Boycott Blues: How Rosa Parks Inspired a Nation

by Andrea Davis Pinkney, Brian Pinkney (Illustrator)

This story begins with shoes.
This story is all for true.
This story walks. And walks. And walks.
To the blues.

Rosa Parks took a stand by keeping her seat on the bus. When she was arrested for it, her supporters protested by refusing to ride. Soon a community of thousands was coming together to help one another get where they needed to go. Some started taxis, some rode bikes, but they all walked and walked.

With dogged feet. With dog-tired feet. With boycott feet. With boycott blues.

And, after 382 days of walking, they walked Jim Crow right out of town. . . .

Andrea Davis Pinkney and Brian Pinkney present a poignant, blues-infused tribute to the men and women of the Montgomery bus boycott, who refused to give up until they got justice.

Genres: Picture Books, History, Nonfiction, African American, Childrens, Biography, Poetry

36 pages, Hardcover

First published September 30, 2008

About the author

Andrea Davis Pinkney is the New York Times bestselling author of more than 20 books for children, including the Caldecott Honor Book and Coretta Scott King Honor Book Duke Ellington, illustrated by Brian Pinkney; Let it Shine: Stories of Black Women Freedom Fighters, a Coretta Scott King Honor Book and winner of the Carter G. Woodson Award; and Alvin Ailey, a Parenting Publication Gold medal winner.

Pinkney's newest books include Meet the Obamas and Sojourner Truth's Step-Stomp Stride, which has garnered three starred reviews and has been named one of the "Best Books of 2009" by School Library Journal. In 2010, Andrea's book entitled Sit-In: How Four Friends Stood Up By Sitting Down, was published on the 50th anniversary of the Greensboro, North Carolina, sit-ins of 1960.

Her mother is a teacher and her father is a great storyteller, so growing up surrounded by books and stories is what inspired Andrea Davis Pinkney to choose a career as an author. The first official story she remembers writing was in second grade — it was about her family. Pinkney was born in Washington, D.C., and raised in Connecticut. She went to Syracuse University, where she majored in journalism. After college, she followed her dream and worked as an editor for Essence magazine, but after watching her husband, Caldecott Award-winning artist Brian Pinkney, illustrate children's books, she decided to switch jobs and became involved in book publishing.

Andrea Davis Pinkney currently lives in Brooklyn, New York.

For more information, please see http://www.answers.com/topic/andrea-d...

Reviews

[Mariah Roze · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is written in poetry form and it was really hard for my students to comprehend. There were a lot of metaphors in this book and I had to do a lot of pre-teaching. I would suggest this book to upper elementary/middle school students.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

After listening to Oprah Winfrey's speech last night on the Golden Globes, I'm reminded again of why we can't stop teaching the story of Rosa Parks in schools. Rosa Parks and the Montgomery bus boycott may be history, but it's surprisingly recent and feels incredible relevant in our current political climate.
This bluesy rendition of the story is for older audiences, and in fact, might be most appreciated by adults. Pinkney sets a rhythmic tone for this book that makes it one that must be read out loud. The illustrations accompanying the text blend together beautifully - they almost seem like they're swirling and moving along to the music.
One thing in the story that really stood out to me was how long the bus boycott lasted. For over a year, black people and their supporters refused to ride public transport. It wasn't just a moment where people were upset and then all was forgotten. There was real power and commitment. The boycott only ended once the U.S. Supreme Court declared racial segregation on buses was illegal. Currently, there's a lot of outrage over different issues, but there isn't always a clear action with a specific end goal. I think this book would be a great discussion starter for Civil Rights history as well as current social justice issues.

[Christine Albert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great non-fiction picture book by Andrea Pinkney. The focus is on the Montgomery bus boycott and the SCOTUS verdict against Jim Crow laws. I did not realize these events, the passage and subsequent decision against Jim Crow laws took place over the course of a little more than a year.

