If A Bus Could Talk: The Story of Rosa Parks

by Faith Ringgold

If a bus could talk, it would tell the story of a young African-American girl named Rosa who had to walk miles to her one-room schoolhouse in Alabama while white children rode to their school in a bus. It would tell how the adult Rosa rode to and from work on a segregated city bus and couldn't sit in the same row as a white person. It would tell of the fateful day when Rosa refused to give up her seat to a white man and how that act of courage inspired others around the world to stand up for freedom.

In this book a bus does talk, and on her way to school a girl named Marcie learns why Rosa Parks is the mother of the Civil Rights movement. At the end of Marcie's magical ride, she meets Rosa Parks herself at a birthday party with several distinguished guests. Wait until she tells her class about this!

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

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

Reviews

[Mariah Roze · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to one of my Goodreads' friends, I was suggested the author Faith Ringgold. My class will be reading all her picture books that my library has because they are great for our Black History Month unit.

This book had a really cool theme and was very educational. It introduced the story of Rosa Parks in a really cute way. Then it went through her life story. The students really clung to this book as asked questions. This book was extremely well put together and very creative.

I really liked the messages and information this book shared. It gave me a lot to talk about with my students.

This is a higher level picture book.

[Aubrey Yager · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aubrey Yager
Book Review
If a Bus Could Talk: The Story of Rosa Parks
Faith Ringgold

1. Introduction:
What would you do if a bus with eyes, nose and a yellow cap arrived at your bus stop? Would you hop in and enjoy the ride? Marcie does just that in Faith Ringgold’s fictional book If a Bus Could Talk: The Story of Rosa Parks. This adventure story will be the ride of Marcie’s life, because she hears the inspirational story of Rosa Parks straight from the bus. The story goes into great detail regarding Rosa Park’s childhood, marriage and the bus ride that forever changed the course of history. The book is perfect for kindergartners all the way to 5th grade. It’s an easy and interesting read.

2. Brief summary:
In this book a bus comes to life and takes a girl named Marcie on an adventure she will never forget. Marcie discovers who Rosa Parks is and why she is known as the mother of the Civil Rights movement. At the end of the story, the bus takes Marcie to a birthday party where she is introduced to several important people from history.

3. Evaluation:
This story did an amazing job at meeting its fictional goals. The book is a fantasy in the aspect that a bus couldn’t ever talk, but it still told a real story about Rosa Parks. When studying the Civil Rights Movement in an elementary school, it is crucial for the students to be actively engaged in the story as well as emotionally aware of what the story is teaching. I was impressed by all the information provided about Rosa Park’s life before the bus incident. By using Marcie, the readers can relate because it is someone their age. They can put themselves in Marcie’s shoes and experience the bus ride themselves. The students probably aren’t too familiar about Rosa Parks, or the bus story, just like Marcie. The readers and Marcie learn together and this is an engaging way to have kids participate in learning. I would suggest that the ending was different. I love that fact that Marcie was able to meet Rosa Parks and other important people from our history, but I believe it should be more focused on Rosa Parks to eliminate possible confusion. All in all, I loved the bright illustrations and the bus creates an adventure that no one could forget.

4. Conclusion:
This book is great for elementary aged students, because it encourages them to make a difference. If one can anyone can, all you have to do is try.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Booktalked at Women's History Storytime.

This is an odd book. A talking bus tells the tale of Rosa Parks to a little girl on her way to school. I found it uneven, too wordy, and almost... ugly. I dislike this style of illustration tremendously. I didn't get a sense of magic from the book; instead, I just felt slightly put off by the strangeness of the narrator. Funnily enough, the little girl wasn't allowed to sit in a particular seat because it was reserved for Rosa Parks!

Eh. It fills a gap in the market, but I feel like it could've been much more. Instead, the book misses the mark.

