Rosa is a realistic fiction book about the story of the Civil Rights Movement via Rosa Parks. She serves as the vehicle by which Nikki Giovanni tells a condensed and comprehensive narrative of Civil Rights in America.
This short history begins with a personal introduction of Rosa Parks, the seamstress, the wife, and the daughter. We follow her as she goes through her day and we hear her little goals for the day. As she spontaneously takes a stand by staying seated, the readers learn of how others supported Rosa and of the larger movement already underway. The author surreptitiously includes references to legislation, leaders, and history. The great lesson in this book is that there are no second-class citizens in this country.
The illustrations are intriguing. When in a profound moment, leaders like Rosa and Martin Luther King, Jr. are depicted with golden halos. Because they are inconsistent, the halo belongs to the action and not the actor. Rich and full of detail, the illustrations consume entire pages and there are no white pages in this book. Color is strong in more ways than one in Rosa.
I was fortunate enough to have been a student in Nikki Giovanni's poetry class in Virginia Tech. She once mentioned to my class that adults should start reading more children's books to relearn basic lessons that they have forgotten or neglected over time. I think that she was right. Books like "Rosa" can teach so much to its readers, young and old. I haven't read the book yet, but knowing Nikki, I'm sure that it's a very enjoyable read.
ReplyDeleteTwo things about this post... 1- I love historical fiction, 2-Nikki Giovanni is from Virginia Tech so this book is a winner! No but really, what a great book to introduce Civil Rights in elementary school. This book can lead into so many discussions about the reality of Civil Rights, all starting from a historical fiction book. I also like that this book focuses on a named person, Rosa Parks, instead of just Civil Rights in general
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