[N_hannahkang · Rating 4 out of 5]

Andrea Davis Pinkney and Brian Pinkney retell the well-known story of Rosa Parks in a refreshing way. Pinkney's story reads like a poem or even a blues-inspired song as her word choice include "duet," "crooned," and "strummed." She portrays Jim Crow as a bird "waving his bony wings" and who "pecks, pecks, pecks" at people like Rosa Parks who refuses to abide by the Jim Crow laws. She continues this metaphor throughout until "The Supreme Court invited Jim Crow in for a visit, and waved a gavel on his bony wings...Right then, Jim Crow grew tired. His bony wings started to ache. His peck, peck, peck began to lose its point." Pinkney recounts the peaceful, non-violent, but effective methods of the men and women who participated in the Montgomery bus boycott. Readers of all ages will appreciate Pinkney's brightly colored illustrations of blue, yellow, and green that allow them to make the connection to the boycott blues in which many
Americans - black and white - endured.

I am currently having my freshman research life before the Civil Rights movement - before Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Malcolm X. I read them the book White Socks Only to introduce some of the themes they will encounter during our study of Black Boy by Richard Wright. One of the research topics is Jim Crow. Many students know that about segregation but they didn't know as much about Jim Crow. It would be nice for them to read this book to see the direct connection between the two and its effect with Rosa Parks.

On another note - I went to a Newberry Conference today. The topic was about human rights. When many teachers expressed how their students were concerned and appalled when looking at the human rights of citizens in other countries but were unwilling or unable to really examine our own country's history of human rights because they didn't feel the US was as bad as other countries - the professor suggested making the connection to the "genocide" of African Americans. I had never really heard the Jim Crow south as a time of genocide but it does seem to connect...thoughts?

[Danielle Blinderman · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Boycott Blues" is a great info-text to read in any classroom fourth grade and above! This book tells the story of the impacts that Rosa Parks had on the African American community in efforts to abolish Jim Crow Laws. The book uses a metaphor of a crow to demonstrate how the Jim Crow laws affected individuals during the Civil Rights movement. Rosa Parks started a movement, and with the support of her community, it helped end racial segregation.

I would use this book in my classroom to talk about racial segregation and the key individuals who sparked the Civil Rights movement. Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr. were very famous activists during this time, and "Boycott Blues" does an excellent job emphasizing their impacts! Segregation can be a difficult topic to discuss with our students, so reading this book can be a great way to spark these deep conversations.

"Boycott Blues" is also a great leeway into discussing how our students can take informed action in their own communities. While what Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks did sparked a nation wide movement, we should still be encouraging our students to be courageous and take action in their communities! This book could help them think about the issues that our in our city and in our country, and they can brainstorm ways that they can help, and possibly begin to take action!

Overall, "Boycott Blues" was an awesome book to read about a social issue that is a key part of our country's history! I think that students will enjoy the beautiful illustrations and be inspired by leaders of this movement to stand up for what they believe in!

[Haley Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

Boycott Blues is an informational text about the Jim Crow laws and the Montgomery bus boycotts, lead by Rosa Parks. This book is a phenomenal informational text on what happened when the Jim Crow laws came into play in 1955. It shows the powerful, persistent, and peaceful fight the blacks fought against segregation and their victory 382 days later. I would use this book in a 5th grade class to talk about segregation and influential people who helped put an end to it. You can also talk about symbolism with your students when reading this book. Jim Crow is depicted as a bird in this story and paints a picture of how powerful and dehumanizing these laws really were. This book is a WOW book for me because of it's powerful verse and rich illustrations. The pictures in this book are absolutely amazing. They perfectly portray the emotion that you are feeling when reading the words on the page.

