time line includes the Harvard University's Civil Rights Project that found US schools more segregated in 2000 than they were in 1970. Making this not only a timely book, but one that could make the reader wonder how many steps back we will take before moving forward...
Non-fiction as it should be.
June 16, 2017
2017 NCTE Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children honor book
Chicago Public LibraryKids Best of the Best Book 2016
Recommended for Grades 2-4
"The First Step: How One Girl Put Segregation on Trial" takes us back to 1847, when a four-year-old African American girl named Sarah Roberts was attending Otis School in Boston. She was told that the school was meant for white children only, and she was not welcome. Her family fought for her right to an equal education. In Roberts v. City of Boston, the Roberts challenged the legal system to ban segregated schools. This was the first time an African American lawyer argued in a supreme court case!
I think this is a critical informational text to bring to our elementary school classrooms. It would fit perfectly in a unit on the civil rights movement. This story tackles themes of racism, discrimination, and perseverance in the face of adversity. The watercolor illustrations add further emotion and meaning to this inspiring girl's story. Students can discuss the symbolic meaning behind the footprint-shaped illustrations, and discuss how the illustrations show that the march to justice is a long, treacherous journey.
Chicago Public LibraryKids Best of the Best Book 2016
Recommended for Grades 2-4
"The First Step: How One Girl Put Segregation on Trial" takes us back to 1847, when a four-year-old African American girl named Sarah Roberts was attending Otis School in Boston. She was told that the school was meant for white children only, and she was not welcome. Her family fought for her right to an equal education. In Roberts v. City of Boston, the Roberts challenged the legal system to ban segregated schools. This was the first time an African American lawyer argued in a supreme court case!
I think this is a critical informational text to bring to our elementary school classrooms. It would fit perfectly in a unit on the civil rights movement. This story tackles themes of racism, discrimination, and perseverance in the face of adversity. The watercolor illustrations add further emotion and meaning to this inspiring girl's story. Students can discuss the symbolic meaning behind the footprint-shaped illustrations, and discuss how the illustrations show that the march to justice is a long, treacherous journey.
February 12, 2016
There are so many stories that have never been told in our school history texts, stories about people who persist to have the rights that everyone else has, those they should have. This is one of them, the story of Sarah Roberts, the girl who took it to court to have the right to integrate the schools in Boston. The school where she started was all white, but very close so she was enrolled at the age of four. When a policeman chanced to visit, he threw her out. Her parents were enraged but helpless. They found a young lawyer, the second African- American lawyer in the country. He fought, and was joined by a well-respected white lawyer, Charles Sumner. It was the first time an African-American lawyer had gone before a state Supreme Court. They lost, but set the stage for more. In 1855, Boston was the first city to integrate their schools.
Much more information is added in the back, what happened to the key people, an integration timeline, an author's note about writing non-fiction, and more. It's a terrific story.
Much more information is added in the back, what happened to the key people, an integration timeline, an author's note about writing non-fiction, and more. It's a terrific story.
June 12, 2017
This informational text was a 2017 NCTE Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children honor book. The book introduces the reader to a young African-American girl, Sarah Roberts who stood up for children everywhere by taking her case of segregated schooling to court. Although she did not win the case, it began the "first steps" toward school integration for the country. The text provides watercolor illustrations that take the reader through the historical time to understand how one child led the way to fight for something her and her family believed in. Although a nonfiction text, the book provides opportunities for discussion on figurative language and author's craft. Along with the beautiful illustrations and writing, the reader can find more information at the end of the book including an "integration timeline", "what happened to our heroes", "sources and resources", and an author's note about writing nonfiction which students would find interesting and informative.
October 19, 2017
I would really like this book as a student. This book was so good! This book is about segregation and civil rights. This is about a girl named Sarah Roberts and equal protection under the law. I think this book is very inspirational and would be a good book for elementary students to read. If I was a student I would enjoy reading this and talking about it in a group.
If I was a teacher I think this book would be a good book to read to students and create a debate. You could ask the students questions about the book and how they feel. For example, You could ask them if it was right that Sarah was not allowed to go back to her school in Boston. They could even write a journal page and pretend to be Sarah and tell how they feel about the situation. They could even discuss it and talk about it in groups or pairs.
If I was a teacher I think this book would be a good book to read to students and create a debate. You could ask the students questions about the book and how they feel. For example, You could ask them if it was right that Sarah was not allowed to go back to her school in Boston. They could even write a journal page and pretend to be Sarah and tell how they feel about the situation. They could even discuss it and talk about it in groups or pairs.
March 10, 2016
I love it when a picture book teaches me something I know nothing about! This would be an excellent way to broach the topic of equality, justice and integration with younger students.
March 12, 2017
Excellent account of Sarah Roberts' story. Detailed back matter enhance the book, and will be especially beneficial for those who wish to learn more, study the timeline, and explore read-alikes.
