THE CASE FOR LOVING

written by Selina Alko
illustrated by Sean Qualls  & Selina Alko

​For most children these days it would come as a great shock to know that before 1967, they could not marry a person of a race different from their own. That was the year that the Supreme Court issued its decision in Loving v. Virginia.

This is the story of one brave family: Mildred Loving, Richard Perry Loving, and their three children. It is the story of how Mildred and Richard fell in love, and got married in Washington, D.C. But when they moved back to their hometown in Virginia, they were arrested (in dramatic fashion) for violating that state's laws against interracial marriage. The Lovings refused to allow their children to get the message that their parents' love was wrong and so they fought the unfair law, taking their case all the way to the Supreme Court - and won!
Order at:​ ​Amazon  |  Local Book Store​​

AWARDS & HONORS

  • Kirkus Reviews Best Children’s Books of 2015, Picture Books
  • Booklist Best Picture Books of 2015
  • Booklist Lasting Connections, 2015
  • Chicago Public Library Best Books of 2015, Informational Books for Younger Readers
  • 100 Notable Titles for Reading and Sharing 2015, Children’s Books
  • 2015 Cybils Awards Nomination, Elementary / Middle Grade Nonfiction
  • Best Multicultural Books of 2015
  • ILA Children’s Choices, 2016 Reading List
  • Children’s Book Committee Bank Street College of Education Best Children’s Books of 2016, History
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"A perfect marriage of Alko and Qualls's art styles."
 ~ School Library Journal
 
"The Case for Loving' is an engaging and important story."
 ~ The New York Times

​"Despite the gentle way this book unfolds, the language and images deal a blow to racist thinking and just might inspire the next generation of young civil rights activists." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Inspirational, never heavy-handed, and appropriate for just about everyone." -- Booklist, starred review