Review: Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Phillip Hoose

Hoose, Phillip. (2010). Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice. New York: Square Fish Publishing. 160 pages. ISBN 0312661053

Awards/Selection Lists:
- 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
  

Author's Website: http://philliphoose.com/

Brief Summary:  Nine months before Rosa Parks made her immortalized stand against segregation on a Montgomery, Alabama bus, a teenage girl in the same city was arrested and jailed for refusing to give up her seat to a white person on a bus. Almost lost to history because she was not considered an appropriate role model for a civil rights movement, it was the court case that she helped bring to the courts of Alabama that ended segregation, though she would tell you, the fight's not over yet.

Personal Reaction: This account of Claudette Colvin's story, in her own words and Phillip Hoose's is fantastic. I could not believe that a story like this had not been presented in school as part of our study of the civil rights movement. This girl had guts, even as a teenager, and dared to take a stand to say "This is not right." Hoose found her story when he was writing "We Were There, Too." and I am so glad he did. We get to hear from Claudette herself the ups and downs, the emotions and thoughts running through her head from the start through the end, why she believes Rosa Parks was a better role model, but also where injustice reined, even in the civil rights movement she helped found with her own sacrifice. It is personal, emotional, brave, outstanding and you can really tell how passionate Hoose was when telling her story. Imagine if we had lost her story  forever. Now her story can help children of all ages learn to stand up for what's right, to be brave, and above all, to make your voice heard.

Front/Back Matter: Title page, copyright page, table of contents, content, author's note, bibliography, notes, acknowledgments, picture credits, index

Content Evaluation: Hoose's tone was enthusiastic, though the format was sometimes a little choppy. His notes, bibliography and picture credits were extensive, though he notes that some citations may be missing. As with most of his books, his resources are excellent, thorough and plentiful, allowing for substantial further research, and offering legitimacy to any information presented as facts.