Informational Text: Claudette Colvin Twice Toward Justice

Bibliography

Hoose, Phillip. 2009. Claudette Colvin Twice Toward Justice. Square Fish. ISBN 978-0-312-66105-2

Plot Summary

This bibliography tells about events of an ordinary teenager who did an extraordinary thing that kindled a movement led by Dr. Martin Luther King.  Before Rosa Parks refused her seat on the bus, Claudette Colvin was the first person to challenge the segregation laws in Montgomery, Alabama.  Colvin's daring stand added fuel to the already outraged African American feelings toward the oppression, ignorance and hatred by the segregation laws.

Critical Analysis

"To me God loved everyone.  Why did He curse just us?"  This kind of thinking from Claudette Colvin was a constant reminder that there was still injustice in Montgomery, Alabama.  It caused Colvin to take a courageous stand and speak out against the injustices of segregation.  This book is written in first-person accounts from Colvin taken from several interviews by the author.  Phil Hoose captures the essence of Colvin's words to tell her own story in which he frames the narrative, and includes a rich text that embodies passion within the content.  This book will hopefully inspire youth and adults to do something about the things they think are wrong in society to try to change or improve them.  The illustrations in the book are taken from actual pictures from Claudette Colvin, Rosa Parks, E.D. Nixon, Dr. Martin Luther King and many other influential African Americans.  

Reviews Excerpts/Awards        

Winner of the National Book Award

A Robert F. Siebert Honor Book

YALSA Finalist for Excellence in Nonfiction

Starred School Library Journal, "Well-written and engaging...Outstanding."

New York Post, "Hoose vividly recreates Colvin's bravery."

Starred Booklist, "This 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."

Starred Publisher's Weekly, "Hoose reasserts [Claudette Colvin's] place in history with this vivid and dramatic account, complemented with photographs, sidebars, and liberal excerpts from interviews conducted with Colvin...Thoughtful."

Connections

* Think about something they are able to change at their school and how would they go about doing it?

*Since Claudette Colvin is still living, see if you could Skype her and have the children ask her questions about the book.

*Have students do research on the Jim Crow laws.