(Credit to amightygirl.com)
Today's A Mighty Girl Community Pick: "The Oldest Student: How Mary Walker Learned to Read" by Rita Lorraine Hubbard. Imagine learning to read at the age of 116! When Mary Walker was born into slavery in 1848, she wasn't allowed to learn to read — and even once she was freed at the age of 15, there was always too much work to do to learn... or so she thought. At the age of 114, she was still healthy and had outlived her family. It was time, perhaps, to follow that long-held dream: "Could someone her age learn to read? She didn’t know, but by God, she was going to try." Walker was certified the nation's oldest student twice over, and at 116, she learned! This inspiring picture book about a remarkable woman whose life spanned from the Civil War to the Civil Rights Movement shows that, with perseverance and dedication, there's nothing you can't achieve! Highly recommended for ages 5 to 9.
"The Oldest Student" is available at https://www.amightygirl.com/the-oldest-student
For more books for children and teens about pioneering African American women throughout history, visit our blog post "99 Books about Extraordinary Black Mighty Girls and Women" at https://www.amightygirl.com/blog?p=14276
To learn about our favorite Mighty Girl books for children and teens that celebrate the joy of reading, visit our blog post on "35 Mighty Girl Stories about Books, Libraries, and Literacy," visit https://www.amightygirl.com/blog?p=11656
For toys and games that encourage children’s literacy, visit our “Reading & Literacy” section at https://www.amightygirl.com/toys/toys-games/reading-literacy