Meltzer's first-person narration and Eliopoulos' comic-style illustrations bring an altogether different look and feel to the story of Rosa Parks. Beginning with childhood incidents that guided her later actions, this entry in the Ordinary People Change the World series proceeds with examples of Jim Crow laws and separate-but-equal disparities. These set the scene for Parks' involvement in civil rights, her now-celebrated refusal to give up her seat on a bus, and the Montgomery Bus Boycott she inspired. While some might question this book's biographic credentials because of its undocumented speech-bubble quotes, others will note how the visual format makes Parks and her time period accessible to young readers. An emphasis on Parks as an ordinary person who stood up for what's right also lends itself well to character education studies. Concluding archival photos show the real Rosa Parks. Informative and appealing.

Following books on Abraham Lincoln and Amelia Earhart, this third title in Meltzer and Eliopoulos-s Ordinary People Change the World series traces the life of Rosa Parks from the segregated classrooms of her childhood to the Montgomery Bus Boycott. As in the previous books, Parks is portrayed as a roundheaded cartoon child, even during her adult years, underscoring the idea that anyone is capable of bringing about monumental change. Moments of humor help balance out the harsh racial prejudice on display, but it-s Parks-s determination that stands out strongest. -I knew what the rules said,- she says. -But I also knew in my heart: That-s not how you treat people.- Ages 3-5. (June)

These small-trim biographies use chatty first-person narration, cartoon art, and occasional comics-style frames to tell their subjects' stories. Einstein's contains a few funny moments, while Parks's does not underplay the injustices she lived through; both books include gentle moralizing: e.g., "Never stop asking 'Why?'" (Einstein) and "Stand for what's right" (Parks). Vintage photographs and a quote are appended to each book.