
Claudia
But the Klan doesn't watch us.
Loves anything yellow, the bright kind that looks like sunshine. She's the one with the plan.
That's Claudia in yellow. It was her favorite color!
Based on a true story from the Montgomery Bus Boycott
When the grown-ups needed to spread the word, four brave friends hopped on their bikes and helped. Based on stories from the author's own childhood.
Written by Claudia Thomas Mitchell · Illustrated by Garrett Myers
The book
Nine-year-old Claudia loves riding bikes and playing outside with her best friends, Betty Jo, Langston, and Edward. But when the Civil Rights Movement reaches their community in Montgomery, Alabama, the four friends discover that even children can help make a difference.
As meetings move from church to church to stay ahead of threats and intimidation, Claudia and her friends bravely help spread the word, proving that courage comes in all sizes.
Small voices. Big hearts. A better tomorrow.
Meet the fearsome foursome
They loved hopscotch, hide and seek, and racing their bikes until the street lights came on. Then their town needed their help.

But the Klan doesn't watch us.
Loves anything yellow, the bright kind that looks like sunshine. She's the one with the plan.

I know. We can't even play now!
Claudia's best friend, with legs always swinging on the church pew.

This is no fair.
Fast on his bike and quick to speak up when something isn't right.

What's happening?
Always asking questions, and always ready to ride.
Based on a true story
Claudia was a little girl in Montgomery when the bus boycott began. The events in this book are based on stories from her childhood, and some names have been changed.
In the story, the grown-ups held meetings in churches, but the Klan was watching them, and the phone lines weren't safe. So how could everyone find out where the next meeting would be?
The children helped. Claudia and her friends sang freedom songs on street corners and rode their bikes all around the neighborhood to pass the word along.
“They know the grown-ups. The Klan watches our parents and the people from the church…and all their friends. But the Klan doesn't watch us.”
Claudia, in How Can We Help?




From the dedication
This book is lovingly dedicated to my parents, William and Lizzie Thomas, whose courage, faith, and quiet determination helped light the path toward justice. May this story honor their legacy and inspire every child to know that no one is too young, too small, or too ordinary to make a difference.
Ain't gonna let nobody turn me 'round,
turn me 'round, turn me 'round…
The song the friends sang on street corners. Kids sing it with Mrs. Mitchell at every school visit.
Meet the author
Claudia Thomas Mitchell is a retired educator, community leader, and advocate for children in Montgomery, Alabama. For 27 years she taught science and technology in Montgomery Public Schools. She served eight years representing District 6 on the Montgomery Public School board and is a former Vice President of the board.
She also developed the curriculum for the Center for Advanced Technology Magnet at Booker T. Washington Magnet High School, where her technology students won more than 70% of competition awards across the Southeast.
In 2023 the Alabama Association of School Boards named her an All-State School Board Member, its highest honor.
A proud graduate of George Washington Carver High School, she earned her B.S. and M.S. in biology and chemistry from Alabama State University. She and her husband, Arnold Mitchell, a retired forensic chemist, have been married more than 40 years. They have three children and seven grandchildren. She loves her book club, quilting, and making fun, educational projects with her grandkids.
She is passionate about preserving Montgomery's history and sharing stories that help young people understand the courage of those who came before them.
Coming soon
Every quilt tells a story. Claudia is getting ready to teach quilting classes for adults, plus quilting lessons for schools that bring storytelling and math together, one square at a time.
Learn to quilt with Claudia, step by step, alongside other quilters.
Every square can hold a memory or a story worth passing down.
Shapes, patterns, fractions, and symmetry that students can touch.
Try it! Tap a square to turn it and make your own pattern.
School & library visits
School visits are free. Kids meet an author who grew up in Montgomery, sing, make something with their hands, and leave knowing they can help, too.



It takes about two minutes. We'll reply by email within a few days.
For teachers & families
Discussion questions and activities for How Can We Help?, plus news about book two and upcoming events. Join the list and we'll send it when it's ready.
Claudia Thomas Mitchell is a retired Montgomery Public Schools science and technology teacher of 27 years, a 2023 Alabama All-State School Board Member, and the author of How Can We Help?, a picture book drawn from her own childhood during the Montgomery Bus Boycott.


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