FernFolio

When a little girl chooses to climb a tree to its highest bough, she comes up against the formidable Miss Nettie, who first warns of physical injury, and then accuses her of rude behaviour, before threatening dire consequences in the form of a reputation as a tomboy and the scars to go with it. However, the girl has a mind of her own, and is determined to reach the top of the tree, even at the risk of a fall or in the face of certain punishment when she returns to solid ground.
This is the story of a young girl’s climb to the treetop, but it is also a lesson in striving to reach your highest ambitions, despite the discriminatory attitudes of others. As the child in this story learns, “the path of life goes up and up, not down” so “keep climbing… and let no one prevent you!”
The author, Beah Richards, was an African-American actor, political activist and poet. The poem, Keep Climbing, Girls was originally published in her collection of poems entitled A Black Woman Speaks. Beautifully illustrated by R. Gregory Christie, Keep Climbing, Girls is a must-read for all who strive for equality of all people.
FernFolio Editor