Back of the Bus

by Aaron Reynolds, Floyd Cooper (Illustrator)

It seems like any other winter day in Montgomery, Alabama. Mama and child are riding where they're supposed to--way in the back of the bus. The boy passes the time by watching his marble roll up and down the aisle with the motion of the bus, until from way up front a big commotion breaks out. He can't see what's going on, but he can see the policeman arrive outside and he can see Mama's chin grow strong. "There you go, Rosa Parks," she says, "stirrin' up a nest of hornets. Tomorrow all this'll be forgot." But they both know differently. With childlike words and powerful illustrations, Aaron Reynolds and Coretta Scott King medalist Floyd Cooper recount Rosa Parks' act of defiance through the eyes of a child--who will never forget.

Genres: Picture Books, Historical Fiction, Childrens, Cultural, Historical, African American, Fiction

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 7, 2010

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

Aaron Reynolds is a New York Times Bestselling Author of many highly acclaimed books for kids, including Dude!, Creepy Carrots!, Creepy Pair of Underwear!, Nerdy Birdy, and tons more. He frequently visits schools and his highly participatory presentations are a blast for kids and teachers alike. He lives in the Chicago area with his wife, two kids, four cats, and between three and ten fish, depending on the day.

(source: Amazon)

Reviews

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Has anyone noticed the major historical inaccuracy in this book? Rosa Parks did not sit in the front of the bus, as described by both the words and images; she sat in the middle, right behind the white section. She was asked to give up her seat in the colored section, which she refused. There was no way she'd be sitting next to a white person or in front of one at this time. If you choose to use this book, be sure to get the facts right and use it as a lesson to kids that they can't always believe everything they read or see in a book.

[Neva · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the sweetest and most womanly revolutions of the 20th century, beautifully told for children.

Read here: http://www.wegivebooks.org/books/back...

[Nancy Kotkin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Story: 4 stars
Illustrations: 5 stars

Picture book about Rosa Parks, seen through the eyes of a young boy on the bus. Happy to see the date and location indicated on the first page; not sure why that is left off most historical picture books. Floyd Cooper's illustrations are magnificent. His characters' body language and facial expressions add much to the story. This is a strong author/illustrator pairing; hope to see more work from this dynamic duo.

[Relyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This will be perfect for our Civil Rights Unit this year. This book was wonderful at making a very difficult topic accessible to second graders.

[538pm_sarahszymanski · Rating 3 out of 5]

Summary: Back of the Bus follows a young African American boy as he witnesses the refusal of Rosa Parks to give up her seat on the bus and her subsequent arrest.

Back of the Bus offers a unique view of the events that Rosa Park perpetuated the day she chose not to move from her seat. Children can get an authentic perspective of how that day may have looked through their own eyes and foreshadows the significance of that day to elicit further thought provoking questions and ideas (e.g. “ ‘Don’t’ you worry none. Tomorrow all this’ll e forgot.’ But I got something’ in me, all pale and punchy, sayin’ it won’t be’ ”).

Author: Aaron Reynolds
Illustrator: Floyd Cooper
Illustrations created using the subtractive method. The medium is oil color.
Award(s)/Honor(s): Maine Chickadee Book Award Nominee (2012); ALA Notable Children’s Book (2011); South Carolina Book Award Nominee (2012); Arkasas Diamond Award Nominee (2012); Alabama Camellia Award Nominee (2012)
Fiction; Civil Rights
Grades: 1-3

Theme: Back of the Bus is intended to engage the reader in thoughts about civil rights and segregation. This book could be used as part of a text set on civil rights, U.S. history, ethics, or right vs. wrong.

Classroom Connections: By using this book as a read aloud, the teacher can open discussions about both the context and impacts that the characters made from this book, but also the content found in this book. There are several phrases throughout the book that will likely be unfamiliar and not make sense to students. For example, “She’s got them worked-all-day eyes, but she’s got her strong chin on”. The class can stop and talk about what it means to have ‘worked-all-day eyes’ or how someone might put on a ‘strong chin’.

