Dear America: With the Might of Angels [Hardcover]

Andrea Davis Pinkney (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2011 | Age Range: 8 and up | Series: Dear America | Lexile Measure: 740L (What's this?)

Coretta Scott King winner Andrea Davis Pinkney brings her talents to a brand-new Dear America diary about the Civil Rights Movement.

In the fall of 1955, twelve-year-old Dawn Rae Johnson's life turns upside down. After the Supreme Court ruling in Brown v. Board of Education, Dawnie learns she will be attending a previously all-white school. She's the only one of her friends to go to this new school and to leave the comfort of all that is familiar to face great uncertainty in the school year ahead.

However, not everyone supports integration and much of the town is outraged at the decision. Dawnie must endure the harsh realities of racism firsthand, while continuing to work hard to get a good education and prove she deserves the opportunity. But the backlash against Dawnie's attendance of an all-white school is more than she's prepared for. When her father loses his job as a result, and her little brother is constantly bullied, Dawnie has to wonder if it's worth it. In time, Dawnie learns that the true meaning of justice comes from remaining faithful to the integrity within oneself.

Editorial Reviews

Review

PRAISE FOR DEAR AMERICA:
"More than a supplement to classroom textbooks, this series is an imaginative, solid entree into American history." -- PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

"An impressive series that will challenge students to make connections from prominent historical events to relevant life situations. . . . A wonderful asset to the classroom as well as to home libraries." -- CHILDREN'S BOOK REVIEW SERVICE

"Engaging accessible historical fiction." -- SLJ

"The Dear America diaries represent the best of historical fiction for any age." -- CHICAGO TRIBUNE

About the Author

Andrea Davis Pinkney is the author of many children's books, including the Coretta Scott King Author Honor Book, LET IT SHINE: STORIES OF BLACK WOMEN FREEDOM FIGHTERS; DUKE ELLINGTON, a Caldecott Honor and Coretta Scott King Honor Book; BOYCOTT BLUES: HOW ROSA PARKS INSPIRED A NATION; and most recently the NEW YORK TIMES bestseller, SIT-IN: HOW FOUR FRIENDS STOOD UP BY SITTING DOWN. She lives in New York City, where she also works as a children’s book editor.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic Inc. (September 1, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0545297052
• ISBN-13: 978-0545297059
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #191,688 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars With the Might of Angels September 2, 2011

By M. Tanenbaum VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

The newest in Scholastic's relaunch of its beloved Dear America series, this book by award-winning author Andrea Davis Pinkney tells the story of Dawnie Rae Johnson, a fictional twelve-year old Virginia girl who's the first to desegregate an all white school in the wake of Brown vs. Board of Education.

Dawnie tells us she's always been blessed with the gift of gab, so a diary is a perfect birthday gift, especially prized since it was made by her little brother, Goober. It seems her dream is coming true when she finds out she's going to attend Prettyman Colburn, Hadley's white school, instead of the "colored" school, Bethune, where everything is broken, from the books to the toilets to the clocks. Dawnie's especially bright, and dreams of becoming a doctor one day, although she's never seen a colored doctor or nurse either. After passing an especially difficult test with flying colors, she's one of the students tapped by the NAACP to start the school integration process in their town.

Dawnie will need every bit of her courage and resolve, as she is confronted by demonstrations, small children spitting at her, adults calling her names, and police escorts needed just to get her into the school building. No one will talk to her, and she spends the first day in the principal's office. Dawnie writes in her diary, "By most counts, I'm a normal girl. But with the way those kids were staring at me today, you'da thought I was a bearded lady at the Lee County Carnival." But that's not her only problem, as her daddy loses her job when locals don't want to support a business that employs someone whose daughter is desegregating their schools. About the only people nice to her at school are the colored custodian and the lunch ladies, and Gertie Feldman, a Jewish student at the school. Will Dawnie be able to triumph in this hostile environment?

While both Andrea Davis Pinkney's heroine and the setting of Hadley, Virginia, are fictional, the narrative was inspired by several different integration stories, including one involving the author's own cousin. Pinkney herself was the only black student at her very first grade school, although her experience was not as harsh as Dawnie's. Pinkney incorporates many real historical events into her story, including the Montgomery bus protest of Claudette Colvin, the debut of Sports Illustrated magazine, and Jackie Robinson's integration of baseball. Dawnie Rae's distinctive and colorful voice and personality help bring this important period in our history to life for young people today. It's a must for school and public libraries, as well as all fans of the Dear America series.

Like the other Dear America volumes, back matter includes a historical note on American in 1954, as well as brief biographies of real people mentioned in Dawnie Rae's diary, a Civil Rights timeline, and an "about the author" note describing her background and her research on this topic.

