Ruby Lee & Me

By Shannon Hitchcock

In 1969, a new teacher challenges a town's prejudices, testing a friendship between two girls.

3.9/5 Goodreads · 953 ratings

224 pages· 30,761 words· Est. 4.5 hour read

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Bookroo's summary

In 1969 North Carolina, Sarah Beth Willis faces a world of change when Mrs. Smyre, the first black teacher, arrives at her all-white school. As Sarah Beth navigates the complexities of friendship with Ruby, a black girl, she grapples with questions of integration and prejudice. Amidst the town's unease, Mrs. Smyre's presence challenges long-held beliefs, offering a glimpse of unexpected possibilities. Can Sarah Beth and Ruby's friendship survive in a world resistant to change? Discover how one teacher's courage transforms a community and its future.

From the publisher

When a segregated North Carolina town gets its first black teacher, two girls–one black, one white–come face-to-face with how prejudice affects their friendship.Everything’s changing for Sarah Beth Willis. After Robin’s tragic accident, everyone seems different somehow. Days on the farm aren’t the same, and the simple fun of riding a bike or playing outside can be scary. And there’s talk in town about the new sixth-grade teacher at Shady Creek. Word is spreading quickly–Mrs. Smyre is like no other teacher anyone has ever seen around these parts. She’s the first African American teacher. It’s 1969, and while black folks and white folks are cordial, having a black teacher at an all-white school is a strange new happening. For Sarah Beth, there are so many unanswered questions. What is all this talk about Freedom Riders and school integration? Why can’t she and Ruby become best friends? And who says school isn’t for anybody who wants to learn–or teach? In a world filled with uncertainty, one very special teacher shows her young students and the adults in their lives that change invites unexpected possibilities.

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