Readers’ Advisory: While the recommended grades are 1-3, this book may be more appropriate for grades 3-4 due to the content as well as the background knowledge necessary to understand the story and its intended purpose. There may also be a language barrier that teachers should prepare for as the author uses an old southern dialect that some students may not understand (e.g. “There you go, Rosa Parks, stirrin’ up a nest of hornets.”).

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book takes place on December 1st, 1955. The author uses first person point of view for the main character by using “I.” The story begins with this young boy in the back of the bus sitting, “where we are supposed to.” He has a marble with him and it falls up at the front of the bus where Rosa Parks catches it. She tosses his marble back to him. This is good foreshadowing for what is to come. As the bus makes another stop, it becomes crowded. The white people on the bus have the black people either stand up or move further back in the bus. Rosa Parks does not move back. Instead, she is arrested. At first, the young boy cannot believe she is sitting up there. Then, he begins to question, “Maybe she belongs up there?” After she is arrested, the young boy notices his mother has, “lightin’-storm eyes.” This is the spark of the civil rights movement for many. He was previously told by his mother to hide his marble after it went up to the front of the bus. The book concludes with the boy taking his marble out, “Cuz it ain’t gotta hide no more.”


This subject matter is well known, but told there the lens of an everyday, regular child. It may be uncomfortable to talk about, having black people sit in the back for no reason, but the author does a good job having the reader draw that conclusion. There is nothing that specifically says, “black people must sit back there.” However, it is truly implied. Since the author used a young boy to be the telling the story, it can allow for young readers to feel even more sympathy for him. The language also makes for an interested window into times back when this was written. The young child speaks the way someone his age would, making for a more believable story. The author uses words so the reader can really image the scene and feeling of the people on the bus with examples like, “lightin’-storm eyes” to describe the passion his mother and Rosa Parks have for justice. Since this is written from the point of view from a young boy, this is an example of fiction based on research historical fiction.

[Nickolas Florez]

An African-American boy and his momma are sitting in the back of a bus going down Cleveland Ave. and the boy is playing with a marble. The marble ends up rolling to the front of the bus and ends up in the hands of none other than Rosa Parks. The setting and time is suggested at the beginning of the story, but Rosa Parks' character confirms the time period. The boy sees the events of Rosa Parks on the bus unfold.
The story is a very interesting historical fiction piece because it gives a first hand account of what actually happened on the bus with Rosa Parks. The boy is very young and is only used to what his generation has been used to during that time period. When he sees the events unfold before him, he starts to question what is fair and unfair. The story represents a strong piece of historical fiction because it demonstrates the strong sense of setting, character, and conflict that such genre would need. The setting compliments the boy's dialect and also genuinely reflects the time period. The character is consistent throughout, telling his point of view of what happened that day. And the conflict between Rosa Parks, and the rules of the given time period stood out like it should have.
The visual elements of the book are very realistic. The composition of the characters was most important in establishing what the readers should be looking at, along with reading the text. The ensemble on the bus appeared to have enough detail while the main characters were given a lot of detail. The illustrated used a strong penciling and shading technique to give the characters and the activity on the bus some life; we can paint the image of the actual action happening in our minds.

[Sofia Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Back of the Bus by Aaron Reynolds & illustrated by Floyd Cooper is a picture book that tells a story about a young African American child who lives in Montgomery Alabama. On another cold winter day the child and his mom get onto a bus, and go sit in the back like usual. Except on this day a commotion breaks out on the front of the bus. The young child sees the police come and arrest Rosa Parks, who later becomes an influential civil rights activist along side with Martin Luther King. This story depicts the powerful story of Rosa Parks refusing to sit in the back of the bus and displaying the beginning stages of the civil rights movement all from a young child’s point of view.

