Module 12: Rosa

Rosa

Book Summary:

This story tells of a brave, young seamstress in Montgomery, Alabama by the name of Rosa Parks.  One December day, Mrs. Parks went to work and, on her way home, she simply sat in the “neutral” section of the bus because the “black” section was full.  At the next stop, two white men got on the bus and demanded Rosa give her seat to them.  While others wanted to avoid trouble and quickly moved out of the men’s way, Rosa stood her ground and refused to get up.  Unfortunately, this brave act caused Rosa to be arrested and put in jail.  But when her friends heard of her courage, they decided to stand by her and encourage others to do the same.  They created flyers encouraging them to walk as opposed to riding the bus and passed them out to almost all of the African Americans living in Montgomery.  Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. even joined in and encouraged these citizens to stay off the buses.  After almost a year after Rosa’s arrest, the Supreme Court ruled that segregation on the buses was illegal.  Rosa’s courage to say “no” deeply influenced the Civil Rights Movement and caused America to reflect on the injustice that segregation presented.    

APA Reference of Book:

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

Impressions:

This story is an excellent picture book to use to introduce young students to Rosa Parks and her bravery during a time when our nation was separated by color.  The backstory given to readers forces them to relate to Mrs. Parks and put themselves in her shoes.  The colorful illustrations also add to the story as they grab readers’ attention and accurately portray the emotions felt by those who lived during this time period.   

Professional Review:

Kirkus Reviews

Rosa Parks sat. "She had not sought this moment, but she was ready for it." When she refused to move out of the neutral section of her bus to make way for white passengers, she sparked the Montgomery bus boycott. She was tired of putting white people first. Giovanni's lyrical text and Collier's watercolor-and-collage illustrations combine for a powerful portrayal of a pivotal moment in the civil-rights movement. The art complements and extends the text, with visual references to Emmett Till, the Edmund Pettus Bridge and Martin Luther King, Jr. The yellowish hue of the illustrations represents the Alabama heat, the light emanating from Rosa Parks's face a shining beacon to all who would stand up for what's right. A dramatic foldout mural will make this important work even more memorable. An essential volume for classrooms and libraries. (Picture book. 5+)

Source:

Rosa [Review of the book Rosa, by N. Giovanni]. (2005). Kirkus Reviews, 73(14). Retrieved

from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/nikki-giovanni/rosa-3/

Found through UNT’s Library Database- Book Review Digest Plus (H.W. Wilson)

Library Uses:

After reading this story and discussing Rosa’s bravery, the students could write about a time when they were brave.  The students could also create a poster encouraging others to show courage and stand for what they believe in like Rosa Park did.  Rosa’s story teaches an incredibly valuable lesson that can be integrated in more than just one lesson or activity.  However, having the students reflect on a time when they stood for what they believe in (or witnessed someone doing so) would be truly beneficial and aid significantly in molding the youth of today by stimulating the reminder that being brave and outspoken is perfectly acceptable when the end goal will vastly benefit others.