Corinne J. NadenCritiques

Ron woke up early one morning with an important job to do! He went to the library to find a book about a kid that looked like him. When he went to check out the books he picked out, when he was reminded that only white people can check out books from the library! Ron was not going to back down! The police were called, but he was determined to make a change! Finally, the librarian, Mrs. Scott, gave him his own library card & from that day on, he was able to check out his own books!

Independent reading level: 1st and up
Awards: none

This is a ctionalized account of how astronaut Ron McNair’s burning desire as a young, African American boy to read books about space, led him to take a stand in 1959 that would integrate his library in South Carolina.

Story based on the life of the child, Ron McNair, from Lake City, South Carolina, who grew up to realize his dreams of flying and became an astronaut. He and the entire crew of space shuttle Challenger were lost when it exploded on January 28,1986.

This book is a historical fiction. I think that this book would be good for 2nd through 4th graders. It handles the topic of inequality in race and this can be hard to grasp for students who are younger.

This book is about a little boy who is African American. He has a dream to become a pilot. He goes to the public library to check out books. He is very nervous because he knows that only white people can check out books at the public library. He shows up and picks out his books all about airplanes. He goes to check them out and the desk clerk ignores him. He stands on the desk and repeats himself. This creates a problem and the police come. They explain that only white people can check out books. He refuses this. The librarian thinks about all of the hours that Ron has come to read books. Ron is her very best customer. She goes to the backroom and writes him a library card. Ron is allowed to check out books for the very first time. He goes home and read the books. Ron ended up being Ron McNair. He became an astronaut.

This book would be good for a read aloud when talking about how dreams can come true. This is good to educate students about discrimination and inequality. I believe that this book is great because it shows obstacles of being black but focuses on overcoming them and not focusing on these hardships. This book talks about how you can reach your goals if you set your mind to it. Ron sets a great example for all students to reach their goals and provides a mirror for African American students.

Discusses the characteristics of elephants.

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"I Can Read ABout Sharks will give you a wealth of knowledge about all varieties of sharks. I love how the book begins with SHARK! and gives the reader a sense of urgency right away because we can all relate to that feeling that sharks bring humans. The book has a lot of illustrations of different varieties of sharks. However, I feel that it lacks captions for the illustrations and there are a limited number of diagrams throughout the book as well. I did like how they included a section about the process that scientist must go through in order to study sharks. I would recommend this book to a shark lover or anyone wanting to learn a little more about sharks." -- Sarah Wurster (GoodReads)

Ron's Big Mission is one of my favorite children's books. The book is not very long, but it gets the point across loud and clear. It is very easy for children to read and they can relate to it. This helps them to better empathize with the main character. The book is about a little boy named Ron who wanted to be a pilot. He spent so much time in the library reading books about being a pilot and planes. Because he is a little black boy, he is not allowed to check books out of the library. One day, he decides that he is going to take a stand for himself. He jumps up onto the counter and does not move until they allow him to check the books out for himself.
This story takes place around the civil rights movement time. This is important because this little boy is standing up for what is right no matter the consequences. He knew that being black did not make him lesser than.It is short and sweet yet insanely powerful. A student of any age can pick up this book and understand what happened and feel inspired.

As a child, Ron McNair read a lot. Unfortunately, because of his skin color, he could not check the books and take them out of the library. He had to stay in the confines of the library and watch as others had the luxury of borrowing the books.

One day, he grew weary of denial by color. He demanded a library card; and he obtained a card from the Lake City, South Carolina library.

Ron pushed boundaries all his life. This highly intelligent child became an astronaut. Sadly, In 1986 Ron McNair lost his life with the other crew members of the space shuttle Challenger.

His childhood library honors him with the children's room walls painted with pictures that show children reading books under a tree. High above, the image of the Challenger space shuttle flies free and clear.

One day in 1959, nine-year-old Ron McNair, who dreams of becoming a pilot, walks into the Lake City public library and insists on checking out some books, despite the rule that only white people can have library cards.

I like the read. However, I feel like some of the event that happened in the story are sugar coated. The characters seem to be way to naive. The events could have went the way they did in the story. I just feel like the author added in additional words and sentences in the major event of the story.

Overall, I did like the story and it is told in third person point of view.½

Ron is a small boy on a big mission. He is a regular at the library but because of his color is not allowed to check out the books and bring them home. Until one day he decides he is going to get his library card, and bring his books home like everyone else. This is a fictional story based on a real event in Ron McNair's life. There is a part in the story that talks about Ron wanting to read books with kids that looked like him but they were so hard to find. Although, it's sad to think that there was ever a time like this, I couldn't help thinking how wonderful it is there is now so many books from children of any background to read and relate to. I loved everything about this book, the story and the illustrations. I think Don Tate's illustrations are as powerful as the words. Ron is a small boy with big dreams, I love that on most of the pages Ron takes up most of the page. He is a small boy but the illustrations of him are big like his dreams and personality. I think Tate's colorful illustrations are wonderful and after reading two books he illustrated, I am very interested in reading one he wrote.

Ron’s Big Mission was an inspiring story that is about a young boy named Ron. One day Ron is on a mission to check out books at the local library. He faces a problem when he goes to check out his books, but is told that he cannot because of his color. African Americans in this time period were not allowed to check out books at the library. The conflict that Ron run’s into is that he cannot understand why he is not allowed to check out books from the library because of his color. He then begins shouting to the woman at the front desk that he always reads his books at the library, but wants to take them home sometimes. As Ron continues to shout his mother is called right away and together they all try to explain to Ron why he cannot check out his own books. Mrs. Scott the librarian knew that Ron was her best customer and knew what she had to do. Mrs. Scott walks into her office then walks back out with a library card just for Ron. Ron jumped for joy when he knew he had completed his mission that day at the library. Afterwards Ron couldn’t wait to get home to his room to start reading all of his books! The setting had a great affect on this story. It was based in the 1950’s in South Carolina where life at this time is segregated.

"In this story based on an incident from the life of astronaut Ron McNair, nine-year-old Ron walks into his local public library with a mission—to secure a library card for himself so that he can take books home to read. Because it’s 1959 and segregation laws prohibit African Americans from borrowing books, Ron is at first declined. The police arrive, but Ron refuses to be deterred; finally the head librarian agrees to bend the rules—Ron is her best patron, after all—and a very happy Ron leaves, books in hand. Based on interviews with Ron’s mother and a South Carolinian librarian, the story emphasizes McNair’s focus and determination to succeed, even if it means pointing out injustices along the way. Vibrant illustrations portray a cozy small town where rules are obeyed, mostly without thinking. Tate’s figures feature oversized heads with very expressive faces that vividly convey well-meant kindness and the frustrations of injustice. Appended with a note on McNair’s adult life, this will make a good choice for reading aloud and discussing." - From Titlewave

Most inspiring book for children I have read and to know it actually happen was heart breaking his courage was inspiring

Using this book in third grade was very useful. It allowed us to discuss the topic of Civil Rights and showed the children that although Ron was oppressed because of his race, he rose above his circumstances and became a world-famous astronaut.

This story is based on a real person, Ron McNair, who in 1959 showed his own personal demonstration against racism when he was only around 8 years old. At that time, a black child could not check out a library book. He thought that was unfair so one day he climbed on the librarian's desk and yelled to everyone in the library that this was unfair and would not come down until he was finally given his own library card. He grew up to be an astronaut.
Age: K-10
Source: Puyallup Public Library

The book drives anticipation right from the start and through the first couple of pages making you wonder where Ron is going. I just so happen to read this book on the 30th Anniversary of the Challenger’s explosion that took Ron McNair’s life. I loved the “bobblehead” look of the characters.

CC: This story could be used for a study during Black History month or to build background knowledge during a space unit.

Summary: Ron's Big Mission is a historical fiction book based off of a real occurrence. This story takes place in the 1950's where discrimination is part of Ron's everyday life. One day he goes to the public library which was his favorite place to be. He was never allowed to take books home, only whites had the privilege of taking books home. Today was the day that Ron was going to stick up for himself and demand that they let him take the books he chose home with him. The librarian tells him he cannot take books home. When he asks her why she had no explanation for him. The police were called as well as his mother. They also could not give him an answer as to why he could not take a book home. Finally, the Librarian leaves to her office. Comes back with a Library Card just for Ron, and Ron was ecstatic. He could take his book he chose to enjoy at home.

Personal Reflection: I think this is a great addition to my personal library. It shows a perfect example of a young boy you sticks up for his beliefs, recognizes right from wrong, and works hard to make a difference. He had aspirations for something bigger and didn't stop at someone telling him no, he demanded an change. This is a great multicultural book in how it is focusing on such a young yet courageous character. It introduces discrimination in a context that can be understood and interesting.

Extension: Great book to read during Week of the Young Child. Also during multicultural lesson topic. The end of the book has a extension on how Ron grew up to be the first African American Astronaut, so this could also be read when introducing the question, "When I grow up I want to be" question.

Ron’s Big Mission is a fictional book but it is based on a real incident. Ron’s Big Mission is about a little boy in the 1950’s who is dealing with discrimination. He wants to check out books at the library and take them home with him but he is black and only white people are allowed to take books home. So he stands up for what he believes and he fights for his right to be able to check library books out and take them home with him. This is a really good book to have in the classroom and to teach kids about the history of decimation against non-white people. Teachers could discuss about what the students felt while reading this book and how things have changed after we got rid of decimation. Ask the kids if they have ever seen anyone be discriminated not only for skin color but also for religion, gender, or even a disability. Make sure the kids know that decimation isn’t only with race. The illustrations in this book are very colorful. They aren’t very realistic, but they do have a lot of detail.

I loved this book because it was a delicate way to introduce a very difficult subject to young students. The plot of the story is organized and well-paced. I appreciated that the author started the story without revealing that it was going to take a twist and involve such a heavy topic. This showed children that Ron was just a normal child who was undeserving of the way he was treated. Furthermore, I liked that the author made the main character such a role model to the students. The boy is the same age as most of the readers and still makes a huge impact on his community. This inspires children to make a difference themselves. The purpose of this book was to show that you are never to young to achieve your dreams. It is also a good book to introduce the tough topic of segregation.

Summary: A story about a little black boy, who wanted to fly when he got older. Went to the library to check out books on flying and airplanes, but couldn't because the rules only allowed white people to check out books. He could read them there, but couldn't take them home. Finally, the librarian, who knew Ron was in there a lot, and was her best customer, changed the rules so that Ron could take the books home.

Personal Reflection: A sad but true story about how some rules really need to be changed. And that this very thing is probably still happening some where in the world where children can not get access to read books and to learn on their own because of the treat they might pose when the do get older. How many people have their life's changes because they were not offered the opportunity to do something different.

Classroom Extension:
1. Teach equal treatment of everyone, regardless of who they are, where they come from, or the color of their skin.
2. To learn about rules, and when they should be changed, or even abolished all together.

I like the simple way the author showed great courage of a boy. I also found it interesting the respect some of the white people showed Ron. It made me think about how complicated racism was in 1959 and how conflicted many people must have been. The illustrations were dynamic and fun. At the end of the story, the author's note brought the fictional story to real life with a background of Ron Mcnair. I enjoyed that element of the book. This story could be used on Martin Luther King day or Black History Month in February to discuss strength of character, segregation, and feelings of African Americans at different times in history.