I think this is great book which children can easily understand since it tells the story of Rosa Parks but from a child's point of view. The plot has some mystery to it, which allows children to use their brain and thinking skills to figure out what is really happening within the storyline. This book as well teaches a great message about standing up for what you believe is right, even when everyone else is against you and persecutes you. It also teaches children about the civil rights movement and the very beginning of it and the very influential leader, Rosa Parks. The illustrations of this book are very bold and beautiful and really enhance the meaningful message the storyline is telling. Overall I loved this book and the message it teaches from a young child's point of view. I highly recommend teachers and even parents to read this book to their children and teach them about the importance of the civil rights movement and Rosa Park's essential role.

[Nicole Maier]

The Back of The bus by Aaron Reynolds. This is the story of Rosa Parks, the story takes on a different perspective, a child. This child, who happens to be colored, is in the back of the bus when he notices Mrs. Parks in the front. When she is asked to give up her seat and refuses, the young boy begins to feel worried that he could be in trouble, his legs start to shake. After his mom reassures him that they have done nothing wrong, and Mrs. Parks is taken off in hand cuffs, does he start to realize that this is the beginning of something.

The setting is at the beginning of the civil rights movement, at a time when segregation was everywhere. The story shows how life was different based on skin color and that equal rights is something that was unheard of. The character is a young boy who is just trying to entertain himself with his marble. He offers us a unique perspective, since he understands most of the rules, but is still very innocently placed into the story. The theme is the beginning of the civil rights movements and the unfair treatments of blacks.

The illustrations are beautiful drawn, they use a mixture of both bright and muted colors to make it feel authentic to the time period. The use of light is fantastic, for example there is an illustration of a man in his suit jacket closest to the reader and the sunlight is shown across his chest. You can almost feel the warmth that man must be feeling. The illustrations are realistic, elegant and complement the text perfectly. The illustrations keep the readers focus on what is happening in the story. The background is not busy or confusing, it is kept simple and helps to convey the message.

[Kassandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a story of an African American child who is experience what it is like to be on the back of the bus that was setting for the infamous Rosa Parks incident. He plays with his marble as the long bus ride and Southern heat make it almost unbearable for someone to sit down in one place for a long time. He constantly asks his mother if they have done anything wrong but his mother just tells him to be quiet as the bus is pulled to a stop and angry voices get heard over the crowd. The boy of the story assumes that this is a normal day on the bus but he witnesses how Rosa Parks refused to move from her seat and was arrested.

The large two page illustrations provide the audience with a clear examples of how life was like living as an African American during the Civil War movement. The young perspective of a child offers a new point of view for the audience as we sense the confusion and fear off of our main character from the cryptic responses that the mother is giving as an explanation of what is happening. As a reader, you see how new and scary the Civil War Movement protests were especially when the boy asks his mother if they have done anything wrong by just being on the bus. Overall this was a great book with beautifully illustrated pictures that really captured the emotions behind what the boy was experiencing.

[Kali Guest · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is about a boy who witnessed Rosa Parks refusing to give her seat to a white man. In the story the boy first begins by feeling scared of what might happen, and then he realizes he feels empowered by her movement. In this story, you can see how some African American people feel uncomfortable that this is occurring, and would prefer Rosa Parks just to move. The story appears to be illustrated in colored pencil media, and the images help to really depict the story, showing the boy with his mother in the back and images of Rosa Parks clearly sitting away from where she is "supposed to", surrounded by white people. This book would fall into the category of fiction based research. This is because the boy tells the story as if he were there, when in reality, he wasn't, and it is based on a real life event which occurred. The plot also follows that of typical historical fiction, because the story runs into a conflict which eventually grows out of the time which the story takes place. The character, the young boy, is just an ordinary person, he isn't very extravagant. The story is very realistic, well written, and the characters behave in believable ways as they should in historic fiction.

[Kendall Hagerty · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Back of the Bus' by Aaron Reynolds is a historical story about the day Rosa Park refused to give up her seat in a bus. The book is told from the eyes of a young boy who is sitting in the back of the bus with his mother. This is an interesting book because there re very few books that tell the story from the point of view of the bystanders. Children should be encouraged to read this book becasue they can gain understanding what Rosa Park's action did for the community.