[Deena Alzaben · Rating 5 out of 5]

Boycott blues: How Rosa Parks Inspired a Nation. is a historical fiction that tells the battle of Rosa Parks and other African Americans against the Jim Crow laws. I would use this book as a read aloud in 3rd grade to integrate social studies and literature. This book not only tell about a significant piece of history, but also can be used to teach figurative. Boycott blues is full of personification and complex metaphors. I especially like how the author personified Jim Crow laws to emphasize the battle. This book could also be used teach about social activities. It shows how you can make a difference in the world. This is a WOW book for me because it does a great job of telling Rosa Parks story in a beautiful and poetic way and teaches the importance of standing up for what you believe in.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Boycott Blues is a historical fiction picture book about the story of Rosa Parks. This would make an excellent book for kindergarten and first graders to use while discussing cilvil rights movement. This book can be read great with a lot of passion and "bluesy" tone of voice to really get into the story. I would definitely recommend this book to young children around the age of six. I think the children will also enjoy the very dark themed sketch illustrations. Beside the importance of the story, I like how it can teach children to stand up and fight for what you believe in no matter how long it takes.

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Striking, dark illustrations. Text that just needs to be read aloud with the same anger and passion shown by Rosa and all of those that protested segregation. I had to read it a second time before I felt comfortable with the bluesy spoken rhythm. This would be amazing I bet as an audio book read by the author. My 6 year old first grader had recently learned about Rosa Parks so I chose this book to continue the dialog and it held his interest well. My 4 year old I'm sure didn't understand much of what was going on but he did enjoy the pictures.

[Belen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was very appealing to me. This books is about Rosa Parks and her not giving up her seat. The story is told by a dog with a guitar which I believe it engages/connects with the children. The fact that this is an important historical event and is told in a way that is suitable for children to comprehend is very beneficial for teachers with it comes to teaching about historic events. I would definitely use this book in order to inform my students African American History. (1st grade up to 4th)

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't love the style, and a dog as the narrator is kind of weird (not in a good way), BUT the illustrations are amazing, and I love that this book emphasizes the role of the community in the Montgomery bus boycott as opposed to the typical Rosa Parks hero worship.

[Whitney Stohr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book. It tells the story of the bus boycott of the Civil Rights Movement in a way that is catchy and interesting for kids. The tie-in with the Blues was surprising and creative, and the illustrations were beautiful.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the story of Rosa Parks and her rebellious bus ride into American history. It is told through the point of view of a hound dog in a southern slang sort of style. It talks about Jim Crow racism in the old South, which is interestingly portrayed as an old scraggly crow. This is a picture book with a lot of blue colors in it to help convey the "blues" of the story. It is a children's story about the boycott of the Montgomery bus system following Rosa Parks' bus ride and how it helped draw attention to the civil rights of black Americans. This book is recommended for readers ages 4-8. This is a great book to read and to start a conversation with young children. I am giving this 5 stars!

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful picture book about the Montgomery bus boycott. Andrea Davis Pinckney writes in the form of a blues song while Brian Pinckney uses swirling paintings with a blue hue. Very effective.

[Jonathan Kemmerer-Scovner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read through this book twice before seeing the author's note at the end in which she explains the origins of the term "Jim Crow." "For this story," Andrea Pinkney writes, "I have taken the liberty of depicting Jim Crow as a menacing bird to give characterization to segregation's ugly reality."

Wait a minute... had I missed something? Had I overlooked such stark symbolism? I flipped back to the beginning. Sure enough - on only the second illustration in - the words, "It was December 1, 1955, when the blues came to call - the same day Jim Crow flew in waving his bony wings," and her husband has unevenly sketched the White House with a bus puttering along before it, and above the White House is a large, menacing smudge which resembles an exploding storm cloud. And yes, if I stare at it long enough, Rorschach-style, it does seem the smudge contains a black beak, crazed wings, flapping curiously... If I blink, it reverts to just an inky mess, a black hole where the sun ought to be.

For the remainder of the pages, we see only its black tendrils about the outskirts of the images. It's there, hovering above the fateful bus that Rosa Parks boarded at the end of her workday.

Whenever Jim Crow got to laying down the letter of the law, to stating the state of segregation, he did it with his peck, peck, peck. And on this day, Jim Crow's peck was a duet.

The bus driver stands with his fingers pointing toward the rear, the driver's seat is engulfed in the stuff, swirling about like the Venom suit in SpiderMan, using him as its conduit. But, "even with Jim Crow's peck, peck, peck sounding like rust on a bedspring, Rosa stayed seated."

