Rosa

Rosa

by Nikki Giovanni

Illustrated by Bryan Collier
http://www.bryancollier.com/index.php
8-11

*****
Coretta Scott King Award

Rosa tells the story of Rosa Parks and how her refusal to give up her bus seat inspired a community to make a stand for their civil rights.

I opened Rosa expecting a dry piece of historical fiction.  I remembered the story of Rosa Parks from elementary school but had forgotten how big of an impact Rosa Park's actions made towards African American civil rights.  Rosa's intimate viewpoint and vivid illustrations tell the story from a fresh approach, it was almost like hearing the story for the first time.  The story incluids details from Rosa's everday life making her a dimensional character.  She became a real person I could empathize with rather than the almost fictional character she becomes through the retelling of her story in school.  Her down to earth character makes her actions take on a new appeal.  She did not not get on the bus planning to protest segregation, she was not a politcal activist.  She was an everyday woman who was tired of being treated as less, pushed aside, of "putting white people first" and accepting this as a reality.  I could relate to feeling beat down and thinking 'not today'. 

The artwork was also irresitable, each page was a glimpse into Rosa's world.  Collier created the illustration in water colar and a collage of materials for a surreal affect.  Every page has intense emotion which reflects the energy surounding the movement.  One illustration shows women meeting in secret to create flyers prompting the people of Montgomery to walk in protest of the buses and in support of Rosa.  There are flyers floating around the room as they work creating a sense of magic and power.  In another illustration Martin Luther King is giving a speech and there is an abstract globe of light around him and you can just see the palms of hands reaching up to him in support (below).  You can feel his presence and the support and unity of the people.  It was an inspirational story. 

I would use this book in class while learning about the civil rights movement.  Rosa would add a personal touch to the historical approach.  The story puts the reader in that time period and prompts them to think about how they would have reacted.  I might have the students connect the story to a time when they stood up for something they believed in.  I would ask them to put themselves in Rosa's shoes and think about how her family and friends felt, what pressures she faced and if it was worth it.