Big Mama wakes Tansy up early. She gets Tansy her breakfast, and has her take a bath, and sets out a special outfit for her to wear. Tansy doesn’t understand what’s going on. Big Mama just keeps saying that it’s a big day.

Tansy asks if it’s the first day of school, but it’s not. It’s not Sunday, but Big Mama is getting dressed in the clothes she wears to church. Big Mama puts on her favorite perfume, jewelry, a magnificent hat.

Still Tansy doesn’t understand the significance of the day.

And then Big Mama adds a sash to her outfit. It says, “Colored Women’s Political League.”

It’s the first day that women get to vote, and Big Mana and Tansy are at the front of the line. As Tansy gets to celebrate the day with all the women who have finally won the right to vote, she gets to be a part of history.

The Big Day is a short picture book that is long on emotion. Author Terry Lee Caruthers and illustrator Robert Casilla bring to life the story of these women voting their way into history. Based on real life Agnes Sadler, the first Black woman to vote in Knoxville, Tennessee in 1919, The Big Day is a stirring reminder of what it means to take part in a democracy and have your voice heard.

The book includes biographical information on Agnes Sandler and on the women’s organizations of women who came together and fought for—and won—the right to participate in voting. And then there’s one of my favorite features—the endpapers are reproductions of actual newspaper articles from around the country about the suffrage movement and how it changed American history.

The Big Day is a charming story that helps children understand a little about how crucial it was and how difficult it was to get women the right to vote. It’s a lovely introduction to this time in history, and the more kids who hear about this story, the better off we will all be. I recommend this for parents and teachers, librarians and storytellers. Simply put, it’s an important story told well. Read it to all the kids you know.

Egalleys for The Big Day were provided by Star Bright Books. with many thanks.