Rosa Parks (Volume 9)

Little People, BIG DREAMS

by Lisbeth Kaiser, Marta Antelo (Illustrations)

In the Little People, Big Dreams series, discover the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists, to scientists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream.

Rosa Parks grew up during segregation in Alabama, but she was taught to respect herself and stand up for her rights. In 1955, Rosa refused to give up her seat to a white man on a segregated bus, sparking the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

Her decision had a huge impact on civil rights, eventually leading to the end of segregation on public transport. Rosa was described as “the mother of the freedom movement”. This inspiring story of Rosa’s life is moving, and approachable for young readers.

Genres: Picture Books, Nonfiction, Biography, Childrens, History, Biography Memoir, Feminism

32 pages, Hardcover

First published September 7, 2017

About the author

Lisbeth Kaiser is a writer and bestselling children’s book author whose words have appeared on websites, commercials, billboards, and even toothbrushes. Two of her books in the Little People, Big Dreams series, Maya Angelou and Emmeline Pankhurst, were selected for the ALA’s Amelia Bloomer Book List, recognizing the best feminist books for young readers. She most recently launched Who Was? Board Books, a new set of biographies for preschoolers from the #1 New York Times Bestselling Who Was? series.

Lisbeth studied English and economics at Tufts University. Before writing books, Lisbeth was the Copy Director at SpotCo, where she wrote ad campaigns for Broadway shows, and then became an editor at Google. She still writes as a freelance copywriter for many of her friends in theater and in tech, and in all kinds of other cool businesses. Lisbeth lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two daughters.

Reviews

[Hilary · Rating 4 out of 5]

A simple book with a few lines of text on each page. This book is about Rosa Parks. Although the slavery that Rose's ancestors suffered is a thing of the past, racism is rife and when Rosa is asked to give up her seat for a white person on the bus she does the right thing, she courageously refuses. Rosa is arrested and suffers for what she stood for although eventually her act symbolised the civil rights movement and helped stop the discrimination of segregating people because of the colour of their skin.

There are two pages at the back with facts and photos. I would have liked these to have been more detailed, but a good introduction.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a lovely book that I would love to give to my future children. It's part of a series about powerful women who have achieved wonderful things and there's such a broad selection from Rosa Parks to Amelia Earhart to Maya Angelou to Coco Chanel to Audrey Hepburn to Agatha Christie to a few more. I think it's nice to give kids books about real women who achieved incredible things and it's a fabulous idea.

I thought the book itself was good. The art was so beautiful and I think that kids will love it. I personally would have liked a bit more information on Rosa but I also think that maybe it would have been the perfect amount of information for kids. The one thing that felt off to me was the writing and I think that could be because it's translated to English from a different language but I doubt kids will notice that to be honest.

I would 100% recommend this for kids. It's a good starting point to learn about Rosa Parks.

*I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Shai · Rating 5 out of 5]

The life story of Rosa Parks is a very good way of teaching kids to treat everyone with equality. This children's book should be promoted so that a lot of young readers will be informed of the absurdity of racism. We may not be aware of it, but racism still does exist even at present. It always up to the parents, teachers, or guardians of children to teach them that whatever color or from wherever you came from, we are all coequal. Lastly, Rosa Parks' bravery and standing up for what is right also set as an example and inspiration not only to children but to adults as well.

[Manybooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Now textually, Lisbeth Kaiser's Rosa Parks (part of the Little People, Big Dreams series) presents both an informatively engaging introduction to the life and activism of American civil rights heroine Rosa Parks and is also what I would humbly call an almost perfectly conceptualised narrative for the intended audience, for the picture book crowd. Featuring more than enough details and required information so as to show and describe both Rosa Parks' biography and how her heroic stance not giving up her seat on a Montgomery Alabama bus to a white man (and simply because he was somehow considered as superior due to the colour of his skin) and her consequent jailing ended up triggering a year long bus boycott in Montgomery Alabama (and finally bus segregation being thrown out by the Supreme Court), Rosa Parks fortunately does not overburden readers or listeners with the minute specifics and details of Rosa Parks' time in jail and that her speaking out against segregation and for equality for all also caused much hardship and danger for Rosa Parks and her family (that while Lisbeth Kaiser does indeed mention how Rosa and her family ended up moving to Detroit because they no longer felt safe in Alabama, she does not get into any of the nitty gritty details regarding the threats and dangers the family was facing). However, and the above having all been said, while I have definitely much liked and appreciated reading Rosa Parks on a verbal and textual, informational level (and do think that this has been one of the best narratives of the Little People, Big Dreams series I have read to date), I will still only consider a three star maximum rating for Rosa Parks as aesthetically, I really have not all that much enjoyed Marta Antelo's accompanying artwork, finding Rosa Parks' humongous head and that even as an older woman she is always being depicted with the facial features of a very young and rather naive looking girl both visually off-putting and also not really all that flattering and laudatory to either the real Rosa Parks or her achievements and legacy.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This series is always a joy to read, it’s a really nice introduction to well known people for little children. Of course the plot is always a little bit fast but that’s to be expected and it’s totally understandable.
This book gives a glimpse into Rosa's life and tells the story of her childhood during the segregation and of her battle for civil rights. It's so nice for children to have this book so they can read about such a remarkable woman who changed the entire nation with a simple "no".

[Jessi ❤️ H. Vojsk [if villain, why hot?] · Rating 4 out of 5]

The series „Little people, big dreams“ is an awesome way to show children that there were and will always be strong, courageous women, who want to change the world and change it.
The illustrations were also really beautiful.

Definitely a great book to share with your kids!

[leynes · Rating 3 out of 5]

The installment on Rosa Parks was definitely my favorite of all the Little People, Big Dreams-biographies I've read so far. The illustrations were sooo cute and Rosa's story is just so damn inspiring and important that I was really happy to see how well it translated to a children's book.

Due to the fact that the series originated in Spain, it provides an amazing opportunity to discover some amazing Spanish artists with whom I wasn't familiar with before. Whether Isabel Sánchez, Leire Salaberria, Ana Albero or now Marta Antelo, all of them had their unique style and I loved being introduced to their work in this endearing manner.

Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't buy these books for myself (since I think they're quite pricy for how few pages they have, and I literally have no use for them) but I love dipping in and out of them at my local bookshop. Next time, I'm definitely going to pick up the installment on Ella Fitzgerald.

[Etienne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another of those books about a great person who achieved something great, rights/equality for the black people/community. The book is good but it lacks the kind of real biography or chronological even at the end that most book in this collection have...

[Sophia Wordworld · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eine kindgerechte Nacherzählung von Rosa Parks Geschichte mit aufgeräumtem Zeichenstil und klaren Botschaften. Am Ende der Geschichte gibt es eine kurze Zusammenfassung der Biografie von Rosa Parks, die für meinen Geschmack noch etwas ausführlicher hätte sein können. Nichtsdestotrotz: Ich bin großer Fan der "Little People, Big Dreams" Serie und finde auch dieses Buch sehr gelungen.

4,5 Sterne

[Kaethe · Rating 3 out of 5]

#45 in my 365 Kids Books challenge and multi-year effort to get Goodreads to fix the Top Readers, etc. lists. For a fuller explanation see my review for 101 Amazing Facts about Australia You can see all the books on their own shelf.

There are a lot of nonfiction picture books that are pretty much designed to give kindergartners the opportunity to look at several books and prepare a powerpoint presentation for their classmates in the way that primitive peoples once supposedly gave book reports. I don't recall ever doing that, but it seems ubiquitous in depictions of children's lives, so maybe I just forgot? Anyway, it it is an historical/biographical sort of series, Rosa Parks is my go to for evaluation. Very few people tell her story the way I like best. Rosa Parks as a hard-working and dignified woman of color who refused to give up her seat is pretty common. And I don't deny that Parks was brave: she knew full and damn well she was pulling a whole load of trouble down upon herself. She knew because it was a deliberate and considered act on her part. She knew because Claudette Colvin had already been there and done that, nine months earlier. Colvin was braver in one way because she was 15, pregnant, and unmarried when she refused to give up her seat, and she did it knowing just how little respect the world had for her.
Rosa was brave in a different way. She was lighter-skinned, she was a grown-up woman who wore glasses and looked demure. She worked for the NAACP. and she refused to give up her seat specifically to challenge the law with a more sympathetic plaintiff. I don't necessarily approve of the decision to back a "better" plaintiff, but I cannot argue that it worked.

