Leaving Gee's Bend by Irene Latham

 Leaving Gee's Bend by Irene Latham is one of those books that makes me always want to know more.   It is the wonderful story of a little girl during 1930's Alabama and her families struggles.   It is a historically rich book that has a wonderful voice in the main character little Ludelphia Bennett.   While this is probably not a book that children would pick up on their own it is still a great book to get into a child's hands.   I see it mostly for use in the classroom to bring history alive.  There are so many ways a teacher can use this book --from the quilt making aspect or the history of the Red Cross being just a few threads of stories that can be found.   I also liked the idea of a child who has a disability (being blind in one eye) but not having that stop doing what she needs to do for her family.   A very special story.....