by Gwen Strauss
First published 2011
Ruth travels with her family on a car journey from Chicago to Alabama in the late 1940s. The road stretches ahead of them, but this trip will be unlike any vacation Ruth has imagined. As they drive through different states, Ruth and her family face the harsh reality of prejudice that awaits Black travelers. Hotels turn them away. Restaurants refuse to serve them. The simple act of finding a safe place to sleep becomes a challenge at every stop. Then Ruth's family discovers something that changes their journey. The Green Book becomes their guide, a real publication that helped African American families navigate a country where they were not welcome everywhere. Through Ruth's eyes, readers experience both the pain of discrimination and the power of community resources that helped families like hers travel with dignity and safety during a difficult time in American history.
Genres: historical-fiction, 20th-century, social-issues, african-american-historical-fiction, american-history
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: Alabama, Chicago
Period: 1940s
Audio CD
Content warnings: racism