What do you think?
Rate this book
Tales of Young Americans
Riding to Washington
As the bus travels across cities and farm fields to its historic destination, Janie sees firsthand the injustices that many others are made to endure. She begins to realize that she's not so different from the other riders and that, as a young as she is, her actions can affect change.
40 pages, Hardcover
First published December 28, 2007
1 person is currently reading
66 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
July 27, 2018
A young girl, Janie, rides on a bus from Indianapolis to Washington D.C. to hear Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and others speak. Janie doesn't know or see many coloreds in her part of town, but her father works with many and he takes Janie with him. As they travel to D.C., they stop to try to find food but most establishments won't serve them. Janie stands up for one woman, Mrs. Taylor, when she needs to use a restroom. This fictionalized story helps relate this historical event to young children.
April 12, 2025
Great 👍
July 13, 2018
Riding to Washington is a work of historical fiction, written by Gwenyth Swain for children who are between ages six and ten. This book is about a little girl named Janie, who travels to Washington D.C. with her father to hear Martin Luther King Jr. make a speech on civil rights.
The plot was not very interesting as it potentially could have been. I felt that the author could have perhaps expanded more upon certain moments; for example, when Martin Luther King Jr. made a speech or when Janie got off the bus with her father. Regardless of the plot, the author beautifully narrated the story from the perspective of a young child. In fact, Janie’s outlook made the book seem even humorous at times. For example, when Janie was yanking on the machine to see how much paper towel it contained, Mrs. Taylor gave her the “look�. Janie’s reaction was very innocent when she thought to herself: “I guess that’s not the right thing to do�. The illustrations were also very artistic and bright-colored; it properly reflected the day time and night time. The characters were nice; however, I felt that the author placed more emphasis on Mrs. Taylor compared to Janie’s father, when it should have been the opposite. To conclude, this book should be appealing to young children, especially for those who can relate to the main character in the story, since the book presents conveys a proper morale, showing that everyone is equal and everyone has the right to a dream.
The plot was not very interesting as it potentially could have been. I felt that the author could have perhaps expanded more upon certain moments; for example, when Martin Luther King Jr. made a speech or when Janie got off the bus with her father. Regardless of the plot, the author beautifully narrated the story from the perspective of a young child. In fact, Janie’s outlook made the book seem even humorous at times. For example, when Janie was yanking on the machine to see how much paper towel it contained, Mrs. Taylor gave her the “look�. Janie’s reaction was very innocent when she thought to herself: “I guess that’s not the right thing to do�. The illustrations were also very artistic and bright-colored; it properly reflected the day time and night time. The characters were nice; however, I felt that the author placed more emphasis on Mrs. Taylor compared to Janie’s father, when it should have been the opposite. To conclude, this book should be appealing to young children, especially for those who can relate to the main character in the story, since the book presents conveys a proper morale, showing that everyone is equal and everyone has the right to a dream.
November 18, 2020
Fun book about a little girl who has the opportunity to hear Martin Luther King Jr. speak. It's a story of her riding the bus to get there. On the bus she made some really great characters, observes racism, and does her best to stand up for her friends. I'd love to use this book as a way to show how even little kids have tremendous influence and have the power to change the world, and change the room that they're in. I would use this book as a way to empower the kids in my class. As a responce after reading this book, I would ask the class if they had anything in the world that wasn't right that they wanted to change, and then organize a letter writing or brainstorming activity to get that cause rolling.
February 23, 2021
A girl whose dad thought the March on Washington was important. The mom wanted the dad to take her with him because she was a spitfire and mischievous and the twins were teething. Her dad said they would " see history". They rode a bus from Indianapolis where most of the people were dressed up.
Even though a woman wanting to use the restroom was well dressed, the reason she was let into the gas station restroom was because of the color of her skin. She quotes her mom and dad, "You got the choice to do the right thing or not." He grudgingly pushed the key to her.
People of all colors and religions came together at that time because they had a dream of coming together in peace!
Even though a woman wanting to use the restroom was well dressed, the reason she was let into the gas station restroom was because of the color of her skin. She quotes her mom and dad, "You got the choice to do the right thing or not." He grudgingly pushed the key to her.
People of all colors and religions came together at that time because they had a dream of coming together in peace!
November 19, 2020
Copyright: 2007
Genre: Historical Fiction
Theme: Equity, Peace, Racism, Standing up for yourself/others
I really enjoyed this story. The little girl did not necessarily understand what human rights she was fighting for in the beginning but over the course of her bus ride, she fully knew why. My favorite part was when she stood up for her and Mrs. Taylor to use the restroom and she was successful. I would definitely use this book as a read aloud book because it is so empowering.