This story is fiction based on research; the author needed to do research to understand the time period and what they want to write about. The main reason for writing this book is to explain the impact of this important event. The main characters involved in this book are the son, his mother, and Roda Parks. I think the theme of this story is to fight for what you believe in, others will believe too. The illustrations are an important aspect of this book as well becasue they give the readers another look into what is happening. The illustrator uses realistic paintings to create a sense of actually witnessing the events as they occurred. I truly recommend this book becasue it shows an important time in our history through the eyes of a child.

[Kayla Reents · Rating 4 out of 5]

Back of the Bus by Aaron Reynolds is a unique perspective on what was going on during the civil rights movement. In particular, it tells of a boy and his mom at the back of the bus during when Rosa Parks took a “stand” against the discrimination. It includes true historical events like where she sat, how the cops were called, and how she refused to move and was then arrested. However, its fictional element comes from the boy and his mother’s perspective of the event and how they handled it.
The point of view was told from a young boy at the back of the bus. He wasn’t sure what was gong on, nor did he think anything of him having to be in the back. The entire time he was playing with a marble. The marble symbolized the need for African American people to hide at the time. When it rolled down to the front Rosa Parks caught it and gave it back to the boy, showing hope. The entire time his mother asked him to hide it, however, after the situation occurred, he held it out in the light because he felt strong and like “the marble” didn’t have to hide anymore.The color in this piece had a lot of brown tones. The texture of the illustration was like a gradient sand, but they was clearly evident to the reader.

[Sierra Willis · Rating 5 out of 5]

"We are sitting right where we are supposed to, in the way back." Through the eyes of an innocent child, Reynolds portrays the times of separation and racism. A young boy sits at the back of the bus as he sees Rosa Parks making a "fuss" over her separation. His mother seems annoyed with Parks, more than the separation. Through the eyes of a young child, the reader learns to see the issues as innocently as this child does. Readers see it as an occurrence that is out of his reach.
Floyd Cooper does an incredible job at depicting a young African-American boy through the times of separation and racism. All the images are clearly hand-drawn, and come across as grainy. This effect allows for the book to have an older feel to fit the time period. The little boy's eyes are soft which shows his innocence, while most other characters are harder to show the extremity of each situation. Through live-like images and short dialogues, each page creates the Rosa Parks story from a different perspective. This allows the reader to gain more understanding through an innocent's eyes.

[Serena Wheatley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is about a boy who witnessed the arrest of Rosa Parks during the civil rights movement. The story recalls him sitting in the back if the bus with his mother playing with his marble, watching it roll back and forth as the bus moved. He then notices a disturbance at the front and realizes that Rosa Parks is being arrested. He can tell that this mom is bothered by this but she doesn't speak up and he knows its from fear of being taken too. It is a situation that gave the boy a good take away lesson.
Overall, I really liked the way that the situation was told from another persons perspective. The story had accurate historical content and gave the situation an accurate representation. I enjoyed the symbolism of the marble and how he kept it hidden away, and when he takes it back out he feels like when he gets older, he could do something as bold as Rosa Parks did. I would recommend this book because it tells of a very important situation in our history and tells it from the perspective of a child.

[Ksamiller · Rating 4 out of 5]

1) Text to Text: I love the connection between Back of the Bus and A Picture Book of Rosa Parks. Reading both books in the classroom would give students another perspective on this historical event.

2) Remembering: What does the boys do to keep himself busy on the bus?
Understanding: Explain why the marble is an important part of the story.
Applying: Think of the situation in the story and what would you have done when the policeman entered the bus?
Analyzing: How are Rosa and the boy alike?
Evaluating: What is your opinion of the way people responded to Rosa on the bus? Why do you think they responded the way they did?
Creating: What inference can you make about the future of the boy? What story details help you make this conclusion?