[Jenna Dillon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summary: If a bus could talk, it would tell the story of a young African-American girl named Rosa who had to walk miles to her one-room schoolhouse in Alabama while white children rode to their school in a bus. It would tell how the adult Rosa rode to and from work on a segregated city bus and couldn't sit in the same row as a white person. It would tell of the fateful day when Rosa refused to give up her seat to a white man and how that act of courage inspired others around the world to stand up for freedom.
In this book a bus does talk, and on her way to school a girl named Marcie learns why Rosa Parks is the mother of the Civil Rights movement. At the end of Marcie's magical ride, she meets Rosa Parks herself at a birthday party with several distinguished guests. Wait until she tells her class about this!
Genre: biography, historical, fantasy
Reading Level: This book is for fluent readers because of the small font and the presence of paragraphs on each page. There are specialized content words, complex sentences with a variety of words and spellings, and many multi-syllable words such as: Tuskeegee, neighboring, and dignity.
Topic: standing up for what you believe in, bravery, a historical figure (Rosa Parks), civil rights movement
Curriculum Uses: I would use this book as a read aloud to support a lesson about the civil rights movement and when I was discussing Rosa Park’s contribution to society during that time. This would also be a great book to keep as a reference in my library or as an independent reading book.
Literary Elements: This author uses personification in the book by having the bus talk and she also has the conflicts of man vs. man, and man vs. society present throughout the book. There is also inciting force, rising action, crisis, and climax in Rosa Park’s story.
Social Issues: oppression, racism, equal rights, segregation, civil rights movement, women's rights
Illustrations and Text: The illustrations in this text are visually appealing and capture the reactions of characters in the story very well. The illustrator does a fantastic job at bringing characters to life and depicting the absurdity of some of the situations that Rosa found herself in. Overall, the illustrations support the text enough that the reader can use them as a helpful reference in reading.

[Amalia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Awards: n/a

Appropriate grade level(s): 2nd-3rd

Summary: This book tells the story of a little girl named Marcie and her journey to school on a magical bus. On her bus ride, the bus comes to life and tells her the story of Rosa Parks and how she played a part in the Civil Rights movement. After her bus ride, she actually meets Rosa Parks!

Review: I like how this book tries to hook the children in by telling the story through a magic bus. I think it did an amazing job of telling the history and story of Rosa Parks. My only negative critique would be that the pictures are not attractive and in a way, creepy for children.

In-class uses:
-Civil Rights movement
-Racism/ Diversity unit

[Katherine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I give this book 5 stars for being informative and inspiring my sons to ask a lot of really hard questions. Even the illustrations of white people were provocative.

I give the "talking bus" gimick 1 star because it wasn't pulled off well in the writing, and the illustrations of the bus just plain sucked! It looked like a clown!

This book makes me want to see Karen Hesse write a picture book biography of Rosa Parks, maybe with her illustrator from Come On, Rain (Jon Murth).

[Jeimy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cute way of introducing the Rosa Parks story.

[Tara Smallwood]

"If A Bus Could Talk", is a fun tale about the real life story of Rosa Parks. It began with a little girl riding the bus. She believed the bus began to talk to her. She tells her the story of the civil rights movement and what Rosa Park's role was from the beginning to the end. This story is a fun tell that takes you back in time to educate children on one of the biggest event in the civil rights movement. The bus boycott.

[Allie Walsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very, very good book! This book does a great job depicting what it was like before the Civil Rights Movement, and all of the influential people that were involved to make it happen and end segregation! The illustrations also do a great job showing segregation and the things that African Americans went through before being thought of as an equal American citizen.

[Henessy Tolliver · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a great reference for children to read and learn about the negative history that society has overcame.

[Chinook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kait and I first read this a few months ago. She remembered the key parts of the story. Maddie listened with us this time, as she’s really leapt forward recently in terms of her ability to sit for a more lengthy read. There were a lot of questions, especially since much of the text is a bit above their age level. But I think they are both beginning to understand racism and how terrible it is.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading this book with my children and with students in my elementary school. Insightful, informative, and beautifully illustrated!

