Ruby, Head High: Ruby Bridges' First Day of School

by Irène Cohen-Janca

Inspired by an iconic Norman Rockwell painting and translated from an original French text, this is a story about the day a little girl held her head high and changed the world.

Genres: Picture Books, History, Biography, Childrens, Nonfiction, School, Activism

32 pages, Hardcover

Published January 8, 2019

About the author

Irène Cohen-Janca est née à Tunis où elle a vécu son enfance. Après avoir obtenu une maîtrise de Lettres Modernes, elle devient conservateur de bibliothèque. Elle réside en Essonne où elle exerce son métier de conservateur. Elle a publié plusieurs romans aux éditions du Rouergue.

Irène Cohen-Janca was born and raised in Tunis. After receiving her university degree in modern literature, she became a librarian. She is currently a collections manager librarian in Essonne, France, and has written several books.

Reviews

[Emilie | La prof de français · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magnifique album que j’utiliserai en classe pour le mois de l’histoire des Noirs (avec Le bus de Rosa). On raconte ici l’histoire de Ruby Bridges, première jeune fille noire à entrer dans une école de blancs. La perception de Ruby est teintée de naïveté et d’espoir. C’est beau de constater à quel point les enfants sont naturellement ouverts d’esprit. De belles discussions sur les inégalités et les injustices découleront assurément de cette lecture.

[Shaye Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ruby, Head High is the story of Ruby Bridges as told by a fictional character named Nadia who dreamed of Ruby after being shown the famous Norman Rockwell painting. In her dream, Ruby shares her full story, including a test she had to take before going to the school, the experience of being escorted to school by police officers, having her very own teacher in her own private classroom, and scarier things like a reference to being shown a black baby doll in a coffin and being called another word for ‘black.’

Each page showcases the text on the left with an expressive illustration on the right. While the text is lengthy on some pages, it’s told from the voice of a young child. It showcases her fear and courage, along with the growth of the community as a whole. Can we ever hear these painful stories too many times?

In the back, there’s a little more information about Ruby Bridges Hall, today, as well as a longer section about the famous Norman Rockwell painting.

For more children's literature, middle grade literature, and YA literature reviews, feel free to visit my personal blog at The Miller Memo!

[Enya.reads.books · Rating 5 out of 5]

J’ai des frissons.

À 30 ans, je n’avais jamais entendu parlé de Ruby Bridges!

Cet album est concis, poignant et inspirant. J’ai tellement hâte de le lire avec mes élèves!!

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is based off of a true story & also inspired by a Norman Rockwell painting. Well done book. Kind of a heartbreaking story.

[Electra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Une lecture très courte mais très bien racontée.

[AnoukLibrary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nous sommes en 1960 et la ségrégation raciale fait rage aux Etats-Unis. Ruby va devoir faire face à la colère, la haine d’un peuple véhément et peu enclin à approuver le mélange entre Blancs et Noirs. La présence de Ruby dans l’école, la volonté de sa maîtresse de lui faire classe malgré l’absence d’autres élèves montre le début d’un long combat pour l’égalité, le respect. C’est un magnifique album sur la discrimination, le courage, la ségrégation raciale qui envoie un très beau message de tolérance. Ce fut un coup de cœur pour moi, l’émotion étant aussi forte dans les textes que dans les illustrations.

https://anouklibrary.wordpress.com/20...

[Freelfe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ma chronique : http://freelfe.blogspot.fr/2017/11/le...

Ruby Tête Haute est un album d’Irène Cohen-Janca et de Marc Daniau, coûtant 15€. Cet album, publié dans la Collection Amnesty International, a pour but de sensibiliser au racisme en racontant l’histoire d’une photo.
J’ai vraiment trouvé cette histoire mignonne dans la bouche de la jeune héroïne. Une très belle histoire, simple et efficace, qui lutte contre les discriminations. Cette histoire nous est racontée au travers des yeux d’une petite fille, ce qui la rend encore plus authentique je trouve.

[Renee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did like how the book opens up with a teacher showing her students the Norman Rockwell painting of Ruby Bridges walking into school and asks the kids what they think is happening.
And then the book turns to Ruby perspective as she tells about her story starting at the newly integrated school where she is the only black child.
It took me a minute to realize at the end that the narration turns back to one of the students in the class looking at the painting.

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story takes you right into the emotions of what it could have been like to be a six-year-old and experience that much hate and fear from the other side. Wow! I often read accounts and have a lot of admiration for those who helped integrate schools, but I never really put myself emotionally there. This was a great book to read and talk about with my daughter.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is about a girl named Ruby who is a young African America girl who shows bravery walking into an all white elementary school. This book is very educational for students and they are able to learn a lot from it. I would use this as a class read aloud and we would have class discussions about segregation and why it is important to learn about after we read the book.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the beginning and end of the book, re-imagines the life of Ruby Bridges from the point of view of a child who walks beside her. Beautifully told through the text and illustrations; younger readers could grasp this.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story of Ruby Bridges's first year at school. This book was inspired by Norman Rockwell's painting. I love it. I especially love that it was written by a Tunisian woman who lives in France. I love that Ruby's story inspires people all around the world to be strong and courageous

[Marie-Pier Dodier · Rating 3 out of 5]

Inspiré par la première petite fille Noire dans une école de Blancs en Louisiane en 1960. Comme le tableau de Norman Rockwell: The Problem We All Live With.

[Tony Pope · Rating 5 out of 5]

Informative picture book on this look into the past and this brave little girl.

[Myriambooks85 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magnifique histoire

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is just beautiful and wonderfully framed around the author's experience of seeing the Rockwell painting of Ruby. A gift from Sarah at JHMS. Highly Recommended.

Q2021 book.

[Ipiu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bouleversant. On a beau connaître l'histoire, la redécouvrir à travers la réalité d'une petite fille nous transporte au plus près des émotions.

[Maranda Colin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lu avec Maïka dans le cadre du mois de l’Histoire des Noirs. Une histoire vraie de résilience et de résistance. Amour.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ages 7 and up. The true story of first grader and Civil Rights pioneer Ruby Bridges, who integrated into an all-white school in the 1960s and faced horrific opposition. An inspiring, harrowing story of bravery in the face of hate.