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Turning 15 on the Road to Freedom

My Story of the 1965 Selma Voting Rights March

Illustrated by PJ Loughran
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Paperback
$12.99 US
5.5"W x 8.25"H x 0.36"D  
On sale Dec 27, 2016 | 144 Pages | 9780147512161
Grade 7 & Up
Reading Level: Lexile 780L

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A SIBERT INFORMATIONAL BOOK MEDAL HONOR BOOK • Discover the power of youth activism in this moving memoir about the Civil Rights Movement, ideal for young readers interested in America’s fight for equality.

“A testament to the power we each have within us to stand up for what is right and to make the world a better and more just place.”—Dan Sturman, Academy Award–winning documentary filmmaker

“This inspiring personal story illuminates pivotal events in America’s history.”—Booklist, starred review

Jailed nine times before her fifteenth birthday, Lynda Blackmon Lowery refused to give up the fight for equal rights. She was the youngest marcher on the historic 1965 voting rights march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. She vowed to make a difference—and she did.

Lynda’s story of overcoming terror and winning one of our nation’s most important battles is eye-opening and inspiring—a memoir that brings us into the heart of the civil rights movement to offer compelling proof that young people can be heroes.
Lynda Blackmon Lowery, the youngest person to take part in the whole Selma Voting Rights March of 1965, now works as a case manager at a mental health center, and still lives in Selma, Alabama. View titles by Lynda Blackmon Lowery
PJ Loughran is an illustrator, creative director, and musician. He lives in Chicago, Illinois. View titles by PJ Loughran

Educator Guide for Turning 15 on the Road to Freedom

Classroom-based guides appropriate for schools and colleges provide pre-reading and classroom activities, discussion questions connected to the curriculum, further reading, and resources.

(Please note: the guide displayed here is the most recently uploaded version; while unlikely, any page citation discrepancies between the guide and book is likely due to pagination differences between a book’s different formats.)

  • HONOR | 2016
    Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Honor Book
“A testament to the power we each have within us to stand up for what is right and to make the world a better and more just place.”—Dan Sturman, Academy Award–winning documentary filmmaker

“I was profoundly moved by Turning 15 on the Road to Freedom. This book left me breathless with its clear-eyed and thought-provoking accounts of what it meant to be a child on the front lines of the civil rights movement.”—Jacqueline Woodson, Newbery Honor Winner and National Book Award Finalist

“Extraordinary—unlike any other book for young readers I’ve seen. Lowery’s is a unique and essential voice in civil rights literature, and her stories of unfathomable courage are conveyed with wrenching clarity. Exquisite.”—Cynthia Levinson, author of We’ve Got a Job: The 1963 Birmingham Children’s March

“Lynda Lowery is truly a hero of the civil rights movement—her story is touching and inspiring. All of us who treasure freedom and equal rights owe her our gratitude.”—Bill Guttentag, Academy Award–winning documentary filmmaker

“Lynda Blackmon Lowery tells a compelling story; I hope it will be widely read, it’s part of our American heritage.”—Joy Hakim, award-winning author of A History of US

“This inspiring personal story illuminates pivotal events in America’s history.”Booklist, starred review

“Vivid details and the immediacy of Lowery's voice make this a valuable primary document as well as a pleasure to read.”Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“One of those rare books that is genuinely accessible to a broad audience.”BCCB, starred review

About

A SIBERT INFORMATIONAL BOOK MEDAL HONOR BOOK • Discover the power of youth activism in this moving memoir about the Civil Rights Movement, ideal for young readers interested in America’s fight for equality.

“A testament to the power we each have within us to stand up for what is right and to make the world a better and more just place.”—Dan Sturman, Academy Award–winning documentary filmmaker

“This inspiring personal story illuminates pivotal events in America’s history.”—Booklist, starred review

Jailed nine times before her fifteenth birthday, Lynda Blackmon Lowery refused to give up the fight for equal rights. She was the youngest marcher on the historic 1965 voting rights march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. She vowed to make a difference—and she did.

Lynda’s story of overcoming terror and winning one of our nation’s most important battles is eye-opening and inspiring—a memoir that brings us into the heart of the civil rights movement to offer compelling proof that young people can be heroes.

Author

Lynda Blackmon Lowery, the youngest person to take part in the whole Selma Voting Rights March of 1965, now works as a case manager at a mental health center, and still lives in Selma, Alabama. View titles by Lynda Blackmon Lowery
PJ Loughran is an illustrator, creative director, and musician. He lives in Chicago, Illinois. View titles by PJ Loughran

Excerpt

Guides

Educator Guide for Turning 15 on the Road to Freedom

Classroom-based guides appropriate for schools and colleges provide pre-reading and classroom activities, discussion questions connected to the curriculum, further reading, and resources.

(Please note: the guide displayed here is the most recently uploaded version; while unlikely, any page citation discrepancies between the guide and book is likely due to pagination differences between a book’s different formats.)

Awards

  • HONOR | 2016
    Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Honor Book

Praise

“A testament to the power we each have within us to stand up for what is right and to make the world a better and more just place.”—Dan Sturman, Academy Award–winning documentary filmmaker

“I was profoundly moved by Turning 15 on the Road to Freedom. This book left me breathless with its clear-eyed and thought-provoking accounts of what it meant to be a child on the front lines of the civil rights movement.”—Jacqueline Woodson, Newbery Honor Winner and National Book Award Finalist

“Extraordinary—unlike any other book for young readers I’ve seen. Lowery’s is a unique and essential voice in civil rights literature, and her stories of unfathomable courage are conveyed with wrenching clarity. Exquisite.”—Cynthia Levinson, author of We’ve Got a Job: The 1963 Birmingham Children’s March

“Lynda Lowery is truly a hero of the civil rights movement—her story is touching and inspiring. All of us who treasure freedom and equal rights owe her our gratitude.”—Bill Guttentag, Academy Award–winning documentary filmmaker

“Lynda Blackmon Lowery tells a compelling story; I hope it will be widely read, it’s part of our American heritage.”—Joy Hakim, award-winning author of A History of US

“This inspiring personal story illuminates pivotal events in America’s history.”Booklist, starred review

“Vivid details and the immediacy of Lowery's voice make this a valuable primary document as well as a pleasure to read.”Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“One of those rare books that is genuinely accessible to a broad audience.”BCCB, starred review

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