[Amanda Knowles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summary: This book takes the reader on a journey through the Civil Rights Movement as told by the bus that Rosa Parks herself went on. This bus was important because it was the very bus that Rosa Parks went on in which her actions on that bus sparked a movement. The talking bus tells about Rosa’s life and leads up to her most influential moment, when she refused to give up her seat to a white man. Her refusal to give up her seat on the bus in 1955 went against the segregation laws in the United States. Rosa was the first to defy the laws on a regulated bus. Her defiance brought her to jail, but her actions inspired others to stand up for their own freedom. Because of Rosa’s actions, men and women began refusing to ride the buses because of the segregation laws set forth which became known as the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Rosa truly showed people that they did not have to accept the unfairness.

Review: I think that this is a book that would be extremely beneficial for students to be exposed to. It clearly details the heroism of Rosa Parks by painting a picture of her role during this time period. Her actions prove to students that with courage and devotion, one can make a difference and advocate for change. Advocating for change is seen constantly throughout different points in history, which is one of the many reasons why students should be exposed to her story. Her successes prove that if you are unhappy with things, it is worthy to take a stand to encourage a transformation.

Other books you might pair with/ connect to: An internet resource that would be fitting for students to access is an article entitled Remembering Rosa Parks that can be found on the Time for Kids website. This website is appropriate because it offers personal insight about why Rosa chose to act in the ways that she did. The personal quotations given in the article work to explain her actions that were depicted in the picture book.

“Delicious quote” from the book, way to use it as a mentor text for writing, OR social justice issue raised:
The Social Justice issue raised by this book is the issue of race. Rosa Parks knew that people of color were being treated unfairly, and instead of sitting by and watching this maltreatment occur like so many others had, she decided to make an effort to change it. Rosa’s actions during this historical time period prove that one should never hesitate to stand up for what he or she believes in.

[Kim Pietrobono · Rating 3 out of 5]

Awards: N/A

Grade: Kindergarten-3rd grade

Summary: This book tells the story of a young girl, Marcie, who takes a magical bus ride to school. On this magical ride, the bus explains to her who Rosa Parks is and why she is so important to the Civil Rights movement. She learns about how Rosa, an African American woman, sat in the seat of a white person on a segregated bus and refused to give up her seat in an effort to stand up to inequality.

Review: I think Rosa Parks is an incredible female figure in our history, especially in the Civil Rights movement, and I’m glad that a child-friendly version of her story such as this one is in existence. I’m not the biggest fan of the talking school bus because I think it is a bit juvenile for the content of the story, which is more fitting for older students. I also didn’t find the illustrations to be particularly engaging or appealing.

In class use: This book can be used during a unit on civil rights, slavery, or African American studies. It can also be used for a project where a student has to pick a historical figure/hero/female figure etc.

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an odd book and it reminded me a lot of Aunt Harriet's Underground Railroad in the Sky, so I wasn't surprised to see that Faith Ringgold had written both. It offers an important history lesson in a way that children can appreciate and the magical bus ride was an okay vehicle for accomplishing the goal. I labeled this book as historical fiction only because of the magic bus - otherwise I would have listed it as non-fiction. The words, song, and quotes are helpful in describing this time in history. After reading this book, we talked a bit about segregation, about how our girls would feel if those rules were in place today and how sad we would be if we wouldn't have the friends we have now because of those rules. I enjoyed reading this book aloud with our girls - it was a bit long, but they stayed engaged throughout. Recommend for ages 6 and up because of the seriousness of the topic and the length of the story.

side note: I had a tough time finding a book on Martin Luther King, Jr. that we hadn't read before, so I was happy to see his prominent role in this story.