When Rosa leaves the bus, escorted by two police officers, the inkblot encompassing all of the bus.

The boycott begins. For one year, African-Americans - followed by white - refused to ride, crippling a major aspect of the American infrastructure across the nation.

Then came the miracle. The Supreme Court invited Jim Crow in for a visit, and waved a gavel on his bony wings. The judge in the courthouse said, "Jim, you're all wrong."

The black visage lifts, the colors of the page are able to shine through. "Bony wings, adieu. Peck, peck, peck, later for you. Bye-bye, boycott blues."

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[Shanea Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a historical fiction book intended for ages 6 and older. The book talks about how Rosa Parks started the segregation movement by not giving up her seat for a white person. At that time blacks weren't allowed to sit in the front of the bus. With the help of Martin Luther King Sr., the started to boycott using the buses, which led the Supreme Court to changing the law that everyone can sit anywhere on the bus no matter their color. I rated this book a 4 because it showed how things were dealing with segregation and would be easy for young readers to understand. Some of the illustration was clear but a little messy. Rosa Park and Martin Luther King Sr. were they main characters that were going up against Jim Crow in the story to end segregation. Jim Crow was against it and wanted to stay the same the black had to sit at the back of the bus and had to get up for whites. All of the language was simple word understandable to young readers. Someone could explain the few words they may don't know the meaning to. From the illustration the book would be appealing to younger reader and give them an incite of what the story may be about by looking at the cover. They will also be interesting in learning why Rosa Parks is famous for what she did and what led to it. I would use this book to show them how standing up for what is right can change things in make a big impact on the future even if you can't see it. Finally, it can be used to teach the history of segregation in the 50's.

[Emily Farnschlader]

This story discusses segregation and Jim Crow laws in a way that children will be able to understand. The story starts out by talking about when Jim Crow laws began and what that meant for African American people. It tells the story of Rosa Parks being told to give up her seat on a bus and her refusing to listen. It tells of her arrest and how this started a bus boycott. The story also mentions Martin Luther King Jr. and his idea to fight without violence, he said that they will fight with their feet. Instead of taking the bus, all African American people walked everywhere to support what Rosa Parks did. It talks about how hard it was to walk everywhere for over a year and the many times that they wanted to give up, but they never did. Then it talks about the excitement when the Jim Crow laws were taken away. During the whole story, Jim Crow was depicted as a bird.
This story would be great to use any time of the year, but especially during African American history month. It tells about the huge struggles that these people went through in a way that children can understand. This book could be used to introduce two of the famous African Americans in history. This is a way to bring up an ugly part of our country's past. This is a topic that student's might not be very familar with, especially in the younger grades. They will also be engaged by all the illustrations showing what is happening.

[Kayla Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

The blues arrives in town when ugly Jim Crow lands in town pecking at the black people to keep them away from the whites. However, when Jim Crow pecks at Rosa Parks on the bus to give up her seat to someone white she refuses and everyone realizes that its time to boycott the buses to end segregation. Blacks as well as whites, boycott for hundreds of days until finally Jim Crow takes flight. I really enjoyed this book and the fact that the author personified the Jim Crow laws into an actual crow that pecks at black people. This is a great way to help kids understand and visualize Jim Crow laws and the role they played in segregation and inequality. The illustrations in the book reflect a bluesy, dark kind of feel when Jim Crow lands in town, but the clouds and darkness lift when the Jim Crow laws are finally banned. I think this book has a lot of potential across the curriculum, especially in how it takes a complex subject and makes it graspable for kids. I would recommend this book for K-3rd graders. The book could be used to teach about black history, the Civil Rights Movement, Rosa Parks, and Jim Crow Laws. It might be a good idea to also talk about the history of blues music and how it originated to help students get an even deeper understanding of the book.

Pinkney, A.D. (2008). Boycott Blues: How Rosa Parks Inspired a Nation. Illus. B. Pinkney. New York, NY: Greenwillow Books.

