Rosa Parks

I really enjoyed the art style of this. It appeared as though the images were watercolored and I don't typically see that when reading graphic novels.

This is a good starting point for middle grade students to be introduced to Rosa Parks.

It doesn't paint a rosy colored, white washed version of her story in which she's a mild mannered older woman who was too tired to give up her seat. In reality, she was an active participant in the civil rights movement, and her choice was an intentional, non-violent protest that helped to spark a massive boycott. The sacrifices Black folks had to make during the boycott was explored and how they supported the movement as a community.

Often with historical figures we often present such a narrow, one dimensional view of them. Tokenizing and rolling them out as an example. I appreciated that there was an epilogue at the end that dove a bit deeper into what happened to Rosa after the boycott because her life was very difficult afterwards including poverty, debt, chronic illness and job insecurity, and through all that she still continued to fight for equal rights.

***Thank you to Papercutz & NBM Publishing for providing me with the eBook for free via NetGalley for an unbiased review.