The Oldest Student: How Mary Walker Learned to Read by Rita Lorraine Hubbard, illustrated by Oge Mora (Schwartz & Wade)

As a former teacher, Rita Lorraine Hubbard encouraged many students over the years. Now as an acclaimed author, she encourages them through the books she writes. And while all those books are special, The Oldest Student: How Mary Walker Learned to Read (illustrated by Oge Mora, Schwartz & Wade), holds a unique place in her teacher heart because it reminds us we can be successful students at any age. Plus, it’s a story she’s been thinking about for a long time — since elementary school! Rita Lorraine is also the author of Hammering for Freedom: The William Lewis Story (illustrated by John Holyfield, Lee and Low) and African Americans of Chattanooga: A History of Unsung Heroes (The History Press). She manages a website called The Black History Channel and Picture Book Depot, a children's book review site. I’m so glad to have Rita Lorraine here on THE KIDS ARE ALL WRITE!

What inspired you to write this book?

When I was in the fourth or fifth grade, my teacher took our class on a field trip to the Mary Walker Foundation to tour a replica of the cabin Mary lived in when she was a slave in Alabama. The tour guide told us that Mary was 116 when she learned to read and that she died at age 121. This age didn't seem so unusual to me because when you're in fourth or fifth grade, everybody seems old. But I remember being struck by the starkness of the cabin. There were no pictures on the wall, the floors were made of long planks, and there were no room dividers; it was just one room with an old hearth, a stark and rather rigid looking bed, and one lonely rocking chair. At that moment, I wanted to know more about slavery and more about the woman who became well-known enough that someone started a foundation in her name.

What was the biggest challenge and what kept you going when the journey seemed uncertain?

The biggest challenge was filling in the gaps in Mary's life. She lived and worked anonymously until the day, at age 116, that she walked out of her apartment and into the C.A.L.M. (Chattanooga Area Literacy Movement) reading class. I had to make multiple visits to the local history microfiche, where I located her obituary and then began to work from the info included within it to track her movements. I also had to track down the elusive John L. Edwards, son of the (late) man who founded the Mary Walker Foundation. Once I located him and managed to convince him to sit still for an interview (he's very involved in the Chattanooga community, so he doesn't sit still for long), he provided many answers. He also gave me the transcripts to a very long interview someone had with Mary. But even though the interview was done decades after slavery, Mary was still hesitant to answer questions about what slavery and life for black people was really like. What kept me going was that as I located more and more information, the book seemed to begin to write itself. I was fascinated with the way everything came together and I felt that EVERYONE deserved to know Mary's story.

Hammering for Freedom by Rita Lorraine Hubbard, illustrated by John Holyfield (Lee & Low)

What’s the most important thing you hope children will learn from your book?

When I was a teacher, I met students from all walks of life, and many of them had been through harrowing circumstances. Many felt that the odds were stacked too high against them and they would never overcome the obstacles before them. I hope The Oldest Student will show children that no matter what the circumstances, no matter what odds you face, it's never too late to pursue your goal, and, in Mary's words, "You're never too old to learn."

A great message! Thank you, Rita Lorraine, for visiting THE KIDS ARE ALL WRITE!