Anitra Butler-Ngugi is a reading specialist and teacher educator who lives in Maryland and Kenya. She teaches children in grades kindergarten through sixth to love reading and to appreciate the English language. She teaches teachers how to design engaging learning experiences for their students. She earned her bachelor's degree and her master's degree from Bowie State University. She enjoys cooking for her husband, traveling, reading, podcasting, and writing books for children.

"It's May 1963, and twelve-year-old Nina Norris is answering a call from civil rights leaders in Birmingham, Alabama. Black Americans are demanding the right to vote, but adults who protest risk losing their jobs. So, children are protesting in their place. As Nina prepares for her day, she knows she will likely be arrested and put in jail, but it's a price she is willing to pay so that all people can have a say in their government. Readers can learn the real story of the Birmingham Children's Crusade from the nonfiction back matter in this Girls Survive story. A glossary, discussion questions, and writing prompts are also provided"--