Claudette Colvin: Twice toward Justice by Phillip Hoose
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Jul.28, 2012, under Battle of the Books 2012-2013, Biography or Autobigraphy, Bullying, Coretta Scott King, Newbery, Sam's Reviews
Who would like this book? Anyone with an interest in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, especially the Montgomery Bus Boycott and Rosa Parks, definitely needs to read this book. It would also be great for anyone looking for the life story of a courageous teenager who stood up for her beliefs.
Why? Do you think that one person – one teenager – can’t make a difference? Read this book and think again. Claudette Colvin grew up in the segregated South in the 1950s. Raised by her great aunt and uncle in a poor area of Montgomery, Alabama, she was intelligent and proud. She hated the unjust treatment that the people of her color suffered, and she could not figure out why the adults put up with it. The bus system of Montgomery was especially unfair; when she was 15 (in 1955), she had reached her limit. She refused to give up her seat to a white woman and was arrested and taken to jail. Nine months later, Rosa Parks did the same action and sparked the bus boycott that eventually ended segregation on the buses. Claudette also played a crucial role in this ending: the landmark court case, Browder v. Gayle, that made segregation illegal got much of its punch from the courageous testimony of Claudette and three other women. Before this book, her role in these events had been unrecognized. Phillip Hoose waited a long time for Claudette to be ready to share her story. She finally did, and he masterfully combined her moving narrative with historical background presented through text, photos, and documents. This book won the 2009 National Book Award and was a 2010 Newbery Honor Book, underlining its value and significance. It’s a powerful 150 pages!
The details: 150 pp. 2009 Review by Samrarian
