47 pages 1 hour read

Ruby Bridges

Through My Eyes

Nonfiction | Biography | Middle Grade | Published in 1999

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Before You Read

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Super Short Summary

Through My Eyes by Ruby Bridges is her autobiography detailing her experience as the first African American child to integrate an elementary school in New Orleans in 1960. The book, published in 1999, blends Bridges's childhood perspective with adult reflections, supplemented by photographs, newspaper excerpts, and historical context about the desegregation efforts under the Civil Rights Movement. The narrative includes explicit language reflecting the period's racism.

Reviews & Readership

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Review Roundup

Ruby Bridges' Through My Eyes is praised for its powerful, firsthand account of desegregation in American schools. Readers find it deeply moving and historically significant. However, some note that it may be too simplistic for older readers seeking detailed analysis. Overall, it’s regarded as an important, educational read that effectively conveys significant social history.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Through My Eyes?

Readers interested in Through My Eyes by Ruby Bridges are often drawn to personal narratives set against historical backdrops of the civil rights movement. Similar to I Am Malala or Brown Girl Dreaming, this book appeals to those seeking inspiring stories of courage and resilience from a child’s perspective.

Recommended

Reading Age

8-12years

Lexile Level

860L

Book Details

Topics

Civil Rights / Jim Crow

History: U.S.

Trauma / Abuse / Violence

Themes

Emotions/Behavior: Fear

Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger

Values/Ideas: Equality