My Mother the Cheerleader

Reach for this book when your teenager is beginning to question the moral authority of the adults in their life or struggling with the discomfort of realizing that people they love can hold harmful views. Set against the backdrop of the 1960 desegregation of New Orleans schools, the story follows Louise, whose mother is a member of the Cheerleaders, a group of women who gather to scream racial slurs at six year old Ruby Bridges. It is a powerful exploration of moral awakening, the pain of seeing a parent's bigotry, and the courage required to forge one's own identity. While the historical setting is specific, the emotional weight of disillusionment and the search for personal integrity are universal. It is best suited for mature middle schoolers and high schoolers due to its raw, unflinching depiction of historical racism and verbal abuse.