Pinkney remarks in the author's note: "I wrote this book to remind young readers of the great privilege they enjoy--that of attending any school they wish, with classmates of all races--and to show them that even in the harshest situations, hope can shine through the darkest days."

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Full of charming southern aphorisms, spunky wit and wisdom, and written in a compelling and appealing voice November 11, 2011

By KidsReads

Format:Hardcover

In May 1954, the Supreme Court ruled that segregation in American public schools was unconstitutional in the landmark Brown v. Board of Education Topeka. A pivotal moment in the Civil Rights Movement and American history, the decision was more than an ideological statement for the African-American students who now faced the halls of previously all-white schools alone.

The latest addition to the Dear America series, WITH THE MIGHT OF ANGELS: The Diary of Dawnie Rae Johnson, by Andrea Davis Pinkney, tackles this exciting and tense moment. Set in Hadley, Virginia in 1954, it is the fictional diary of a courageous young girl, the family who encouraged her and the community who supported her as she integrated into Prettyman Coburn, the school she had dreamed of attending.

Twelve-year-old Dawnie Rae Johnson enjoys playing baseball and is a huge fan of Jackie Robinson. She also loves school and hopes to be a doctor someday. The problem is, though she is at the top of her grade and confident in her intelligence, she knows the school she attends won't help her in getting to college and planning her future. The black-only school lacks the books, paper and facilities Dawnie realizes are necessary for a solid education. And, while this makes her sad and frustrated, she is surrounded by friends and caring teachers and is proud of being the best student there.

The chance to attend Prettyman Coburn seems like the answer to Dawnie, but when the opportunity finally arises, thanks to the Supreme Court's decision, it turns out to be far more complicated than she had ever imagined. The town of Hadley is divided, and even the members of Dawnie's church cannot agree on whether or not the school should be integrated. Dawnie and her parents are sure, however, and what follows is a year, recorded with both total innocence and brutal honesty, in Dawnie's diary. From violence, threatened and actual, to teachers both cruel and inspiring, Dawnie's year is full of trials and triumphs.

Though the Civil Rights Movement is gaining momentum (in fact, Dr. Martin Luther King makes a cameo) and the American landscape is changing for blacks and whites, WITH THE MIGHT OF ANGELS is really the story of a singular young woman facing challenges and persevering in the face of adversity. Pinkney's Dawnie is clever, funny and original. While the characters in all the Dear America books of historical fiction are meant to serve as symbols of time and place, they are so successful because, though context is important, the heroines are all compelling individual figures as well.

Full of charming southern aphorisms, spunky wit and wisdom, and written in a compelling and appealing voice, Dawnie's diary is entertaining and illuminating, and highly recommendable both as a great novel and an exploration of school integration and other aspects of race in America. Like all the titles in the series, this one includes a nonfiction "historical note" that further explains the background and events in the book.

Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Fabulous Addition October 8, 2011

By AUPoohBear

Format:Hardcover

Dawnie is a 12 year old African-American girl living in a small town in Virginia. Her town is strictly divided along color lines. She's forbidden by her parents to go to Ivorytown the white section of town but that doesn't stop her from dreaming about the brand new school there. Dawnie dreams of becoming a doctor and she knows that the stinky, falling down school and ancient tattered textbooks of her school won't help her achieve her dream. Dawnie keeps her dreams to herself, writing them down in her precious diary, a birthday gift from her autistic younger brother. Dawnie finishes 6th grade at the top of her class and spends the summer jumping on her Pogo stick and playing baseball but come fall, her life changes forever when the Supreme Court decides schools must be integrated. Dawnie has passed the competency exam proving she's smart enough to compete with the white kids so her parents give her permission to integrate. Dawnie hopes to share this experience with her best friend Yolanda and another child from their class, but only Dawnie's parents approve of integration. The decision to attend an all-white school causes a lot of stress for both Dawnie and her family. They meet with opposition from both the white and black communities. A young minister from Alabama visits Dawnie's church and encourages non-violent resistance and Dawnie learns that she can write down all her rage and hatred in her diary while studying hard to stay on top. Finally, she finds an unexpected ally and they challenge each other to pull through. This is a remarkable story of a fictional girl based on real life people and events that took place not that long ago. It's really eye opening to read the comments coming from the white community regarding their ignorant assumptions about African-Americans. Even more surprising was the opinions of many of the members of Dawnie's community who didn't believe in integration. It's really hard to believe this story takes place less than 100 years after the Civil War and just over 50 years ago. The writing is lively and entertaining as well as thought provoking. The author includes many historic events that occurred during this time as well as the usual historical note and information about her own life which inspired the novel This book is a must read for all ages.