So, yeah, this book presents the good plaintiff as if she had no forethought, no strategy. I prefer my heroines to be less modest and more cunning. More importantly, I think it's a really good idea to teach how to be civilly disobedient. That it is a choice we can make, and that it is a better choice than say, getting a mob together on Facebook to storm the Capital.

Library copy

[Elaine Mullane || Elaine and the Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was aware of this series for a while but hadn't read any of them until I picked up Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls: 100 Tales of Extraordinary Women and was inspired by stories of important women around the world. I started the Little People, Big Dreams series with Emmeline Pankhurst, leader of the British suffragette movement who helped women win the right to vote. I was eager to read more and this little gem was a joy to find.

Rosa Parks was born during a time of segregation in Alabama. With her curious nature she noticed that life for black people wasn't fair and Rosa began to use her voice and stand up for herself. In 1955, Rosa refused to give up her seat to a white man on a segregated bus and was sent to jail. When she was released, she was determined to change things, leading to the Montgomery Bus Boycott and eventually ending segregation on public transport.

I love everything about this beautiful little book and this series. In simple language, the story of this brave and inspirational woman is perfectly presented for children, and it is such an important story to tell. The illustrations are colourful and cute and will appeal to young eyes. I will certainly be adding this book to my 'Little Library'.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story and life of Rosa Parks, the civil rights activist, is an inspiring and incredible one which everyone should hear about. This book addresses her life and the way in which she stood up for herself and her civil rights in such a simple but effective way. There is just enough information so as not to overload young readers, whilst still putting across the pertinent points. The 'Little People, Big Dreams' series covers lots of inspiring figures from over the years, and I'll be looking out to read more of these. A collection of books that would be very useful in a young person's library.

[Lana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rosa Parks is a great picture book addition to the Little People, Big Dreams Series. The story begins with Rosa’s childhood, talking about her family and her unfair experiences in school and in her home town. She didn’t like all the unfair rules and decided she wanted to change things. This is a great introduction to Rosa’s place in history. And like I’ve said in my other Little People, Big Dreams review, I love this series!
Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing for this e-copy, my opinions are my own.

[Kristy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The illustrations in this children's book did a great job of enhancing this biography of Rosa Parks. It will most definitely help spark conversation and questions with your child, even if they are toddlers. Another great edition to the Little People, Big Dreams series.

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the idea of this series:
"Little People, BIG DREAMS is a best-selling series of books and educational games that explore the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream.
I feel they will appeal to children of all ages. Babies and toddlers will love the reading experience of these simple stories of children who grew up in a world which they wanted to change. Simple sentences propel the story a;ong while destinctive illustrations catch the eye and prompt additional conversations.
Why should we read this type of non-fiction to our kijds? Let them escape into magical realities. The world of reading is filled with various genres so should a child's bookcase, for one.
Secondly, we all need role models and who better than characters from out past.
to my shame I knew nothing of Rosa Parks until I saw a recent Dr Who episode based on the bus journey of non-compliance. It shows how powerful one person can be and how many lives they can influence.
Growing up the apartheid system in South Africa seemed the evil of the 20th century and yet the USA has an appalling record which Segregation was but a part of it.
Our children need to learn the truth and lessons from history. Such a neat and informative book as this one about Rosa Parks goes a long way to sharing knowledge and energising minds.

[Dora (Swift Coffee Book Blog) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read 4 books of the Little People, Big Dreams series, and since they're very similar (thus I can only say the same things about them), I've reviewed them together:
These are exactly the books I would love to dive in with my kid (once I'll have one)! They're very short, with very simple and short text - well, they're picture books. It's definitely suitable for only very little kids, toddlers. In themselves, at least. I can imagine telling a more detailed story about Hawking, Parks, Fitzgerald, Pankhurst, or any other hero of these books to a bit older child - I think when an adult reads it with them, adds things, and it's possible to discuss, than it could be quite enjoyable for even 5-6 year-olds. I find it very important to give role models to kids, ones who'd done something in their lives worth mentioning, especially in this age when all these celebrities and influencers are thrown at us who have never done anything useful that would earn them respect. These little board books (I've downloaded like 4) give help with that from a very early age, and that's wonderful!

