Cracking the Wall

The Struggles of the Little Rock Nine

From the Series On My Own History

  • Interest Level: Grade 2 - Grade 4
  • Reading Level: Grade 3

In 1957, nine teenagers were chosen to be the first black students to attend all-white Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. A small group of people in Little Rock, including the governor of Arkansas, wanted to keep them out. But those nine students knew they had a right to a good education. And they would do anything to crack the wall that had kept black people and white people apart.

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978-1-57505-227-4
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978-0-7613-5841-1
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Interest Level Grade 2 - Grade 4
Reading Level Grade 3
Genre Social Studies
Category 5 Kinds of Nonfiction, 5KN: Narrative Nonfiction, Diverse Books: Race & Ethnicity, Diverse Books: Social Justice, Diversity
Copyright 1997
Publisher Lerner Publishing Group
Brand On My Own Books
Imprint First Avenue Editions ™, Millbrook Press ™
Language English
Number of Pages 48
Publication Date 1997-08-01
Reading Counts! Level 3.5
Text Type Narrative Nonfiction
BISACS JNF007020, JNF050000, JNF053140
Dewey 379.2'63'0976773
Graphics Full-color illustrations
Dimensions 5.875 x 8.5
Lexile 540
Guided Reading Level R
ATOS Reading Level 3.5
Accelerated Reader® Quiz 25249
Accelerated Reader® Points 0.5
Features Awards, Reviewed, and Teaching Guides

Author: Eileen Lucas

Eileen (O'Donnell) Lucas grew up in Chicago, spent a semester in college in Ireland, and graduated from Western Illinois University. She lived near Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, for over 20 years, where her sons Travis and Brendan were born. She worked as a freelance writer and an elementary and middle school teacher during these years. She now lives in Florida, where she loves to go to the beach and listen to Jimmy Buffett music. She also loves to visit her trailer in the woods in central Wisconsin, where she takes care of her garden and hikes in the pines. Besides nonfiction children's books, she writes for an educational software publishing company in Wisconsin.

Illustrator: Mark Anthony

Lerner eSource™ offers free digital teaching and learning resources, including Common Core State Standards (CCSS) teaching guides. These guides, created by classroom teachers, offer short lessons and writing exercises that give students specific instruction and practice using Common Core skills and strategies. Lerner eSource also provides additional resources including online activities, downloadable/printable graphic organizers, and additional educational materials that would also support Common Core instruction. Download, share, pin, print, and save as many of these free resources as you like!

On My Own History

With striking, full-page illustrations, real and fictionalized characters, and stories featuring events that really happened, these books capture readers’ interest and imagination. View available downloads →

Awards

  • Arkansiana Award, Winner, 1997

Reviews

Booklist

“Bringing the story to life are expressive paintings that clearly show the rage, unhappiness, and dignity of the people involved in the conflict.”
Booklist

School Library Journal

“. . .Well written. . . Making the events memorable for young readers. . . The ideal supplement to units on civil rights and African-American history.”
School Library Journal

MultiCultural Review

“Students will be inspired by the courage of the youngsters . . .”
MultiCultural Review