Carlotta's Special Dress
Carlotta's Special Dress:
How a Walk to School Changed Civil Rights History
Hardcover – Picture Book, January 6, 2026
by Carlotta Walls LaNier (Author), Lisa Frazier Page (Author), Vanessa Brantley-Newton (Illustrator)
Carlotta Walls LaNier, the youngest of the Little Rock Nine, shares the true story about a girl, a dress, and the historic fight to attend an all-white school in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Carlotta can’t wait to wear her new dress on her first day of school. But when the moment finally arrives, she isn’t allowed to go. The year is 1957, and the people of Little Rock, Arkansas, don’t want Black students attending an all-white school and will do whatever it takes to keep them out.
As hate and danger escalate, will Carlotta and her Black classmates, known as the Little Rock Nine, have the strength and perseverance to keep dreaming of a better world?
This moving picture book autobiography from a Civil Rights pioneer—with extensive back matter including an author's note, comprehensive timeline, and historical photos—introduces a landmark event in the fight for desegregation and demonstrates the world-changing power children have to enact change through bravery and faith.
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: January 6, 2026
Language: English
Print Length: 48 pages
ISBN-10: 0316572543
ISBN-13: 978-0316572545
Item Weight: 1.05 pounds
Reading Age: 6 - 8 years
Dimensions: 10.2 x 0.7 x 10.2 inches
Grade Level: 1 - 3