[Michelle]

This is my first reading experience with the "Little People Big Dreams" series and it will certainly not be my last! I thought this was a perfect introduction for a young one on a very challenging topic. The Civil Rights movement has so much to it and this particular volume highlights Rosa Parks. It does a fantastic job of introducing someone vital to the movement as well as illustrating in a child friendly way the injustice of being treated differently because of our appearance. It also demonstrates that if we are unhappy about something, we should do something to change it - even if it extends beyond us personally.

My only wish was that this was longer, but I think for a small child the length is enough. This will make a great addition to my daughter's library!

Thank you to Netgalley and Quarto Publishing Group - Frances Lincoln Childrens for the opportunity to read and review this book!

[Karen Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The ‘My First Little People, Big Dreams’ series provides a great introduction to young children about people making a difference in our world. Always informative and inspirational, these biographies are totally relatable to young children and written for easy comprehension.

As a pediatric speech language pathologist, I am always looking for great board books with substance. Rosa Parks, an important figure in history, is another beautifully illustrated book for young children, teaching about respect, equal rights, kindness, and civil rights. I loved the book. This should be in every school library, as well as teacher’s classroom libraries.

Thanks to #NetGalley and the publisher for a complimentary copy of #RosaParks in exchange for an honest review.

[Ankita Arora · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short summary of Rosa Parks's life and her struggle for independence and respect in a country where even after the Blacks were free from slavery, they were still discriminated and disrespected. She encouraged her people to stand up for each other and fight for mutual respect. She made sure Blacks were given equal importance and right in their country among their countrymen.

I would've liked a little bit more about her but this book is mainly aimed for children's education and it is apt for reading out loud in classes with pretty illustrations.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[DivaDiane SM · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think I like this series better than the Spanish series. I think the information about the important bits of a person’s life is more complete.

This book about Rosa Parks emphasizes her opinion that she was just a regular person who did what was in her power to change things she knew were wrong. Nevertheless, it takes someone of strong character to do what she did for Black people in the USA.

The illustrations are cute, but all the female figures had little pink circles on their cheeks that made them look a little weird.

[JoAnne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this series of books! Read this with my 5 year old and these books are a perfect way to introduce topics such as the Civil Rights movement and who Rosa Parks was. It even taught me a few things - I never knew that Rosa Parks had to move away from Alabama after becoming so well known - (though of course it makes sense..) and it was super interesting learning more about her life than just the bus story - what everyone knows her for.

[thewoollygeek (tea, cake, crochet & books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

These books are amazing and I love all of them. Great introduction to a major civil rights figure and a great starting point for children, as always colourful illustrations draw you in. The details in the illustrations alone can help discussion points. A wonderful series

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the illustrations.

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good lord, this series is inconsistent. This is one of the better entries. It is simple, but it does manage to address some of the major issues that Parks was fighting for in her life without simplifying it down to the inaccurate "she was tired and wouldn't move from her bus seat" narrative. It even mentions that for safety, park an her family had to leave Alabama for Detroit after the bus boycott. I also liked that it made sure to say that she continued her work and activism for her entire life. Not a huge fan of the art in this one.

[Bridget · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked this up because of the retro cute cover and the illustration style. It's a beautiful little book, but the text of the story didn't sit well with me. When the book ends: "But she knew who she was. A regular person, just as good as anyone else," it feels condescending. It made sense in the middle of the book, when she was little and the book is looking at how she was treated differently/poorly because she was black, to talk about how she's "just as good as anyone else." But, in 2017, it's weird to emphasize that same narrative at the end of the story.

It comes across as, hey, little African American readers, you're just as good as anyone else! Implying that maybe you weren't aware of that? Like empowering stories and representation are really important, but I feel like they should be coming from a place of power instead of a place of insecurity? I wanted an ending more like: Rosa knew who she was. Not just a regular person, a person who saw something wrong and worked really hard to address it. A person with a regular life and regular problems, who chose to fight against them. A determined and driven person, who became a hero.