[Cynthia Lagunas · Rating 4 out of 5]

How is difference constructed and what does it mean for character's belonging in an unequal world?

Differences between the characters are clear, the White people are allowed to sit in the front of the bus while African-American people are forced to sit in the back of the bus and give up their seats for Caucasian riders. African-Americans are forced to pay the same fare as the White passengers yet, they do not have the same rights on the bus. African-Americans stood together in solidarity to fight against Jim Crow laws, they stopped taking public transportation and walked or rode bicycles instead. This is a great book to teach children about advocacy. This book demonstrates the disparity of equality caused simply because of skin color.

How and by whom are perceptions of difference transformed, and with what implications for future relations?

After 382 days of boycotting public transportation, Jim Crow laws were no longer in place to affect African-American passengers. There was power in numbers, boycotters made their voice heard all the way to the Supreme Court. The abolishment of Jim Crow laws meant that unfair treatment of African-Americans on public transportation would be illegal. They would no longer have to sit in the back of the bus or give up their seats for a White passenger.

[Sabrina Jacobs]

"Boycott Blues" tells the story of the Montgomery bus boycott of 1955. After Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on the bus, a bus boycott ensued. For over a year black citizens refused to ride the city buses, and walked everywhere they needed to go. Some white citizens even joined their protest as well to show support. In the end,the Supreme Court ruled that segregation was illegal, and black citizens were allowed to have their rightful place on any bus.

Surprisingly enough, I had never even heard of the Montgomery bus boycott before. So I thought this was a great book to teach readers of all ages! This book depicts Jim Crow as an evil black bird in order to truly show the horrors that the laws caused. Each full spread illustration is painted in one primary color which helps set the tone of the story. For example, the page where Martin Luther King Jr. calls his fellow citizens to action is red, symbolizing the anger those people must have felt. In an author’s note, the author explains that the story is set to Blue’s music because it “conveys the weariness of struggle, but at the same time can bring on a feeling of hope when truly expressed

[Leighton]

Boycott Blues would be a great informational text to teach my third grade students about Rosa Parks. This text tells the story of Rosa Parks and how she refused to step off of the bus and got arrested for it. It referred to the Jim Crow Laws a lot and even counted the days in between that Rosa Parks went to jail and that the Jim Crow Laws went to the Supreme court which is why this book was a WOW book for me. I had never known how many days that people had gone on strike without taking the bus (382 days) and this astonished me.
If I were to use this book in the classroom, I would get my students first to write a paragraph saying something they would stand up for and why they chose that. I also would have my students do a simulation where they were told to do something just because of something they wore or because of their eye color or something similar to that so that they knew how Rosa Parks felt at that moment. My last activity would be to have my students make a speech of their own like Martin Luther King Jr. on something they are passionate about.

[Michael Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genre: Picture Book

Rating: ****
The lyrical style of this picture book about the Montgomery Bus Boycott is wonderfully done. The personification of Jim Crow helps the reader put a face on the conflict that arose in Montgomery, Alabama.

Summary:
Dog Tired sings a song about shoes and of tired feet in this creative description of Jim Crow and the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

Main Characters:
Dog Tired: the narrator, describing how people grew tired, but walked on.
Jim Crow: personified as a character who came to town.
Rosa Parks: Rose Parks described as a woman who inspired a nation.
Adults, Families, Children: different groups of people who took to walking when Jim Crow came to Montgomery.

Issues:
Segregation, Freedom, Responsibility, Choice

Other Information:
The literary style of this book is deserving of study. The way in which the author used poetic perspective and personification is impressive.

[Margaret Boling · Rating 5 out of 5]

1/2/13 ** I was fortunate to purchase this book at Cincinnati's Books by the Banks celebration in October 2012, and was able to have it signed by both the author and illustrator.

As I was shelving this, I nearly put "biography," rather than "informational," since it begins with Rosa Parks' fateful bus ride home from work. However, what I was most struck by in reading this book is the way that it depicts the perseverance and dedication of over 40,000 Montgomery residents. Some of our biographies depict the HERO as someone with more than a usual amount of courage or fortitude. This book dispels the notion that the bus boycott was all about one person.

