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Liked It “A biography that reminds us all to continue working towards justice for all. |
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“So far, so good - just started - ”
Bonnie W wrote this review 5 days ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“A biography that reminds us all to continue working towards justice for all.
Ms B wrote this review 9 days ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
It is about Claudette Colvin who as a teenager did the right thing even though it caused her to be arrested and ridiculed by others. Nine months before Rosa Parks, fifteen year old Claudette refused to give up her seat to a white woman on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama. Way to go, girl!
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“wow, amazing story and what a story. i loved it especially after reading freedom walkers before this. a wonderful book.”
Teresa T wrote this review 2 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“I think that this book was very well written, and helps you realize things that happened in the history of America, but in a way that is more interesting, by telling the personal story of a girl's life and protests during a horrible time in history. I would reccomend this book to anyone who likes non-fiction books about issues in the society and history of America.
ALICE F wrote this review 3 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
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“Nonfiction is not my thing, so when a book grabs and holds my attention from cover to cover in one sitting, that's a rare thing. This book is a great companion to 2006's Freedom Walkers. A lot of the same details are in both stories, but each one covers them from a different perspective. Together they give the reader a more complete picture of the boycott and the events that led up to it. Terrific read.”
Dolores S wrote this review 3 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“This nonfiction work reads like fiction and was quite enlightening. I had no idea that a teen stood up against bus segregation nine months before Rosa Parks. This is a terrific book to share with students as an example for taking risks in the name of justice. Also interesting is the reaction to Claudette from her classmates.”
Sue A wrote this review Sunday, November 8 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“This was definitly an interesting read on the Civil Rights movement. I had no idea that there was someone before Rosa Parks who challenged the busing situation in Alabama. This is a good book to give 6-8th graders if they need a non-fiction book because the text is easy to read, there are pictures interspersed throughout, the chapters are short and the subject is interesting.”
Azuree wrote this review Tuesday, September 29 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“This is a great book about a little known civil rights activist. Claudette Colvin was just 15 years old when she refused to give up her bus seat for a white person. "It's my constitutional right!" she declared, as Montgomery, Alabama police officers pulled her off the bus; this was 9 months before Rosa Parks made her famous protest. Colvin later provided key testimony in a landmark court case against segregation.”
Donna B wrote this review 2 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Excellent biography of a previously forgotten civil rights pioneer. Colin's own words form the basis of the biography, which makes for a more intimate reading experience. Children's nonfiction. ”
Jennifer S wrote this review Tuesday, August 25 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“In other words, Claudette was basically not only a victim of racism (white racism), but was also a victim of ageism. A teenager was not considered to be as solid a foundation for a major legal and pr fight as would be an adult.
Ranko wrote this review Thursday, August 6 2009. ( reply | view 1 replies | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Claudette was 15 at the time of the incident. She was on a bus and, although there were seats open in the row she was in, a white person wanted her to be moved further back so she could take a seat and not have to sit next to or even across from a black person.
Yes, stupid and disgusting, but that's the way things were back in Alabama at that time.
Various details of the times are given, including the fact that, in Alabama, no professional jobs were really open to blacks other then being the pastor of a church, or being a schoolteacher in an all-black school.
The bus set-up was itself a strange ritual, especially in Montgomery where this all took place.
1. Whites would pay and sit down. Blacks would pay, then have to get off the bus, go to the back door, and then enter that and sit down in the black section.
2. Each bus had 36 seats. The first four rows were for whites only. No blacks could sit in them even all the seats were empty.
3. The middle section was sort of a temporary seating area for blacks. If whites filled up the first ten seats, and there were blacks sitting in the middle section, then the bus driver would make the blacks get up and move further back in the bus so the whites could take the middle section. Blacks had to alway sit behind where the whites set.
The author talks about other ways in which stores, etc, were segregated, and there are lots of photos in the book.
The book then goes into the famous Montgomery bus boycott, including the violence (including bombs) used against the blacks and anyone who supported them.
This is an excellent examination of just how strong segregation and prejudice were at that time. It's important for people to understand just how bad things were and that some progress has been made, but more still needs to be done before prejudice and racism are eliminated.”
