12. Rosa by Nikki Giovanni

 12. Rosa by Nikki Giovanni

Rosa Book Review

Giovanni, N. (2005). Rosa. NY: Holt.

Rosa Parks was one of the most important figures in the civil rights movement. Her courage and strength were evident as she took a stand against the injustice of the separate but equal ideas that the Supreme Court had already ruled unconstitutional. The book takes a personal look at Rosa and what led to her December 1, 1955 nonviolent protest. Rosa, and others like Martin Luther King Jr. then takes the reader through subsequent civil rights events that helped change American History.

This book is an easy to understand version of the story of Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott.  It reads more like a story, and less like historical facts, which will attract a younger audience. The illustrations made up of paintings and collages with geometric shapes are visually pleasing. The theme of racism and segregation during the Civil Rights Movement are featured all through the book. Rosa stands up for what she believes is injustice and eventually makes a difference.  I taught social studies for many years, and I would have loved to read this book to my class. 

Author’s purpose is another literary topic that could be discussed with the book.  Is the story written to inform or entertain? I found an inexpensive teaching packet on Teacher’s Pay Teachers that covers both theme and author’s purpose in the book.  The link is below.

 

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Rosa-Book-Companion-Main-Idea-and-Theme-3498480?gclid=CjwKCAjwnK36BRBVEiwAsMT8WKW_g2j4CgrO-r54zF9CWoalFMBX-JeG9p_Q9LVHVPIm6EJsPUpXoRoCbzgQAvD_BwE

 


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