Walk the Walk

PreS-Gr 3–Dexter and his father walk to his piano lesson during the Montgomery Bus Boycott in this story of community ­activism. Although Dex is worried about being late, and they see several buses pass by, he and Papa have “got to walk the walk.” ­Digitally created illustrations show Black citizens walking to work and running errands. ­Various businesses have “Whites Only” signs in their windows, while elsewhere there are posters reminding people to stay off the bus. The text captures Dex’s frustration with the length of their trip, but also his sense of ­humor as he comments that he can walk fast or slow, or even hop, waddle, and wobble. Spot illustrations capture each of these ­walking styles, providing comic relief after a scene where ­several white people in a truck with a rebel flag yell, “Get on the bus, stupid!” Papa ­assures him, “It’s never stupid to do what’s right.” A final spread shows an older Dex walking with Papa across the Edmund ­Pettus Bridge. Back matter includes an author’s note, a timeline of the Montgomery Bus ­Boycott, sources, and further reading.