Rosa

Giovanni, N.  (2005).  Rosa.  New York:  Henry Holt and Company.

This is an informational re-telling of the day Rosa Parks took a stand against segregation when she boarded a bus after getting out early from work.  Seeing no available sitting in the Colored section of the bus, she sits where the seats are neutral and refuses to give up her seat when she is told to move by bus driver.  The arrest of Rosa Parks then sets off a series of events that leads to the Supreme Court ruling segregation to be illegal.  The dark hues of Bryan Collier’s illustrations represent a difficult time in our history, as well as correctly portray the events that took place during that time period.  The information being presented would be a great resource for history teachers or any educator covering segregation or historic American figures.  Because the information is also very condensed, upper elementary and middle grades will be able to easily grasp the information and comprehend the importance of Rosa Parks.  This is a 2006 Caldecott Honor Book and a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award Winner.  Here is a link to the trailer of this book: http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/asset/rosa-book-trailer