On the other hand, I really appreciated that this didn't take the inaccurate narrative that Rosa didn't move on the bus because she was tired. I feel like when I learned about her in school, the narrative was that she was tired of working and just couldn't move instead of she was tired of poor treatment and was choosing to take a stand. So I liked that this made it really clear that she was taking deliberate action.

I don't know. I have a lot of complicated thoughts about this picture book.

[Carla · Rating 5 out of 5]

New in the Little People, Big Dreams series, discover the incredible life of Rosa Parks. This book also appears to be from the sub-group to the series for younger children and is subtitled, "My First Rosa Parks". The end pages with notes, timeline etc. is present, but it is quite brief. This book was especially of interest to me as living close to Detroit, Michigan, I grew up hearing about Rosa Parks as she fled to Detroit to escape the death threats etc she received as a result of her activism. Rosa Parks stood up for what she believed and put herself in danger for standing up against racism and segregation. This act, was one of the beginnings of civil rights movement. This is a child friendly biography with great illustrations. It is a story that shows a young woman striving to achieve her dream. This book could be used to teach young children how to write a biography, show that it is important to have a dream and strive to achieve it, as well as teaching about racism and loving others no matter what colour their skin, their nationality language etc. I recommend this book to all public and school libraries. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book upon my request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.

[Caryll · Rating 4 out of 5]

The life of Rosa Parks’ is already something to say “wow” about, and this book is great for showing younger students why. Little People, Big Dreams: Rosa Parks is a great biography about Parks and her life’s work. The book doesn’t just talk about the infamous bus incident, but focuses on why Parks always tries to do the right thing and fight for the people. The book shares a lesson about treating everyone fairly and with respect, touching on racism in a way for young children to understand.
This book would be great to read-aloud to younger elementary students such as Kindergarten through first graders. It’s a good book to use in a social studies class as an introduction to the Civil Rights movements, to introduce a prominent person of the movement. It could even be used to introduce a Black History Month hero. For older elementary students, it could serve as a mentor text on how to write a biography about someone. Students could explore other people featured in the Little People, Big Dreams series. A unit about autobiographies and students’ dreams could be made as well.

[Andreia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is part of a brilliant collection of illustrated short books for children that are all about brave women who managed to do great things in their often short-lived lives.

I chose to read Rosa Parks first because she was definitely one of the bravest women that ever walked upon this Earth. She is still inspiring many women around the world - regardless of their race - to fight for what they believe in and to do what they think is right. I am glad that her story hasn't been forgotten and that she was chosen to be part of this collection, which celebrates the 100th anniversary of the women's right to vote movement.

I wish this book was longer but then again, it is a children's book and it can be really hard to make children interested in historical figures so this is a brilliant way to spark their curiosity. If you have a little girl, hand this book to her and hopefully she will become as brave and as resilient as Rosa Parks.

[Kalonda Mcknight]

Text-to-Teach

This is a very good book. This is an awesome diversity book. I will add this book to our classroom library in the near future. This is a good book on how to teach young children to treat each other with equality. I think that this book helps to teach young reader about racism. Even though many young readers do not know that it exist, it still does. It can help with helping young readers understand why racism exist and why we all should help to put an end to it. It helps them understand that racism is a learn behavior or a choice and not something that people are born knowing to do. This book also implements and shows that their are some courageous women who also helped change some things in the world. The "Rosa Parks" book has some awesome illustrations and it is a great book to share in a classroom setting especially when teaching about black history, which I believe should be a big part of the curriculum.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great introduction to Rosa Parks. The text is well suited to the intended audience and explains difficult topics in an age appropriate way so that young readers can understand the historical and political climate Parks grew up and participated in.

The back matter recommends age appropriate further reading as well as the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, MI where readers can visit the bus on which Parks refused to give up her seat.

Hands down, this is my favorite Rosa Parks book for children to date! The artwork is appealing and the text is simple enough to be read aloud, yet doesn't shy away from any of the important issues.

Highly recommended for K-3.