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Review of Mamie Tape Fights to Go to School

A HISTORICAL FICTION TALE WITH

A CHERRY ON TOP


iamge of cover of picture book Mamie Tape Fights to Go to School

Crown Books for Young Readers

(pub. 5.7.2024)

40 pages

Ages 4 - 8


Author: Traci Huahn

   Illustrator: Michelle Jing Chan


Character: Mamie Tape


Overview:


" Mamie’s mom always reminded her a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. So when Mamie wanted to go to school, even though Chinese children weren’t allowed, she took her first step and showed up anyway. When she was turned away at the schoolhouse door, she and her parents took another step: they sued the San Francisco school board…and won! Their case Tape v. Hurley made its way up to the California Supreme Court, which ruled that children of Chinese heritage had the right to a free public school education. But even then, Mamie’s fight wasn’t over.


Mamie Tape Fights to go to School is the story of one young changemaker’s brave steps on the long journey to end school segregation in California. It began with a single step.."


Tantalizing taste:


"The school board announced they were opening a separate school for Chinese children. Again.

My lawyers explained I won the right to go to school, but the school board still had the right to keep Chinese children segregated. I'd have to go to that school.

Across town.

Above a grocery store.

With no play yard.


There were no more steps...

Papa shouted words I'd never heard.

Mamma vowed never to send me there.

Later, I thought about all those years Chinese children couldn't go to school at all.

Because of the steps I'd taken, there was now one public school where we were welcome. This time, no one could shut it down.


I reminded Mamma, A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Maybe the journey wasn't over, and this was just one small step in the right direction. I told her and Papa I still wanted to go to school...


I was the first pupil to step through the door."

And something more: The author, Traci Huahn, shared in the Author's Steps: "This book is historical fiction. Some details, including the dialogue, are imagined, but all the steps that Mamie and those before her took to fight to go to school, and all the ways others tried to stop them are true...


My research for this book was also a journey of sorts. My first step was learning about Tape v. Hurley. I paged through original legal documents; read books, journals, and government reports; pored over historic photos; and read dozens of newspaper articles chronicling Mamie's case. I interviewed several of Mamie's living relatives and listened to a recorded interview with Mamie at age ninety-six... I visited [the sites mentioned in the book]. Each step of the way, I grew more inspired to tell Mamie's story."

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