Rosa's Bus: The Ride to Civil Rights

Celebrate the remarkable heroism of Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott in this illustrated Black history book for kids, told from the perspective of Bus #2857!

Free-verse stanzas and gorgeous, large-scale oils bring to life a pivotal moment in the Civil Rights Movement that changed American history.

Like all buses in Montgomery, Alabama in the 1950s, Bus #2857 was segregated: white passengers sat in the front, and Black passengers sat in the back.

Bus #2857 was ordinary—until a woman named Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a white passenger. After Rosa’s arrest, Bus #2857’s passengers chose to walk rather than ride the buses in Montgomery for 382 days.

In this children’s picture book for ages 7-10, Bus #2857 tells the remarkable story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott—from the streets it rode to its present-day home in the Henry Ford Museum.

Told with stunning free-verse and oil illustrations, this kids Black history book offers a unique perspective on a major event in the Civil Rights Movement—and celebrates the heroism of Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr., and other freedom riders.

Jo S. Kittinger is the author of more than 25 books, including picture books, middle-grade nonfiction, and both fiction and nonfiction easy readers. She lives in Birmingham, Alabama. jokittinger.com

Steven Walker is an artist and a painting instructor. He won the SCBWI Crystal Kite Award for Rosa's Bus. He lives in Columbus, Ohio. stevenwalkerstudios.com