February 7, 2017
Sarah's story was new to me. Informative and inspiring. The author's note would be a great mentor text, conversation piece around research
February 13, 2018
This is such an important picture book! We need more representation and stories like this!
December 4, 2017
From the book cover and the title, I assumed that this book would be about a girl who protests her right against injustice. However, after reading the book, I acknowledged that the role of the girl was not emphasized as the title points out. Based on the texts, Sarah Roberts’s parents enrolled her to a white American children’s school which is located nearby her house. The texts describe that the girl and her parents were not surprised or frightened, but angry. It shows that the girl might understand the “rule” at that time, and she was the only African American student at the Otis school. Illustrations of the girl shows her disappointment by illustrating her head down when she walks on the street and a sad face under her mother’s arms at home. I might expect a more dignified position against the injustice. As the Susan E. Goodman points out in the author’s note page, Sarah Roberts may seem too young to be a protagonist in history to have the responsibility to fight injustice by herself, so it must be natural to emphasize the roles of her parents and other adults. However, I still expect to have a confident and firm demeanor towards her character as the title implies
The story starts by presenting illustrations on the inside front cover which is before the title page. The inside front covers illustrate the girl, Sarah Roberts, walking through the markets on the street. On the title page, she enters the door of the school building. She puts outer clothes on the wall-mounted rack on the dedication page. When texts tell a story, she sits in the middle of white American children in the classroom. It was interesting about the connections between the illustrations and texts to incorporate stories. I also love the perspective of the author. As the story tells the readers, one’s decision and courage could influence the change on social issues, but at the same time, there are tentative moments during the process. All throughout the historical movement in the pursuit of educational and civil rights, there are still backward moments which support segregation due to racial differences. Personally, I mentally continued the story's timeline by including more historical and political events after the year 2014 which is the last part of the story's timeline, considering the current political and social issues in today's society.
The story starts by presenting illustrations on the inside front cover which is before the title page. The inside front covers illustrate the girl, Sarah Roberts, walking through the markets on the street. On the title page, she enters the door of the school building. She puts outer clothes on the wall-mounted rack on the dedication page. When texts tell a story, she sits in the middle of white American children in the classroom. It was interesting about the connections between the illustrations and texts to incorporate stories. I also love the perspective of the author. As the story tells the readers, one’s decision and courage could influence the change on social issues, but at the same time, there are tentative moments during the process. All throughout the historical movement in the pursuit of educational and civil rights, there are still backward moments which support segregation due to racial differences. Personally, I mentally continued the story's timeline by including more historical and political events after the year 2014 which is the last part of the story's timeline, considering the current political and social issues in today's society.
April 4, 2018
This story takes place in 1847, in a time where Sarah Roberts is kicked out of her elementary school because of the color of her skin. Unwilling to to let this go, Sarah's father hired a well-known lawyer, Robert Morris, to help them fight to allow Sarah to attend the all-white school. Even after a long and hard-fought battle, Sarah lost the trial, and it would take almost a decade for Boston in integrate schools. However, Sarah's fight would spark a fight that would last for another century to come, fights that would ultimately lead to the equality of African Americans. This story introduces a new perspective to the civil rights movement to readers, especially since they may be used to only seeing stories about the famous Martin Luther King. This story represents to start the the long journey of the civil rights movement, and how it would last for decades to come. The author does a great job of summing up a long story in just a few colorful pages, making it easy for young readers to follow and not so long that they will get bored. The author uses vocabulary that is not only understandable for young readers, but sophisticated enough for older/more advanced readers to follow. The attention to detail in the watercolor allows the illustrator to depict the mood throughout the story. At the beginning, the colors are dark and dull, depicting sadness and tension as the trial begins and progresses, then towards the end as some change begins to occur, the colors become more bright and vibrant, depicting hope and prosperity. This book made me sympathize with young Sarah because of her innocence and youthfulness, making her unaware of why her school would kick her out just because of the color of her skin. This made me pull for her winning the trial, and when she didn't, I felt sorry for her. This book could be great for introducing segregation to young readers in the classroom. Teachers can read this book to their students in a reading circle, then use the story as a writing prompt by having the students write about a time when they were left out and did not feel like they belonged. Then the teacher can have their students connect their story to Sarah's story, and show them that how they felt in that moment, is how African Americans felt back then every day.
