Ruth and the Green Book

By Gwen Strauss, Calvin Alexander Ramsey and Floyd Cooper

The picture book inspiration for the Academy Award-winning film The Green Book

Ruth was so excited to take a trip in her family's new car! In the early 1950s, few African Americans could afford to buy cars, so this would be an adventure. But she soon found out that Black travelers weren't treated very well in some towns. Many hotels and gas stations refused service to Black people. Daddy was upset about something called Jim Crow laws . . .

Finally, a friendly attendant at a gas station showed Ruth's family The Green Book. It listed all of the places that would welcome Black travelers. With this guidebook—and the kindness of strangers—Ruth could finally make a safe journey from Chicago to her grandma's house in Alabama.

Ruth's story is fiction, but The Green Book and its role in helping a generation of African American travelers avoid some of the indignities of Jim Crow are historical fact.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lerner Publishing
• Release date: Nov 1, 2013
• ISBN: 9781467738170

Gwen Strauss

Gwen Strauss's book of poems, Trail of Stones, with illustrations by Anthony Browne was published by Knopf in New York and Walker Books in London. The Night Shimmy (Random House), a children's book with the same illustrator, has been translated into several languages. She is an award-winning poet and her writing has appeared in many publications, including the London Sunday Times, The New Republic, New England Review, Kenyon Review, Tampa Review, and Antioch Review. She works as the on-site director at the Brown Foundation Fellowship Program at the Dora Maar House in Ménerbes, France.

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Reviews for Ruth and the Green Book

[mcintorino-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This picture book is a gentle look at Jim Crow laws in the South in the 1950s. Young Ruth encounters discrimination for the first time as her family travels by car from Chicago to Alabama. She doesn't understand what is happening until her father explains it to her. When she receives the Green Book, Ruth is empowered by her use of it, and has grown up as signified by her passing Brown Bear on to a younger traveler she meets. The Green Book is historically accurate, and a concise short history of its author and genesis is provided at the end of the book. The book is written in simple yet expressive language, and is told in the first person by Ruth. The color illustrations are a wonderful enhancement to the story, and evocative of the 1950s in America.This book would be a fine introduction to younger children of the topic of discrimination. It would be interesting also to incorporate this into older students' studies of discrimination in our country and the Jim Crow laws. I knew nothing about the Green Book before reading this story. I am glad to know the information I learned.

[matthewbloome · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was a tremendous book. I really found it interesting and I definitely can think of a few ways to use it. The online resource it provides is also excellent. The only thing that threw me was the second sentence on the first page. The narrator was referring to her father's car and halfway through the page, she jumped tenses from past to present and by the beginning of the next page she jumped back to past tense and stayed there for the rest of the book. I don't know if that was a mistake, but it threw me off. The Green Book is a fascinating piece of history that I'd never heard of. I'd love to know a little bit more about it. It makes sense that someone would do that though. Floyd Cooper's illustrations were outstanding as ever.

[sullywriter_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

When Ruth and her parents take a motor trip from Chicago to Alabama to visit her grandma, they rely on a pamphlet called "The Negro Motorist Green Book" to find places that will serve them. Includes facts about "The Green Book." A well-written, beautifully illustrated story.

[missbrandysue · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Ruth and her mother and father are heading from Chicago to Alabama to visit her grandmother. But she soon finds that being African American heading to the South isn't as fun a trip as she thought. Her family isn't able to get gas at all of the stations, eat at all of the restaurants and one night even have to sleep in the car because no white motel owners will let them stay the night in a room. Then an Esso gas station clerk sells them a Green Book that helps give them addresses of places that will serve African Americans. This historical fiction piece is very touching. It clearly deserves the 2012-2013 Texas Bluebonnet Award as it's written from the perspective of the young girl. I think it'll be very effective with my 2nd graders.

[pachun_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It was the 1950's and Ruth was excitied about her family trip to her Grandma's. What started out to be a pleasant trip, became discouraging as they get face segregation as a result to the Jim Crow Laws. Ruth doesn't know why they are not able to stay at a motel or use the restroom at the gas station. But she see's the frustration and disappointment her parents feel and soon overcome with cheerful songs. After seeking shelter at a friend's home, Ruth and her parents are informed about The Negro Motorist Green Book. Ruth is told that the book contains information on all the places in many states where blacks are welcomed. Been given the job to use the green book, Ruth finds many different places where her and family finds comfort and warmth for the rest of their trip. This is a very good picture book to use for any US History class in high school. It gives a brief explanation of the Jim Crow Laws and through a young girl's perspective, the book shows how it may have affected African Americans during that time. Although it is short, the book can be used as an introduction to the Civil Rights Movement. This book is a must-have for any Secondary school library.

[kriley5 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed this book for multiple reasons. First I thought the plot was very engaging and realistic. Each event was organized and had a bit of suspense. The plot displayed such a deep and intense topic for children, from a children’s perspective. This allowed the complexity of Jim Crow laws to be simplified for children. Secondly, the book pushes readers to learn about history in a different way. Personally, I always knew that blacks and whites were segregated in many ways; however being able to see how the blacks worked together to find solace and a way to travel was very interesting. The way the book describes facts and tool, such as the green book, to help the blacks travel teaches others about a new side of segregation struggles that many people may not know about. Finally, I really enjoyed the illustrations because they were very detailed and displayed emotion well. I could tell how the characters were feeling based off of their facial expressions. For example, when Ruth hands the little boy a teddy bear, he is in shock and ecstatic. This shows just how meaningful every little gesture is from one black person to the next. They helped each other out tremendously and they would not be able to survive without each other.