3) Adapted Citation:
(2010, August 9) Horn Book Guide
http://www.booksinprint.com.leo.lib.u...#

[Matthew Ciccarone · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story opens on a young African American boy and his mother riding on the back of a bus. The boy is playing with marbles and having a good time. Midway through the story there is a commotion and the cops are called. It is here we are introduced the historical significance of the story, as the commotion is over Rosa Parks refusing to give up her seat in the front of the bus.

Back of the Bus is a piece of historical fiction. It tells the story of Rosa Parks, but from the perspective of a young African American boy who is also on the bus. Like many pieces of historical fiction, the main character is not of historical significance, just an ordinary young boy. This is a valuable form of fiction because it also teaches real history and helps us learn. It is an honest look at the struggles of the past, but still appropriate for very young audiences. The setting and characters are believable and the overall theme is one of hope.

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book for Black History month to my elementary school. Since the story is told from the perspective of a child watching Rosa Park's arrest, it makes it more immediate for the children listening to/reading the story. The rhythm of the writing and the accent of the young narrator catch children's attention, though if you are afraid to get into the accent, it might not be one that you want to read aloud to a group of children, because if it doesn't sound at least kind of natural, the kids are going to wonder what's wrong with you :P The book sparked an impromptu mini-lesson in all of the grades: younger kids didn't know much, if anything about Rosa Parks, whereas older children were unaware of what happened after Rosa Parks refused to get off the bus. I think it's a great educational tool.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Back of the Bus ” is a piece of historical fiction. It is set in 1955 in Montgomery Alabama, and is about an African boy who sits on the back of the bus with is mother “like he is supposed to”. However this isn’t an ordinary bus ride for the boy who began the ride simply playing with his marble. Instead a woman by the name of Mrs. Parks refuses to move to the back of the bus and a little bit of history is told. This book helps educate children about history by telling the story of Mrs. Parks from the point of view of a boy. This story does tell the events from the boy’s perspective very well, exactly as I would image a child would have thought and felt if they were really there at that time and place. I think this is a good book to introduce kids to this era in history since the boy is rather relatable to children.

[SJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

A young boy and his mother are riding on bus one ordinary day in Montgomery, AL. As the bus gets more and more crowded something happens near the front. The bus stops and doesn’t move. The boy and his mother stay put as the commotion unfolds and they begin to realize what is happening as the police get on the bus.


The story in this historical fiction picture book takes place on Dec. 1, 1955 in Montgomery, AL. The reader gains a different perspective on an infamous event that took place that day. The story of Rosa Parks is told through the eyes of a young boy who is riding in the back of the bus with his mother. This is a unique interpretation of the events that took place that day and a good introduction to the story of Rosa Parks and the challenges faced during that time period.

[Ashley Lopez]

Back of the Bus is narrated by a young black boy during the times when blacks were segregated by whites. He witnessed Rosa Parks refuse to leave her seat on a bus.

The book is a children's book due to the wording, it showed the boys curiosity as the event was occurring. Instead of being in shock by what was happening he described how those in the bus were in shock and how it scared him that something wrong was going to happen. An interesting part of the book was the marble the young boy was playing with. It seemed to be a symbol representing the strength he's had all along but never acknowledged until Rosa Parks decided to shine hers. The book is very informational for children regarding the history of America, although it does not give specific details the point of view of a child is a great way to inform students so the emotions can be understood.

[Gillianne Litvack]

"Back of the Bus" is a historical picture book written from the eyes of a child experiencing Rosa Parks arrest in Montgomery, Alabama. The story starts with a boy rolling his marble from the back of the bus, to the front as the bus stalls and goes to each stop. On the front of the bus sits Rosa Parks, standing her ground regardless of the fact that a women of her color wasn't allowed to sit there, let alone refuse to move. The author portrays the kids curiosity and confusion as the events of situation unfold, and ultimately watching Rosa's arrest. The author is able to portray in his writing the fury and fire behind the eyes of those on the bus, empowering them as each act of racism pushes them towards wanting respect and equality at that time.