December 7, 2017
What a beautiful story! While I have heard about Brown v. Board of Education numerous times, I had never heard about Sarah Roberts’s story. I enjoyed this book because I believe it made the issue of segregation a more personal subject. When one tries to think about how an issue impacts a large group of people, it is easier to neglect or ignore individual feelings and struggles. As this book focuses on Sarah Roberts’s story, readers can have a better understanding of the situation and how it impacted children and families as individuals. Within this book, readers have the opportunity to see that individuals were fighting for the end of segregation in schools long before Brown v. Board of Education. In my opinion, the artwork in this book helps readers better understand the story and beautifully depicts the setting of Boston in the 1847. As the artwork is created with watercolors and gouache, the illustrations appear to look similar to old, vivid photographs. As these illustrations are intentional and carefully detailed, readers are able to place themselves in the setting. The book also does an excellent job at illustrating the progress during this time into pictures. For example, when the book discusses that the country was taking steps in the right direction, the illustrator, E.B. Lewis, included footprint cutouts in the background. In each cutout, readers saw an important historical figure or event. When the mood of the story was gloomier, the background colors reflected this. For most pages, the images within this book are full single or double page spreads; however, Lewis also utilizes smaller illustrations to focus in on a specific subject. When I think about reading this book to children, I think it is extremely important to read it before they begin learning about Brown. V. Board of Education. I believe that learning about the injustice of segregation will help individuals become more passionate about this topic and related literature while also seeing that it was a long fight to end segregation. With this in mind, I believe this book is a great read aloud for students beginning in the second or third grade.
June 20, 2017
I was able to pair this book, "The First Step: How One Girl Put Segregation on Trail" by Susan E. Goodman to "New Shoes" by Susan Lynn Meyer. I was able to connect these two books based on the topic of segregation. If I were to present these books in the classroom, I would use a K-W-L chart. First, I would ask my students to write down facts they knew about segregation or the Civil Rights Movement in the "K" (or know) portion of the chart. This could be a harder topic, especially with younger students, so I would have them write down 3 or 4 ideas of what they thought they knew on this topic. Then, I would read the story "New Shoes." This story gives the students a basic understanding of what it was like during this time period such as white people getting first choice and black people not being able to try on new shoes. Now, my students would know a little more about segregation. I would then have my students write down questions they wanted to know and find out. These questions would be written down in the "W" (or want to know) portion of the K-W-L chart. Once these questions were flowing through their minds, I would then read "The First Step: How One Girl Put Segregation on Trial." During the reading, I would have my students periodically think about their questions they had written down. Having these questions would allow my students to focus more on the content of the story and what I was reading. When the story finished, I would have my students take another look at the questions they had asked. This is the time when they would fill out the "L" (what I've learned) portion of the chart. Hopefully, they would answer their questions, but if they had not, they would be able to ask me their questions to completely fill out the K-W-L chart. I think this would be a good topic and lesson to do during Black History Month which is in February.
August 20, 2019
Fascinating, beautifully illustrated picture book about an incident from history with which I was unfamiliar, an 1847 desegregation lawsuit in Boston. My 6 year old and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and learning more about Sarah Roberts. My son really wished the book would have had more information on Sarah's life after the case ended.
The only discordant note for me was the one-page lightning speed fast forward from Boston desegregating in 1855 and Linda Brown in 1950, which grossly minimized the reality of over a century of injustice. The book also implies that the United States desegregated in 1954, which is also dangerously inaccurate history -- many Southern states didn't desegregate until at least a decade later. The timeline in the back does reference the Prince Edward case in Virginia and the busing controversy in Boston, but not mentioning anything beyond Linda Brown in the more recent history part of the narrative is a flaw.
Even with those criticisms, however, it's a great book for any parent wanting to open up discussions about fights for justice, segregation, and how one family can make a difference that lasts far beyond their individual lives.
The only discordant note for me was the one-page lightning speed fast forward from Boston desegregating in 1855 and Linda Brown in 1950, which grossly minimized the reality of over a century of injustice. The book also implies that the United States desegregated in 1954, which is also dangerously inaccurate history -- many Southern states didn't desegregate until at least a decade later. The timeline in the back does reference the Prince Edward case in Virginia and the busing controversy in Boston, but not mentioning anything beyond Linda Brown in the more recent history part of the narrative is a flaw.
Even with those criticisms, however, it's a great book for any parent wanting to open up discussions about fights for justice, segregation, and how one family can make a difference that lasts far beyond their individual lives.
June 22, 2017
I would pair this non-fiction story by Susan E. Goodman with the fiction book called "New Shoes", by Susan Lynn Meyer. I would use the twin text theory of the "directed listening- thinking activity" during a history lesson about civil rights. I would show my students the cover of "The First Step: How One Girl Put Segregation on Trial" and ask them what they think the story wouls be about. I would discuss and read the story until about half way thorugh (no page numbers) where the book mention that Sarah is going to court for her case to end segregation. I would ask them to take notes ad change their predictions on how the story would end if need be. I would then finish out the story and have them discuss with their group members what they thought of it and how close they were to predicting the story's end. I would then do the same with "New Shoes". I would ask the children to predict the ending of this story, then proceed to read until abot halfway through. At the half-way point, I would ask questions about comparisons to how the girl in the first story and the girls in the second story must have felt and ask them to observe more similarities between the two stories. I would then finish out the story and ask the children to get into their groups, review their predictions, and discuss any other thoughts on the stories read out loud in class.
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