GLOVE FOR A LADY

An English-language learner has a close encounter with a first lady during her visit to a Mexican American segregated school in this picture book.

When Teresa and Licha see men in “funeral suits” across from their school, they’re surprised to discover that President Lyndon B. Johnson plans to visit the students. Teresa is in awe when Lady Bird Johnson appears with her husband on stage. After the first lady drops a glove, Teresa rushes to pick it up—and is pulled aside by the Secret Service. But Lady Bird calms everyone down and thanks the girl in Spanish, the language that Teresa’s teachers forbid students to use during school days. Inspired, Teresa and Licha decide they will be a future president and vice president, and they will dress as stylishly as Lady Bird. Gerónima Garza packs tons of historical details into a short book, bringing to life a frequently skipped, true moment of history: The only visit of a United States president to a Mexican American segregated school. The author includes Spanish words in the text, with a glossary at the end to assist readers. The moment when Lady Bird breaks “the Spanish rule!” reveals the era’s prejudices and credits those fighting for equality. Noé Gonzalez Garza’s oil pastel images are realistic depictions, especially of the public figures. But Teresa’s and Licha’s faces are inconsistent across the pages, which may leave readers scratching their heads.

An engaging slice of American history from the perspective of students at a segregated school.