Opening the Road
OPENING THE ROAD is the true story behind the Green Book guides Black Americans used to travel safely during legal segregation and the mail carrier who wrote it.
It’s a long, winding road toward social justice. Let’s share truths and open hearts and minds along the way. Keep going!
Outstanding Merit
2022 Bank Street College of Education Best Books of the Year
“A compelling picture book that introduces the history of segregation and its impact in the U. S. to young readers.”
—School Library Journal
- 2023-24 Louisiana Readers’ Choice Award nominee
- 2022 Ohioana Book Award finalist
- 2022 Bank Street College of Education Best Books of the Year , Outstanding Merit
- 2021 Jane Addams Book Award Finalist
- 2021 New York Public Library Best Books for Kids
- 2021 John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum’s Noteworthy Book for Young Readers
Book Trailer:
Beaming Books | ISBN: 978-1506467917
40 pages | ages 4-8
Bookshop | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Educational Resources
- OPENING THE ROAD Educator’s guide.
- Picture Books and the Green Book lesson plan created by an 8th teacher to introduce her students to the Jim Crow era.
- Pairing Picture Books and Primary Sources by librarian Tom Bober on the American Association of School Librarians KnowledgeQuest Blog.
- FLIPGRID Discovery Library Content
MEDIA
Press
Families for Peace, Cranes for Our Future, August 6, 2022, Instagram Live Commemoration of Hiroshima & Nagasaki.
“6 Ways to Celebrate Curiosity with Nonfiction,” Benchmark Education Blog
Featured Virtual Author for 2021, Buckeye Book Fair Virtual Authors
Book Reviews
- Review—School Library Journal
- Review—Friends Journal
- Review—The Tiny Activist
- Review—Celebrate Picture Books
- Review—The Banner
- Review—VivanKirkfield.com
- Review—NerdyBookClub.Wordpress.com
- Review—GabiSnyder.com
- Review—Jilanne Hoffmann
- Review—MsLinglingReads.blogspot.com
- Review—TwoBookwormsblog.wordpress.com
- Review—Rhapsody in Books Weblog
- Review—OnlyPictureBooks.com
- Review—MutuallyInclusiveBooks.com
- Review—CelebratePictureBooks.com
- Review—StillTeachingStillLearning.com
- Review—CraftyMomsShare.com
Interviews and Guest Posts
- “History’s Unsung Heroes”, Nerdy Book Club
- Opening the Road: A Tool for Building a More Equal Future, Beaming Books blog
- “The Power of Opening the Road,” Solutionary Stories blog, Meeg Pincus
- “3 Question Interview,” This Writing Life blog, Melissa Stoller
- “Behind the Scenes: “Finding Focus” Reader, Writer, Miner of Moments blog, Beth Anderson
- 12 x 12 December Featured Author, Julie Hedlund’s 12×12 Challenge
- Opening the Road: Victor Hugo Green and His Green Book Cover Reveal, Writing for Kids (While Raising Them) blog, Tara Lazar
Video Reviews
- Instagram Video: St. Agnes branch of the New York Public Library
- Instagram Video: First five @thetututeacher Vera Ahiyya
- Instagram Video-Brittany Bruton Blogger
Podcast
- Ep44 Opening the Road: Victor Hugo Green and His Green Book with Keila Dawson and (editor) Naomi Krueger—Picture Book Look Podcast
Articles, Lists, and Mentions
- “Pairing Picture Books and Primary Sources: Opening the Road Victor Hugo Green and His Green Book by Keila V. Dawson and Alleanna Harris” by Tom Bober, Knowledge Quest, American Association of School LibrariansKnowledgeQuest.AASL.org
- “28 Nonfiction Titles for Black History Month.” School Library Journal
- “Disrupting Nonfiction,” by Jennifer LaGarde, The Adventures of Library Girl!
- “Mentor Text Research: OPENING THE ROAD: VICTOR HUGO GREEN AND HIS GREEN BOOK“, Reading For Research (ReFoReMo)
- List—SocialJusticeBooks.org
- List—Anti-Defamation League website
- Best of List—New York Public Library
- List—Wisconsin State Reading Association
- List—DPS Media Coordinator, R.N. Harris Elementary School
- 2021 Preview (Part 1): 35 Picture Books, Black Children’s Books and Authors
- “Come 2021, The Green Book’s Creator Gets the Kid Lit Treatment,” by Carrie McClain, Black Nerd Problems
- New Release Roundup, Mutually Inclusive: Inclusive Book Recommendations for Inclusive Families
Instagram and Twitter Influencer Mentions
- Goodreads Reviews
- Instagram Post—HereWeeRead
- Instagram Review—Colorful_Stories
- Instagram Mention—ReadInColour Instagram
- Instagram Mention—TraciSorell Instagram
- Instagram Post—TheTinyActivist
- Tweet—HelpingKidsRise twitter
- Instagram Post—TraciSorell Instagram
- Instagram Post—BabyLibrarians
- Instagram Video: St. Agnes branch of the New York Public Library
- Instagram Video: First five @thetututeacher Vera Ahiyya
- Instagram Post—Literally_Cultured
- Instagram Post—GoodReadsWithRonna
- Instagram Post—IhaveABook4That
- Instagram Post—FireBreathingQueen Instagram
- Instagram Mention—ReadInColour Instagram
- Instagram Post—AgingerlyReview Instagram
- Instagram Post—EBL Inc Instagram
- Instagram Post—SheJustLovesBooks Instagram