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The Lions of Little Rock

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"Satisfying, gratifying, touching, weighty—this authentic piece of work has got soul."—The New York Times Book Review

As twelve-year-old Marlee starts middle school in 1958 Little Rock, it feels like her whole world is falling apart. Until she meets Liz, the new girl at school. Liz is everything Marlee wishes she could be: she's brave, brash and always knows the right thing to say. But when Liz leaves school without even a good-bye, the rumor is that Liz was caught passing for white. Marlee decides that doesn't matter. She just wants her friend back. And to stay friends, Marlee and Liz are even willing to take on segregation and the dangers their friendship could bring to both their families.


Winner of the New-York Historical Society Children’s History Book Prize

A New York Times Book Review Editor’s Choice 
© Jennifer Brooks
Kristin Levine received her BA in German from Swarthmore College and an MFA in film from American University. She spent a year in Vienna, Austria, working as an au pair, and has taught screenwriting at American University. Currently, she lives in Alexandria, Virginia, with her two daughters. She is the author of the critically acclaimed The Best Luck I Ever HadThe Lions of Little Rock, and The Paper Cowboy. View titles by Kristin Levine
Educator Guide for The Lions of Little Rock

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.)

Praise for THE LIONS OF LITTLE ROCK:

“Creating a book that reads as though written in one effortless breath requires a rare talent… Readers will root for a painfully shy girl to discover the depths of her own courage and find hope in the notion that even in tumultuous times, standing up for the people you love can’t be wrong. Satisfying, gratifying, touching, weighty—this authentic piece of work has got soul.” —The New York Times Book Review

★ “[A] stunning piece of historical fiction.”—School Library Journal, starred review

★ “[A] riveting, frequently tense portrait of 1958 Little Rock.”—Publishers Weekly,starred review

★ “[A] quietly powerful page-turner.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

About

"Satisfying, gratifying, touching, weighty—this authentic piece of work has got soul."—The New York Times Book Review

As twelve-year-old Marlee starts middle school in 1958 Little Rock, it feels like her whole world is falling apart. Until she meets Liz, the new girl at school. Liz is everything Marlee wishes she could be: she's brave, brash and always knows the right thing to say. But when Liz leaves school without even a good-bye, the rumor is that Liz was caught passing for white. Marlee decides that doesn't matter. She just wants her friend back. And to stay friends, Marlee and Liz are even willing to take on segregation and the dangers their friendship could bring to both their families.


Winner of the New-York Historical Society Children’s History Book Prize

A New York Times Book Review Editor’s Choice 

Author

© Jennifer Brooks
Kristin Levine received her BA in German from Swarthmore College and an MFA in film from American University. She spent a year in Vienna, Austria, working as an au pair, and has taught screenwriting at American University. Currently, she lives in Alexandria, Virginia, with her two daughters. She is the author of the critically acclaimed The Best Luck I Ever HadThe Lions of Little Rock, and The Paper Cowboy. View titles by Kristin Levine

Guides

Educator Guide for The Lions of Little Rock

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.)

Praise

Praise for THE LIONS OF LITTLE ROCK:

“Creating a book that reads as though written in one effortless breath requires a rare talent… Readers will root for a painfully shy girl to discover the depths of her own courage and find hope in the notion that even in tumultuous times, standing up for the people you love can’t be wrong. Satisfying, gratifying, touching, weighty—this authentic piece of work has got soul.” —The New York Times Book Review

★ “[A] stunning piece of historical fiction.”—School Library Journal, starred review

★ “[A] riveting, frequently tense portrait of 1958 Little Rock.”—Publishers Weekly,starred review

★ “[A] quietly powerful page-turner.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

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