Ruby Bridges' Through My Eyes is praised for its powerful, firsthand account of desegregation in American schools. Readers find it deeply moving and historically significant. However, some note that it may be too simplistic for older readers seeking detailed analysis. Overall, it’s regarded as an important, educational read that effectively conveys significant social history.

Readers interested in Through My Eyes by Ruby Bridges are often drawn to personal narratives set against historical backdrops of the civil rights movement. Similar to I Am Malala or Brown Girl Dreaming, this book appeals to those seeking inspiring stories of courage and resilience from a child’s perspective.

Through My Eyes by Ruby Bridges is her autobiography detailing her experience as the first African American child to integrate an elementary school in New Orleans in 1960. The book, published in 1999, blends Bridges's childhood perspective with adult reflections, supplemented by photographs, newspaper excerpts, and historical context about the desegregation efforts under the Civil Rights Movement. The narrative includes explicit language reflecting the period's racism.

Inspirational / Heartwarming / Challenging / Contemplative

- Through My Eyes is a powerful autobiographical account by Ruby Bridges, who at six years old became the first African American child to integrate an all-white elementary school in the South during the 1960s.
- The book includes photographs and personal reflections that provide a unique, first-person perspective on the civil rights struggles of that era, making it a vivid educational resource.
- Ruby Bridges' story has inspired numerous other books, films, and pieces of art, highlighting the enduring impact of her bravery and the ongoing relevance of her experiences in the fight against racial segregation.

**Ruby Bridges**  
One of the first Black children to integrate an elementary school in the South, she attended William Frantz Public School as a first-grader in 1960, later becoming an activist and founder of the Ruby Bridges Foundation.  
  
**Mrs. Barbara Henry**  
Originally from Boston, Massachusetts, she was the teacher who willingly taught Ruby Bridges at William Frantz Public School during the school's integration.  
  
**Dr. Robert Coles**  
A child psychologist in New Orleans who worked with children experiencing racial tensions during integrations, including Ruby Bridges, and published a children’s book about her story.  
  
**Lucille Bridges**  
Ruby's mother, who supported and accompanied her daughter during her early days of attending the integrated school, despite her husband's hesitations.

Ruby Bridges

Middle grade

Biography

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Foreword-Chapter 2

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Chapters 3-6

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Chapters 7-10

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Chapters 11-14

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Chapters 19-23

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