[Anaese Vega · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grade/Interest Level: Preschool/Primary/Upper Elementary (k-3rd grade)
Reading Level: Fountas-Pinnel, P
Genre: Biography

Main Characters: Rosa Parks.
Setting: Montgomery Alabama
POV: Marcie, The Narrator

Summary:
This book is about a girl named Marcie who unknowingly takes the same bus Rosa Parks took when she refused her seat to a white man. The bus talks to the little girl when she stumbles upon the seat that’s reserved in Rosa’s name every year. The bus tells the girl about Rosa’s life, how she faced Racism as a child, and how her act influenced the Montgomery Bus Boycott; which we all know changed the law of segregated buses. The bus also tells the little girl how Rosa continues to fight other social injustices in her life. He tells Marcie about her work with the NAACP, how she was activist for voter registration, and how she was allowed to vote after being turned down three times. The little girl realizes that Rosa, Dr. King and E. D. Nixon are all on the bus with her. Inspired now, she is really excited to meet them and asks them all questions about freedom and the movement.

Classroom Use/Theme:
I would use this book to compliment a social justice theme. I like this book because it encourages readers to stand up for freedom. It also teaches students how to become activists along with other issues such as, segregation.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent introduction to the civil rights movement for young readers, this picture book imagines that a young girl named Marcie boards a very gregarious bus. Because the bus has seen it all when it comes to bus segregation and the role played by Rosa Parks in integrating public transportation in Birmingham, the youngster, and by extension, the book's readers, are afforded a ringside seat to an important piece of history. Although the version of Rosa's decision not to move from her seat at the bus driver's orders in order to accommodate a white person is sentimentalized here, the picture book does provide the basic story of how the bus boycott began after Rosa was arrested. Essentially a primer of the civil rights movement in Birmingham, the bus introduces Marcie to many of the important figures of that time. The illustrations, created with acrylics, are rich, colorful, and catch readers' eyes. It's surely a good thing this bus could talk since it has a lot of great stories. Teachers might enjoy pairing this one with Rosa's Bus by Jo S. Kittinger: The Ride to Civil Rights (2010).

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

If A Bus Could Talk tells the story of Rosa Parks through the magical experience of a young schoolgirl named Marcie. Marcie learns how Rosa, as a child, was not allowed to ride the bus to school, and how, as an adult, she refused to give up her seat to a white person on a segregated city bus. This act of courage is inspirational to Marcie and helps her to better understand Rosa Park's impact on the Civil Rights movement. At the end of the story, Marcie celebrates Rosa Park's birthday with Rosa and a number of other passengers, on the very bus that Rosa took on the day she became a significant part of American history.

If A Bus Could Talk is a beautiful story with bright, colorful illustrations. The colors, along with hints of magic found throughout the story help to engage readers and captivate the minds of young imaginations. This book would be paired well with Through My Eyes: The Story of Ruby Bridges and could be read for both instructional and inspirational purposes.

[Kara Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

If a bus could talk, it would tell the story of a young African-American girl named Rosa who had to walk miles to her one-room schoolhouse in Alabama while white children rode to their school in a bus. It would tell how the adult Rosa rode to and from work on a segregated city bus and couldn't sit in the same row as a white person. It would tell of the fateful day when Rosa refused to give up her seat to a white man and how that act of courage inspired others around the world to stand up for freedom.

In this book a bus does talk, and on her way to school a girl named Marcie learns why Rosa Parks is the mother of the Civil Rights movement. At the end of Marcie's magical ride, she meets Rosa Parks herself at a birthday party with several distinguished guests. Wait until she tells her class about this!

LOVE LOVE LOVE!!! Great way to teach happening in the US's past.

[Jenny Gottstein · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is filled with historical events relating to Rosa Parks' actions during the Black Power Movement. Including bits and pieces about the NAACP, Martin Luther King Jr., and the Klu Klux Klan, this book connects the dots for children learning about the historical events of the Black Power Movement of the mid twentieth century. The story doesn't water down the truth, but presents it in a way that children can relate to. Children hear about how daily life was different for black children during that time. This book could inspire some good discussion with students, as well as get them thinking critically about the injustices in our world today.