Genre: Historical Fiction
Theme: Equity, Peace, Racism, Standing up for yourself/others
I really enjoyed this story. The little girl did not necessarily understand what human rights she was fighting for in the beginning but over the course of her bus ride, she fully knew why. My favorite part was when she stood up for her and Mrs. Taylor to use the restroom and she was successful. I would definitely use this book as a read aloud book because it is so empowering.
April 5, 2022
An elementary-aged white girl and her father ride one of the buses going from Indiana to The March on Washington.
Talks about the girl's experience being part of a crowd of mostly black people for the first time. She doesn't know the songs they're singing. It's weird and annoying to not be able to eat or use the bathroom.
She talks a gas station attendant into giving them the ladies' room key.
And then the actual gathering in DC as part of the large crowd.
Talks about the girl's experience being part of a crowd of mostly black people for the first time. She doesn't know the songs they're singing. It's weird and annoying to not be able to eat or use the bathroom.
She talks a gas station attendant into giving them the ladies' room key.
And then the actual gathering in DC as part of the large crowd.
October 5, 2020
Published: 2007
Themes: Peace, equity
My favorite part of this book is when Janie stands up for her and Mrs. Taylor when the young man wouldn't let them into the restroom. This book is a great way to shed light on how big of an event the March on Washington was and just how many people traveled from far away places to be there.
Themes: Peace, equity
My favorite part of this book is when Janie stands up for her and Mrs. Taylor when the young man wouldn't let them into the restroom. This book is a great way to shed light on how big of an event the March on Washington was and just how many people traveled from far away places to be there.
April 16, 2022
Another solid book in the Tales of Young Americans series. This book made a good conversation starter about civil rights with my children and is a nice introduction to the March on Washington and Martin Luther King, Jr. This was also a good follow-up to /book/show/8...
Read
January 25, 2020it is strong book and talks about what is right
March 18, 2019
Genre: Challenges/Issues
Awards: None.
Audience: Grades 3-6.
a) Janie, a young white girl, joined her dad on a bus to Washington to hear Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. speak. She was not sure why she was going, and why so many other people were going as well. By the end of the story she has a better understanding of what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. meant by his "dream."
b) If I was criticized for using this book with a group of children, I would explain that I believe that the book teaches a very important lesson of loving people for who they are, not what they look like.
c) This is a window book for all young students. Janie's journey is one that no young students will be able to fully understand, since they were not born in a time period to experience it. Though some children will understand the struggles of discrimination and racism more than others, most children will not have experienced it to that extreme.
Awards: None.
Audience: Grades 3-6.
a) Janie, a young white girl, joined her dad on a bus to Washington to hear Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. speak. She was not sure why she was going, and why so many other people were going as well. By the end of the story she has a better understanding of what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. meant by his "dream."
b) If I was criticized for using this book with a group of children, I would explain that I believe that the book teaches a very important lesson of loving people for who they are, not what they look like.
c) This is a window book for all young students. Janie's journey is one that no young students will be able to fully understand, since they were not born in a time period to experience it. Though some children will understand the struggles of discrimination and racism more than others, most children will not have experienced it to that extreme.
January 9, 2014
4.5 Stars This is an exceptional book about Martin Luther King Jr Speech in Washington DC August 28, 1963. It is a fictionalized story of a little white girl from Indiana going on a bus with her father to hear Dr. King Speak. It still makes me mad when I hear that black people were barred from using the same restroom at whites or eat at the same diners. I reminds me of the book "The Help" and how stupid some white people can be.
This girl in the story isn't sure why, as a little white girl any of this mattered, and then during Dr. Kings Speech it hits her.
Very nicely done without being too political or having an agenda.
I was very close to giving it 5 stars, the reason it didn't is on page 9 (well there are no page numbers) it didn't flow from the previous page and it made me wonder if I was missing a page.
"..but Paul Taylor, from Daddy's painting crew, smiled and me" {page ends} Then you turn the page
"Nice to meet you" said his wife.
Not horribly written but the "his wife" confused me. It just didn't flow well for me! If Paul had said "This is my wife..then "nice to meet you" It would have been fine. I had to look back to see if a page was sticking together.
Still very nice book!
This girl in the story isn't sure why, as a little white girl any of this mattered, and then during Dr. Kings Speech it hits her.
Very nicely done without being too political or having an agenda.
I was very close to giving it 5 stars, the reason it didn't is on page 9 (well there are no page numbers) it didn't flow from the previous page and it made me wonder if I was missing a page.
