Shelia P. Moses (mosesbooksandpublishing.com) is an African American writer whose subjects include comedian Dick Gregory and the Legend of Buddy Bush. In 2004, she was nominated for the National Book Award and named the Coretta Scott King Honoree for The Legend of Buddy Bush. In 2009, her novel Joseph's Grace was nominated for the NAACP Image Award.
* “An African American tween finds a way to contribute to his
community’s struggle for an end to segregation. . . . Moses takes
readers inside the movement that saw its youngest become effective
challengers to the segregation status quo. Her narrative seamlessly
weaves a personal family story with the larger one of the fight for
change. Rufus is an engaging, thoughtful narrator whose voice and
perspective ring true as he works to make a difference, even
disobeying his mother, who is terrified about what might happen.
The love and determination of his community are realistically and
richly portrayed. A stirring, cleareyed look at the young people
who risked much for social change as they fought for their civil
rights.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review
* “Moses (The Legend of Buddy Bush) pays homage to Black children
living during the civil rights era whose contributions to the
movement were often left undocumented, in this riveting historical
fiction volume set in 1963 Birmingham, Ala. . . . Birmingham and
its citizens, culture, and struggles are empathetically wrought in
this eye-opening novel. With intention, Moses thoughtfully
highlights the real-world horrors that Rufus courageously
faces—including police, fire hoses, and dogs—and provides levity
through his introspective and energetic first-person narration.”
—Publishers Weekly, starred review
* “Rufus is a keen observer . . . Rufus’s voice is appropriately
child-like, even though he, his family, and friends experience
overt racism and threats. He is a thoughtful and endearing
character, even while suspense is high. The setting and strong
sense of community among his Black neighbors are vividly drawn.
This compelling and powerful story will resonate with many readers.
A first purchase.” —School Library Journal, starred review
“Moses leads readers into the scene through the eyes and voice of
eleven-year-old Rufus Jackson Jones Jr., rooting these historical
events in a memorable family story. Rufus’s mama and stepdaddy tell
him and his little sister, Georgia, that they are too young to join
the protests, but Rufus does anyway. . . . He wonders where the
fire is but realizes that the protesters ‘were the fire,’ a fire
the police intend to extinguish, but also a fire igniting the
passions of citizens seeking justice. This is a good match
with Christopher Paul Curtis’s The Watsons Go to Birmingham —
1963. . . . Moving and memorable . . . and the author’s note is
important reading in its own right.” —The Horn Book
“Rufus’ evocative first-person narration builds a backdrop of the
weeks leading up to the 1963 Children’s Crusade, in which thousands
of mostly Black students marched in protest from the Baptist Church
toward city hall, where they were met by the city’s racist police
force, who resorted to brutal tactics to stop them. Moses packs a
lot of details into a trim page count, creating a fully realized
family of characters while depicting historical events and the
horrific consequences of systems of white supremacy. An author’s
note elucidates Moses’ rationale for ending the story on a
particular date in 1963 and chronicles the triumphs and horrors of
the historical events that happened in the aftermath of this story,
preceding the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.” —The Bulletin
of the Center for Children’s Books
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