Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice

Bibliography

Hoose, Phillip. 2009. Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice. New York, NY: Melanie Kroupa Books ISBN 978-0-374-31322-7

Plot Summary

Though many think Rosa Parks was the first to stand up against segregation on buses, there was another who came before her. At fifteen years old Claudette Colvin stood up for civil rights by keeping her seat on a bus after being told she had to move so a white woman could sit down. She was then arrested and held at an adult jail until bail was posted. Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice follows the repercussions of Claudette's bold defiance and how she went from a leader of the civil rights movement to nearly forgotten. 

Critical Summary

The format of this biography alternates from a third-party telling the story to interview excerpts from Claudette Colvin herself, and a others involved. There are also sidebars that give brief, historical backgrounds of court cases and profiles about important civil rights activists, that relate to the story. These helpful sidebars and the varying points of view, keep Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice intriguing and information-packed. Reading the story from Claudette Colvin's view allows the reader to experience the emotion of her situation and makes it a very personal account, while the third-party aspect relays helpful facts that dictate the mood of the country and state of Alabama during the time of "separate but equal" from a historical aspect. 

The photos throughout the book gives the reader the chance to put faces with famous names, like Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks. There are several pictures of signs showing the segregation rules of the time, like a "Colored Waiting Room" sign at the train station. The inclusion of pictures like these show what lead to Claudette keeping her seat on the bus that day when she finally asked herself the question, "Why should I have to get up just because a driver tells me to, or just because I'm black?" 

Review Excerpts

"...this inspiring title shows the incredible difference that a single young person can make, even as it demonstrates the multitude of interconnected lives that create and sustain a political movement. Thorough chapter notes and suggestions for further reading close this title, which will find an avid readership beyond the classroom."-Gillian Engberg, Booklist

2009 National Book Award in Young People's Literature

YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction Finalist

Newbery Honor Book

Jane Addams Children's Book Award Honor Book

Booklist Top 10 Biographies for Youth

Publishers Weekly Best Children's Books of the Year

Robert F. Sibert Award Honor Book

Connections

*Read a book concerning Rosa Parks' experience on the bus and compare and contrast her experience with Claudette Colvin's. Discuss possible reason why Rosa Parks' story is famous, while Claudette Colvin's story has been nearly forgotten.

*Make available other books concerning the civil rights movement. Include books from before Claudette Colvin's time all the way through present times.