Told in poem form, this is the story of Rosa Parks and the bus boycott in Montgomery Alabama during the Civil Rights movement in the US.

A blues guitar playing hound dog is the narrator of this historical tale. It documents how Rosa Parks stood up to the segregation in Montegomery, Alabama, and how this led to the boycotting of the bus system and the eventual overturning of segregation laws by the Supreme Court. It emphasizes the struggle of the boycotters, who walked or cycled wherever they needed to go, no matter how far it was, or how hot it was, or how long it took to make their point known. Blues music is a major theme, as the narration sounds as if it were being sung by an old bluesman. This is also reflected in the artwork of the book, with lots of blue color schemes and scenes of pride in the face of hardship. ( )

This book tells the story of Rosa Parks and the Montgomery bus boycott in a way that is engaging to young children. The story is narrated by a guitar-toting, blues-playing dog, whose lyrical voice is part poetry, part sing-song, and part didactic narrative. The Jim Crow laws are portrayed as a bony, mean-spirited bird pecking at Rosa Parks and others fighting for civil rights. The unique illustrations add to the ambience of the book with their sweeping brushstrokes of blacks and dark blues reinforcing the oppression in the South under Jim Crow and the blue spirits of those met with injustice.

The book ends with an author's note fully explaining the historical context of the narrative. Children reading this book will see how the act of boycotting a 10-cent bus ride can have far-reaching implications for a nation. They will be inspired by Rosa Parks and the others who participated in the bus boycott for more than 300 days, despite personal inconvenience, in their quest for justice.

Full review available here: http://www.fas.rutgers.edu/cms/econki... ( )

Ages 4-8

This story begins with shoes.
This story is all for true.
This story walks. And walks. And walks.
To the blues.

Rosa Parks took a stand by keeping her seat on the bus. When she was arrested for it, her supporters protested by refusing to ride. Soon a community of thousands was coming together to help one another get where they needed to go. Some started taxis, some rode bikes, but they all walked and walked.

With dogged feet. With dog-tired feet. With boycott feet. With boycott blues.

And, after 382 days of walking, they walked Jim Crow right out of town. . . .

Andrea Davis Pinkney and Brian Pinkney present a poignant, blues-infused tribute to the men and women of the Montgomery bus boycott, who refused to give up until they got justice.

This book is a great example of a historical fiction because it tells the story of true events of the 1955 bus boycott and how Rosa Parks inspired that event. It give details into what happened to the nation and how Rosa was a hero.
Media Used: Colored Inks on Clay
Age Appropriateness: Primary and Intermediate