Courage Featured Book

Ron’s Big Mission
by Rose Blue and Corinne J Naden

 

From Goodreads: Nine-year-old Ron loves going to the Lake City Public Library to look through all the books on airplanes and flight. Today, Ron is ready to take out books by “himself.” But in the segregated world of South Carolina in the 1950s, Ron’s obtaining his own library card is not just a small rite of passage – it is a young man’s first courageous mission. Here is an inspiring story, based on Ron McNair’s life, of how a little boy, future scientist, and Challenger astronaut desegregated his library through peaceful resistance.

After reading the story to the class, process it with these or similar questions:

• Did you like the story?
• Did you know that back in the 1950’s, children of color could not check out a library book?
• How do you think you would feel if that happened to you?
• What about not being able to eat in every restaurant or drink from every drinking fountain?
• Do you think what he did took Courage?
• Do you think he would have been successful if he threw a tantrum and screamed rather than being polite but demanding?
• Do you think he was afraid?
• Do you think he realized the importance of what he was doing?
• How did you think he felt when he was handed his library card?
• What do you think his family and friends thought about what he did?
• Do you think if he had been unsuccessful that day he would have tried it again?
• Do you think if he had been unsuccessful that day it would have altered his life to the point of not being an astronaut as an adult?
•  Does this story make you appreciate being able to check out a book yourself?
•  The next time you are fearful when it comes to doing the right thing, will you remember Ron’s Big Mission?

Click here to find the full list of books on Courage on our Goodreads shelf!