From: Susan Daugherty <susaninaruba_at_yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 01 Aug 2011 14:06:16 -0700 (PDT)

There's a great book by Phillip Hoose called Claudette Colvin: twice toward justice that gives a lot of info on the civil rights struggle.  As soon as I got it in, I read it and talked to everyone in my school who would lis ten about the amazing fact that Rosa Parks was not the first one to refuse to move to the back of the bus.  I was really impressed that a high schoo l girl who was well aware of the rules of the South would dare to do what s he did.  I was also surprised that Rosa Parks was chosen to be the face o f this civil action, rather than a high school girl.  

The teacherwho was doing an in-depth study of the civil rights movement didn't seem t hat excited about this new information, but in general he was terrific at h aving the kids do research, and he did pass the book on to kids who were co vering the appropriate sub-topic.  Being cool middle schoolers, they didn 't say much either.  

I think you can never really know what effect you are having, and it's important to go on being enthusiastic about grea t books no matter what the response.  Only occasionally does the typical librarian get reinforced that she/he is doing a good job.  

Susan Daugherty
Received on Mon 01 Aug 2011 02:06:16 PM CDT