Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice

Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice. Phillip Hoose. New York: Melanie Kroupa Books, 2009. 133 pages. $19.95 (Hardcover). ISBN 978-0-374-31322-7. Grades 6-12.

My Thoughts…

You may be surprised to hear that I have already talked about this book with several different people, but if you knew how much I learned you may not be. I remember the first time I learned that Rosa Parks was not just some random lady who started the Montgomery Bus Boycott, rather that she was an ideal catalyst due to her professional nature, steady job, demeanor, etc. I was like dang, someone could have told me that back in the day. I was even more surprised to learn about Claudette Colvin, however, and how this brave girl was the one who started it all. Although I was not surprised by the horrendous racism and ridiculous arrests that took place during this period, reading the specifics still sent shivers down my spine and upset me. I can only imagine how students would react to hearing these stories, especially if they haven’t heard them before.

I think this book is an awesome teaching/informational tool. The way it is written is conducive to learning and is less difficult to follow than a text book. I liked that there were summary sections as well as sections taken directly from interviews with the key players. The photographs that were included, along with the tidbits of information in the margins went even deeper than the story and gave a sense of what else was going on during this time. I loved reading what Claudette had to say the most. You could feel the emotion and you could tell that it wasn’t being candy coated. I think Claudette Colvin is an amazing role model too, and that high school girls especially would respect and look up to her.  Although the subjects are COMPLETELY different I was reminded of Jim Murphy’s An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793. This book is historical fiction, but taught me so much. When I told me aunt about some of the books I have been reading I compared these two saying I would be a heck of a lot smarter if I read these books when I was in high school because they are actually interesting. If I was teaching the Civil Rights movement I would also incorporate other picture books rather than dry textbooks first, that way the textbook readings wouldn’t be boring. For example, Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by Doreen Rappaport would be a great companion to this title. All in all this was a great book, and I really learned a lot!