Reach And Teach says:

All too often heroes and heroines of justice movements go unsung, especially when they are children. Phillip Noose has brought us the story of one young girl who led the way to Rosa Parks refusing to sit at the back of the bus, Claudette Colvin. This is an amazing book, worthy of all the praise and awards it has garnered.

Here's an excerpt from Cladette's arrest report:

"We received a call at Bibb and Commerce Streets in regards to seeing a bus driver of the Highland Gardens Bus. When we arrived there we were informed by the driver  of the Highlands Gardens Bus that there were two colored females sitting opposite two white females, that refused to move back with the rest of the colored. These colored women were sitting forward, left side, of the rear entrance. An unidentified colored female that was sitting in this disputed seat moved to the rear when we asked her to, but Claudette Colvin, age 15, colored female, refused. We then informed Claudette that she was under arrest. She struggled off the bus and all the way to the police station..."

About the Book:

On March 2, 1955, an impassioned teenager, fed up with the daily injustices of Jim Crow segregation, refused to give her seat to a white woman on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama. Instead of being celebrated as Rosa Parks would be just nine months later, fifteen-year-old Claudette Colvin found herself shunned by her classmates and dismissed by community leaders. Undaunted, a year later she dared to challenge segregation again as a key plaintiff in Browder v. Gayle, the landmark case that struck down the segregation laws of Montgomery and swept away the legal underpinnings of the Jim Crow South.

Based on extensive interviews with Claudette Colvin and many others, Phillip Hoose presents the first in-depth account of an important yet largely unknown civil rights figure, skillfully weaving her dramatic story into the fabric of the historic Montgomery bus boycott and court case that would change the course of American history.

Awards and Reviews:

• National Book Award
• Winner Newbery Honor Book
• Robert F. Sibert Award Honor
• YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction Finalist
• Jane Addams Children's Book Award, Honor
• ALA Best Book for Young Adults
• ALSC Notable Children's Book
• Best Books of 2009 Lists
  
  • Washington Post
  • School Library Journal
  • Amazon.com
  • Booklist
  • Publishers Weekly

“Hoose introduces readers to a resolute and courageous
teenager.”—Starred Review, Publishers Weekly

“Encourages teens to empathize with
an age peer.”—Starred Review, The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

“Compelling.” —Starred Review, The Horn Book

“Inspiring.” —Starred Review, Booklist

""Phil Hoose has done pioneering work in bringing to our attention the crucial role of young people in social movements." —Howard Zinn.

Teacher Resources:

• Click here to download curriculum materials and other resources

About the Author:

Phillip Hoose is the widely-acclaimed author of books, essays, stories, songs, and articles, including the National Book Award winning book, Claudette Colvin: Twice Towards Justice.

He is also the author of the multi-award winning title, The Race to Save the Lord God Bird, the National Book Award Finalist We Were There Too!: Young People in U.S. History, and the Christopher Award-winning manual for youth activism It's Our World Too!.

The picture book, Hey, Little Ant which began as a song by the same title was co-authored with his daughter Hannah. The book is beloved around the world with over one million copies in print in ten different languages. Teaching Tolerance Magazine called it, "A masterpiece for teaching values and character education."

Phillip's love of the game is reflected in his acclaimed books, Perfect Once Removed: When Baseball Was All the World to Me which was named one of the Top 10 Sports Books of 2007 by Booklist and Hoosiers: the Fabulous Basketball Life of Indiana.

A graduate of the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Sciences, Hoose has been a staff member of The Nature Conservancy since 1977, dedicated to finding and protecting habitats of endangered species.

A songwriter and performing musician, Phillip Hoose is a founding member of the Children's Music Network and a member of the band Chipped Enamel. He lives in Portland, Maine.