"..but Paul Taylor, from Daddy's painting crew, smiled and me" {page ends} Then you turn the page
"Nice to meet you" said his wife.
Not horribly written but the "his wife" confused me. It just didn't flow well for me! If Paul had said "This is my wife..then "nice to meet you" It would have been fine. I had to look back to see if a page was sticking together.
Still very nice book!
December 4, 2014
This book is about a young girl, whose father takes her to Washington D.C. in 1963 to hear Matin Luther King Jr. give a speech. Although she is first confused as to why she has to go, the speech resonates in her and creates a change. Janie learns about the way that people who are different from her are treated so differently. This book is very well written and does a good job of explaining what happened without giving a blast opinion.
The illustrations are realistic and the colors are somewhat muted. The medium is paint and the pages are fully illustrated with the words in the pictures. The book is written from the perspective of the main character Janie who is a child. This adds to the story because it displays the confusion that she and probably many other children at the time felt.
The illustrations are realistic and the colors are somewhat muted. The medium is paint and the pages are fully illustrated with the words in the pictures. The book is written from the perspective of the main character Janie who is a child. This adds to the story because it displays the confusion that she and probably many other children at the time felt.
July 27, 2012
Theme: civil rights movement, one person can make a difference, standing up for what is right, treating people the way you want to be treated
A neat story of a naughty little girl that ends up riding on a bus to hear Martin Luther's I Have a Dream speech. Love the perspective of the story told from view point of the young girl- powerful for students today that they can make a difference and take a stand for injustices. The author's note at the end of the book made me interested about finding out more about people who rode to Washington.
Classroom Connections: Great for when we are studying Martin Luther and the civil rights movement. It would be great to use as a springboard for further research about the bus rides to Washington.
A neat story of a naughty little girl that ends up riding on a bus to hear Martin Luther's I Have a Dream speech. Love the perspective of the story told from view point of the young girl- powerful for students today that they can make a difference and take a stand for injustices. The author's note at the end of the book made me interested about finding out more about people who rode to Washington.
Classroom Connections: Great for when we are studying Martin Luther and the civil rights movement. It would be great to use as a springboard for further research about the bus rides to Washington.
August 3, 2014
Riding to Washington is a work of historical fiction told through the point of view of a spitfire young white girl who doesn't understand all the fuss about traveling to Washington to hear Martin Luther King, Jr. with her father. Along the way she witnesses the hurt and injustice that segregation causes and comes to understand that Mr. King’s dream is a dream for everyone to have a better life. This is a beautifully illustrated and touching story of the power of knowledge and compassion.
February 14, 2013
This is a powerful book. It's short and not very difficult, but it's really a powerful portrayal of the time. It's unique in that it describes the events of traveling to the March on Washington from the viewpoint of a naive, white child. She describes how little she comprehends the events of the day until personal experience starts to bring the reality of the situation into focus. Really well done.
September 22, 2015
This book is amazing! I love how the book is written in the perception of a white little girl. Not to mention, the illustration is wonderful and the writing is well written. This book would be great for third grade and up. I will definitely want to read this to my future classroom. I think the author did a great job at showing the reality of how whites don't know what blacks truly where going through. Great book!
September 21, 2015
I love the history that is in this book. The history leading up to Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech and the people that got to experience the history. It also has really great illustrations that make the book that much better.
January 18, 2017
I'm using this with my intermediate grades for a lesson plan on Martin Luther King, Jr. It's a nice story about people working together to bring about peace. It also has some opportunity for math questions.
January 16, 2009
Really great illustrations.
September 1, 2009
a picture book int eh J fic section. tells the tale of a bus ride to the "I have a dream" speech
March 7, 2013
A book set in the time of Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech. Told through the eyes of a young girl.
January 18, 2016
I thought this was a great book for teaching historical fiction, Martin Luther King, Jr., tolerance, respect, and so much more.
January 24, 2016
This could have gone a bit deeper (either in characters or in historical information), but the illustrations are gorgeous.
January 20, 2012
A wonderful book about the Civil Rights Movement.
Read
May 3, 2017This book is about a little girl who goes on a bus ride with her father to go see Martin Luther King Jr. speak. I myself learned that blacks and whites were already making history by riding these buses together to the famous day. I find this book to be a great read when learning about the history of this man and his famous speech. The illustrations bring it to life and show everyone at the Lincoln Memorial through a beautifully painted picture.
Lexile: AD650L
ATOS Reading Level: 3.8
6+1 Traits: Illustrations, Organization
Lexile: AD650L
ATOS Reading Level: 3.8
6+1 Traits: Illustrations, Organization
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.