Giovanni, N. (2005). Rosa. NY: Holt.
In this nonfiction Caldecott Honor winner, we are introduced to Mrs. Rosa Parks. She is a seamstress, a wife, a mother and a daughter. She is a calm and kind woman who loves her family above all else. On her way home from work one day, she became a catalyst for change. She got on the bus like she did every day after work and sat in the neutral middle section because that was the only free seat available. The bus was divided into a black section, in the back, and a white section, in the front. Anyone was allowed in the middle section. Mrs. Parks was so happy to be going home early so she could make her family a nice meal and check on her ailing mother. Suddenly she is snapped out of her daydreaming by the bus driver demanding she give up her seat to a white passenger. This shocks Rosa as she was sitting in the neutral area and had every right to be there. In that moment she realized how tired she was, not physically, but rather emotionally. Tired of white people being treated better than her and having to be bullied around. She knew that she was going to stay put for all those before her who had to compromise themselves due to racist ideologies. She was arrested and the community was shocked because her outstanding moral character. This caused a bus strike in the civil rights community and eventually lead to the Supreme Court ruling that segregation was illegal and everyone was equal under the constitution.
The story of Mrs. Parks is so inspiring. Her strength and integrity are perfectly personified in this book and the beautiful illustrations superbly complement the story. This should be required reading for all elementary students. The plight of African Americans in this country should never be forgotten and the quiet courage of an everyday woman should never be underestimated.
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