Michael S. Bandy

This fictional story, based on the author’s own recollections of taking a train during the era of Jim Crow, describes the experiences of a young African-American boy, named Michael, who travels with his grandmother from Alabama to Ohio in the early 1960s to visit family. As they pass through different states, signs designating certain cars as “whites only” go up and down, depending on the state. When Michael is able to mingle with whites though, he makes a white friend, Bobby Ray, and they immediately bond over shared interests.

An Author’s Note at the end of the story gives a short history of laws involving race segregation in railroads.

Award-winning illustrator James E. Ransome created lush watercolors to help tell the story.

Evaluation: Readers (suggested age is 5 and up) will be able to deduce that the system for segregation was irrational and unfair even though the author doesn’t hammer in this point. It is also clear from the story that who we are and what we like and don’t like is a much more meaningful criterion for friendship than superficial skin color.… (más)

This is a heartwarming story. The day Granddaddy was allowed to vote was so eye opening. The events that led up to him voting just shows how important that right is to many people. His suit was ironed, his grandson took along a camera, and they made their walk to the polls. Sadly Granddaddys excitement was crushed and he was not able to vote, but years later when his grandson got the chance to vote he took along his Granddaddy's picture to honor him. This book can be used to educate students on the struggles some people had to vote and the heartwarming relationship between a Granddaddy and his grandson. It also can be used for skills such as onomatopoeia. It also has very good illustrations.… (más)