OHERN, Kerri & Frank Walsh . The Montgomery Bus Boycott illus. by D. McHargue. ISBN 0-8368-6205-8 . LC 2005027874. ea vol: unpaged. (Graphic Histories Series). further reading. Web sites. CIP. World Almanac Library 2006. PLB $26. Gr 3-6 The first book is neither interesting nor informative. The text plods along, and the drawings are mostly dark and drab. Various aspects of the history of moon exploration are touched on, but there is no substantive discussion. Also, the illustrations and text boxes dont always mesh. Bus Boycott wanders aimlessly. It, too, is quite wordy, but simplistic in its language and ideas. Very few facts are included. For example, a lawyer is mentioned, but who was he? Bombs exploded in black churches does not give the true nature of the tragedy. The illustrations are static, and the images of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks bear little resemblance to the real people. There is not enough information here for reports, and the unattractive art is unlikely to draw graphic-novel fans. Ronnie Gordon, Brooklyn Public Library, NY

This overview of the Montgomery Bus Boycott covers the history of slavery, the civil rights movement, and the impact of the bus boycott. The text's brevity makes for some misleading information, and details tend to get lost in the big picture. Boxed quotes and brief biographies of key activists help break up the text, which is illustrated with color and black-and-white photographs. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind.