My Mother the Cheerleader by Robert Sharenow

Bibliography
Sharenow, R. (2007). My mother the cheerleader. New York: Laura Geringer Books

288 pages

Plot
Louise Collins lives with her mother in their boardinghouse named Rooms on Desire. It is 1960 and Louise is a young girl trying to live in a society where segregation is not only commonplace, but accepted. However, after the Supreme Court has declared segregation unconstitutional, Ruby Bridges is one of the first African Americans to go to William Frantz Elementary school. Louise’s mother is one of the school’s cheerleaders, a group of women who go to the school to heckle and verbally abuse Ruby on her way in and out of the classrooms. At first Louise does not think much of her mother’s behavior, however when a mysterious man rents a room in the boardinghouse Louise’s life and perception of the world is about to change forever.

Review
An introspective novel, My Mother the Cheerleader chronicles Louise Collins’ live in the Ninth Ward of New Orleans. Sharenow’s novel provides readers with a sort of explanation of why people were so dead against integration. However, amongst the turmoil of the historical time period, the novel deftly portrays a young girl’s coming of age, where she not only better understands herself, but also her family and the world around her. Sharenow’s depiction of growing up in the 1960s might be different in terms of segregation, but can easily be about a young girl’s experiences in any time, proving the book to be an excellent example of historical fiction.

Genre
Historical Fiction

Reading Level/Interest Level
This novel would appeal to readers in 6th – 8th grade.

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The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had by Kristin Levine
Through My Eyes by Ruby Bridges

Personal thoughts
I really enjoyed this book. Oftentimes Historical Fiction can be off putting to many readers regardless of age. My Mother the Cheerleader is interesting because it makes the story seem real, the characters believable, and the emotions true to life.

Subjects/themes
Family
Coming of Age
Discrimination
Abuse
Single Parenting

Awards
ALA Best of the Best Books for Young Adults
New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age
VOYA Top Shelf Fiction for Middle School Readers

Series information
No known sequel.

Character names/descriptions
Louise Collins: A 13 year old living in New Orleans. Unsure about her worth and life, this novel is her ideas of how the world works.

Morgan Miller: A man who rents a room in the Collins’ boarding house. Morgan introduces a consciousness into the Collins’ life.

Pauline Collins: Louise’s mother who is a functioning alcoholic trying to make ends meet for her daughter while a proponent of segregation.

Ruby Bridges: A real person, who was the first African American to attend William Frantz Elementary school.

Annotation
My mother was a Cheerleader, but not the type of cheerleader you’re probably thinking of. So starts My Mother the Cheerleader, where Louise must come to terms with her life, her mother’s desire for segregation, and a man who changes it all.