The Bus Ride by William Miller

It would be impossible not to recommend this book for a social studies lesson on civil rights and the fight for freedom. It was modeled after Rosa Parks' bus incident and even includes an introduction by Rosa Parks. In the book, a young African American girl named Sara and her mother ride the bus every day. They sit in the way back because only the more privileged white passengers are allowed to sit in the front. Sara's school stop is farther than her mother's work destination, so she stays on the bus longer. One day, she decides that she wants to see what's so special about sitting up in the front. The bus driver grows angry and demands that Sara move to the back of the bus, where she belongs. She refuses and ends up getting carried off the bus by a police officer and taken to the police station where her mother picks her up.

I would consider it extremely influential for children to witness Sara's perspective of the bus controversy, although I'm not suggesting that Rosa Parks is any less significant. I do think that children would become more passionate about Rosa's story if they see it happen to a child. We usually can identify more with people that are the same age as us.