The Oldest Student: How Mary Walker Learned to Read
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4.0 • 5 Ratings
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- $8.99
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- $8.99
Publisher Description
Imagine learning to read at the age of 116! Discover the true story of Mary Walker, the nation's oldest student who did just that, in this picture book from a Caldecott Honor-winning illustrator and a rising star author.
In 1848, Mary Walker was born into slavery. At age 15, she was freed, and by age 20, she was married and had her first child. By age 68, she had worked numerous jobs, including cooking, cleaning, babysitting, and selling sandwiches to raise money for her church. At 114, she was the last remaining member of her family. And at 116, she learned to read. From Rita Lorraine Hubbard and rising star Oge More comes the inspirational story of Mary Walker, a woman whose long life spanned from the Civil War to the Civil Rights Movement, and who--with perseverance and dedication--proved that you're never too old to learn.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Mary Walker, born enslaved in 1848 Alabama, knew the first rule of her plantation ("Keep working!") and the second: "Slaves should not be taught to read or write." Emancipated at 15, Walker grew to adulthood and into old age, working and raising a family, but still the marks in the Bible she was given as a gift remained illegible. When she was 114 and had outlived her entire family, she entered a reading class, practiced writing until "pages and letters and words swirled in her head," and at last achieved her goal. Crisp, engaging collages by Mora tell Mary Walker's story in tapestrylike scenes whose planes of blues and greens convey the slow turning of years. In her early days, the signs and notices on the wall around Mary Walker appear as scribbles, but after she learns to read, they turn into words. Walker's determination and her long, long life she died at 121 offer genuine inspiration. Ages 4 8.
