Free to Learn

An undocumented boy's fight for education reaches the Supreme Court.

3.9/5 Goodreads · 108 ratings

48 pages· 1,233 words· Est. 10 min read-aloud

$18.99Save 5%

In stock. Also at Amazon or Bookshop.

Bookroo's summary

Alfredo Lopez is excited for second grade, but his world shifts when he's told he can't attend school without proof of citizenship. As his family joins a legal battle in 1977 Texas, Alfredo becomes part of a historic Supreme Court case, Plyler v. Doe, that challenges the right to education for undocumented children. Will justice prevail, and can Alfredo's story change the future for countless others? Discover the true tale of courage and determination that shaped a nation.

From the publisher

From the author of the award-winning The Youngest Marcher comes a picture book about the true story of Alfredo Lopez, an undocumented boy involved in a landmark Supreme Court case that still ensures children’s right to education today. Alfredo Lopez has so many questions before starting second grade! Will his friends be in his class? Will his teacher speak Spanish? But then his parents tell him that he has to stay home, and Alfredo’s questions change. Why can’t he go to school with the other kids? And why is his family going to the courthouse? In 1977, the school district of Tyler, Texas, informed parents that, unless they could provide proof of citizenship, they would have to pay for their children to attend public school. Four undocumented families fought back in a legal battle that went all the way to the Supreme Court. Alfredo was one of the students involved in Plyler v. Doe, which made a difference for children all over the country for years to come.

At a glance