[Jesicca Welch · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story describes the relationship between an African American woman, Rosa Parks, and her family members. This story is a clear representation of the obstacles that Rosa encountered in her lifetime. Back then, the events that took place were a part of the African American culture. There was some stereotypes that were brought up in the book, which could be harmful to African Americans. The genre of this book is non- fiction. This book discusses how Rosa Parks, along with the help of her family, overcame tough situations as a black woman. The author is identified as being a part of the group that is being represented.

[Kathryn Brewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a nice way to tell the story of Rosa Parks and the Civil Rights Movement that she and Martin Luther King Jr. were apart of. The story unwraps Rosa Parks life and all of her accomplishments. It addresses the Ku Klux Klan, segregation laws, Martin Luther King Jr., Montongomery Bus Boycott, bombings, and more historical events. It is a wonderful story to read when discussing black history month, Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, and the Civil Rights Movement. I would use this in a fourth-sixth grade class.

[Sydney Hall]

In my field experience for 323 we are discussing historical black heroes such as Rose Parks. This book caught my eye for two reasons: first, it tells the story of Rosa Parks in a fictional way. Also, it is written by Faith Ringgold who we have recently learned about in art. Faith made large contributions to the Civil Rights Movement and has created countless pieces of art representing African Americans. I think this would be a great read for Black History Month or even focusing on famous artists such as Faith.

[Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

One day, a girl's regular bus doesn't come, but she wants to be on time to school so she gets on the bus that comes in its place. This turns out to be a talking bus that reveals to her the story of Rosa Parks, the Montgomery Bus Boycott, and the beginning of the Civil Rights Movement. The book is packed with information in a manageable format. I was not drawn to the illustrations, but the five-year old I read the book with loved all of it.

[Elizabeth · Rating 1 out of 5]

An interesting premise (the story of the beginning of the Montgomery bus boycott told by a bus), but does not live up to potential. On the one hand too much detail that the bus couldn't possibly have known (the history of Rosa Parks's family before coming to the city) told in a dull encyclooedic way, but no "inside" information that a bus might know (such as the neighborhoods the bus rode through and the people who normally took the bus).

[Amie Sergio · Rating 3 out of 5]

Appropriate for lower elementary readers, the book clearly tells the story of Rosa Parks, an African American who fought for equals rights such as the desegregation of public buses. Though the book is detailed, the illustrations can be deceiving since they are cartoon like. Also, the bus tells the story of Rosa Parks which can be misleading and cause students to believe that the story of Rosa Parks is not real.

[Kayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

This a great story about the great works of Rosa Parks. I enjoyed reading this book and even learned a little bit more about what Rosa Parks did for America. It was interesting to read with a child-like spin on it. This book can show kids what African Americans at this time really went through. It can also teach them to stand up for what is right and one person can change a lot. They can do it themselves. It even includes Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I will have a copy of this in my classroom!!

[Jessie Weber · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am not usually a fan of children's history books but I liked this one. I loved that it was given as the view point of the school bus and it was a really great way to get the history across.

My summary,
The little girl gets on the bus but when she gets on she realizes its not the right bus. At first she is a little worried but the bus tells her to sit down. She sits down and starts getting the story of Rosa Parks. The bus takes her back in time and travels all threw Rosa Parks' story.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Marcie takes a ride on a talking bus that details the life and bravery of Rosa Parks. This story is a solid introduction to the Civil Rights Movement and honors a legendary person who had a major impact on African American history.

Text is a bit too lengthy for a read aloud, and doesn't shy away from the cruelties many black people faced at bus stops, department stores, and at lunch counters.

No back matter to speak of. Canvas paintings support the text. Recommended for grades 3-5.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marcie gets on a strange bus one morning and learns all about Rosa Parks and the beginning of the Civil Rights Movement through the retelling from the magic bus. A simple story, for a young audience, about Rosa Parks's courageous act that sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the Civil Rights Movement.