[Sawyer Dombrowski]

This book was about Rosa Parks. A little boy and his momma were sitting in the back of the bus and he was playing with his marble. He described everyone piling onto the bus as "lima beans". Someone asked a lady to get up from her seat that was in the front of the bus so a white person could sit down. She said no, and the cops were called. She was taken away in handcuffs. Most of us have heard that story before, but this time it was from a boy's point of view and that is what makes it historical fiction. The pictures in the book and what the people were wearing all work into the historical fiction aspect as well. The pictures looked real life and they seemed to be paintings. They tie in well with the story because they make you feel like you are actually there.

[Heather Singh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This children’s picture book is a non fiction story that takes place in Montgomery Alabama in the year 1955. A young man and his mother are riding the bus, sitting in the back minding their own business when there is a commotion in the front of the bus. It’s Rosa Parks refusing to move to the back of the bus. The book tells the true story of Rosa Parks and the start of the Civil Rights Movement from a first person account, specifically that of a child. The illustrations are detailed and realistic. The artwork adds to the story and will keep young readers engaged. Overall this is a great book for students and early readers and is sure to create a dialog about culture and the history of the Civil Rights Movement.

[Brittany McLean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Back of the Bus was a fabulous read. It gave a fictional account of what happened on that day in 1955 when Ms. Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a Bus in Montgomery Alabama. This book was different from other books I have read about this event in history because it is told from the perspective of a child. I believe this would be a great book for 1st or 2nd graders because they have a better understanding of abstract concepts that a Kindergartner. This book could be used to cover topics like simile/metaphor, using purposeful/meaningful adjectives and discussing character emotion/feeling/motivation.

[Aryiel Vopalensky · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the story, Back of the Bus we read through the perspective of a young boy who witness Mrs. Park’s protest. The young boy sits with his mother at the back of the bus while a commotion starts at the front of the bus. The boy is scared and is confused by what is happening. He asks his mother if they did anything wrong to which she responds no. They sit and wait as they anticipate what might happen. Still the boy is confused as Mrs. Park is being arrested but her act of strength gives both the boy and his mother “lightening from the eyes.” The illustrations are realistic and take up the whole two pages. The characters also have expressive features.

[Ciara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aaron Reynold's story, Back of the Bus was about a boy and his mother who went on a bus ride. While on the bus, the bus suddenly stops and there seemed to be a problem. Segregation seemed to still be in effect as a brave African American woman sits in the front of the bus, with her strong chin. The story was told through the child's eyes, the way a child would describe an event they recalled.
The Back of the Bus is historical fiction. It is historical fiction because the author, Aaron Reynolds was trying to replicate the arrest of Rosa Parks through a child's perspective and he will always remember. The setting of the story took place in Montgomery, Alabama in 1955.

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 3 out of 5]

A young boy and his mother, seated at the back of the bus, watch as Rosa Parks refuses to give up her seat in the front and is arrested and carted off to jail. The entire event is seen through the eyes of the boy, who finds the situation scary but at the same time feels proud of people like his mother and Mrs. Parks. Floyd Cooper's soft, brown-tinted illustrations give a feeling of being back in time, back to 1955. This is a worthy entry in the list of children's books about Rosa Parks and her history-making act of defiance.

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the recanting of a bus ride by a little black boy during the time of segregation. It's mostly him thinking/observing to himself but there is also dialogue with his mama concerning the events unfolding on the bus.

At first you don't quite know where the story is going, you get a sense of the time period because of small references the boy makes but it's not until half way through the story that you finally see that it is a specific moment in history. It is a refreshing and new perspective of a story we all know from history class.

[Lucas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is a great historical fiction. It is about the true events of Rosa Parks refusing to move from her seat on the bus, but from the prospective of a young boy who was on the bus that day. The illustrations are great and support the harsh events of the historic moment. The details of the event were accurate to the true story; it was interesting to look at the event through the perspective of someone who was fictionally there. A great read highly recommend it to teachers and their students.