I also enjoyed this book from a writing standpoint. The notion of Jim Crow is "personified" (loosely speaking) as a black crow that peck, peck, pecks the narrator throughout the tale. As will all B. Pinkney's illustrations, there is a powerful sense of movement - of wind, feet, vehicles - on every page.

[Kaycee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Boycott Blues is the story of how Rosa Parks said no to giving up her seat on the bus and got the Civil Rights movement in motion. It tells of the boycott of the Montgomery busing system and what the people doing the boycott had to go through as well as how long it lasted. The whole story it told through a blues song format. The repitition in the book was used well to show how tired and difficult the boycott was. The illustrations do a good job of furthering the story. For the most part the illustrations on each page are tinted blue for the 'boycott blues'. The representation of Jim Crow laws was particularly interesting as well. It was an ominous black smudge, a little reminiscent of a group of crows flying everywhere. This is a good story to use to introduce the Civil Rights movement, especially because it helps to show that this couldn't have been easy for the people doing the boycott.

[Jordan Bramblett · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first thing I have to say about this book is that the illustrations were AMAZING! That was definitely my favorite part of this book. The colors that were chosen for each page set the mood for what you're about to read. It's a very good way to implement what happened with Rosa Parks and about the Jim Crow Laws with your children. This may have been one of the most important movements in history because it was the start to ending segregation. The story is also told by a dog playing a guitar so younger children may really enjoy that too and are more likely to pay attention. Something I found funny was that Jim Crow was portrayed as an actual Crow in the book, that's something else younger kids may find funny, but they probably won't understand the significance of the book until they're older.

[Nancy Kotkin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Text: 2 stars
Illustrations: 3 stars

Nonfiction picture book about the Montgomery bus boycott of 1955-1956. Narrated by a dog singing the blues, some of the text is prose and some is poetry. I usually love artistic picture books, but this one misses its mark in my opinion. The visual and literary metaphors are too complex for the targeted age group. The large black splotches on most of the pages detract from the illustrations and make the pages dark; children will not understand their significance or accurately decode those swirls as crows. This is supposed to be nonfiction, but there are very few facts included in the text. There's a lot of "peck, peck, peck" but very little information. After reading this book, a child will not be able to correctly explain what Jim Crow was. So I'm not sure who the audience is for this picture book.

[Caitlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has not been given any awards. It is for grades 4-5. A dog playing the blues on his guitar walks the reader through story of Rosa Parks, the Montgomery bus boycott, and how Jim Crow came to an end. This book is written in poetic form to a blues' song. I thought this book was enticing with its detailed pictures and real content. A song is used to explain Civil Rights history. It provides a different perspective for kids to understand this event. You are walked through the timeline of events and it is simplified for children to comprehend. This book can be incorporated in social studies and history, civil rights, segregation, human rights, and African American history.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Pinkneys have found a compelling way to retell the story of Rosa Parks and the dismantling of Jim Crow laws that draws the reader into her experience while also illuminating the consequence our country now enjoys. Andrea’s narrative is told through verse, while Brian’s illustrations burst with energy and pathos. The raw text and illustrations underscore the commitment and cost that it took to put right the wrongs or that era. The book can give hope that establishing justice is an ongoing venture.

[Liliya Rubanenko · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book told the story of Rosa Parks through the voice of a dog singing blues. It shows how tired and sad the african americans were during this difficult period of segragation, but how they earned rights becuase they didn't give up. I would use this in the classroom to teach about Rosa Parks and to talk about not giving up but standing firmly in your beliefs.

Genre: Biography
Copyright: 2008

[Jeimy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jim Crow is an actual crow that hovers like a black cloud of hate over the people of Montgomery. Rosa Parks's arrest and MLK's words inspired people to get off the buses and walk. As the days became weeks, and months, and almost a year, their feet grew weary but they marched on until "The Supreme Court invited Jim Crow in for a visit, and waved a gavel on his bony wings."