Picture Book Monday - A review of I have a Dream

Today Americans remember the life of one of our greatest citizens: Martin Luther King Jr. He was born on January 15th in 1929, and was assassinated on April 4, 1968. Martin Luther King Jr. gave many powerful and moving speeches in his lifetime, but probably the most famous one is the speech he gave in Washington, D.C on August 28, 1963. On that day he told thousands of people about his hopes and dreams, and in today's picture book his beautiful words are paired with Kadir Nelson's artwork to give readers of all ages a memorable book experience. 

I have a dream

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Illustrated by Kadir Nelson

Nonfiction Picture book and Audio CD

For ages 6 and up

Random House, 2012, 978-0-375-85887-1

On August 28, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. stood in front of the statue of Abraham Lincoln in Washington D.C. In front of him was a sea of people, people of many races and followers of many faiths.  He had been working as an activist and leader in the African-American struggle for civil rights for many years, and leading “The Great March on Washington” was a big moment for King and his cause.

   King took on the cause of the civil rights movement in 1955 when he led the Montgomery Bus Boycott, and in subsequent years King’s family members were threatened and he was thrown in jail. Supported by his faith, his followers, and his belief in his cause, he managed to overcome his fears and concerns to lead his people in peaceful marches, boycotts, demonstrations, and sit ins.

   King began his famous speech on that hot August day by talking about how the Negro in America was still not free, despite Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, and despite the fact that the Declaration of Independence says that “all men are created equal.”

   Later in the speech he shifted his focus and said “I have a dream…” and he told his listeners all about this powerful dream, his hopes for all Americans.

   In this beautiful picture book the latter half of King’s memorable speech is shared with young readers. Two minor changes have been made, and one paragraph of the original speech has been left out, but otherwise King’s words have been left untouched.

   Accompanied by Kadir Nelson’s beautiful art, the text is as powerful today as it was all those years ago, and even young children will recognize the beauty in King’s words.

   At the back of the book readers will find a copy of the entire speech, and an audio recording of King giving his speech can be found on the CD that comes with the book.

   

Books for Martin Luther King Jr. Day

On Monday January 16th, people all over America will be
remembering the life and achievements of Martin Luther King Jr. I did not learn learn much about this extraordinary man until I moved to the U.S when I was in my early twenties. Then I started working in a school, and my students began telling me about the civil rights leader who kept on fighting for the cause, even when his life was threatened. I was drawn to his story, and when I began reviewing children's books, I made a point of looking for titles that were about Martin Luther King's work. You can take a look at these titles on the TTLG Martin Luther King Jr feature page. Each title in this collection offers readers something special, and any one of them would be an excellent title to share with a children or children on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Remembering Martin Luther King Jr.

When I was around twelve or thirteen, my English literature teacher, Mr. Lovesy, decided that he would show us that beautiful language could be found in many places. He introduced us to Martin Luther King Jr's "I have a dream speech." It blew us away. Most of knew very little about Martin Luther King Jr. We were in an English school on the island of Cyprus and the English (as in from England) curriculum in the school did not include much American history. Many years later I moved to the United States and I began the process of learning about my new country. Reviewing children's books has given me the opportunity to learn a great deal about Martin Luther King Jr. and the civil rights movement. Some of the books I have reviewed focus on one aspect of his life, while others look at the complete story of this extraordinary man. Here is my review of my favorite of these general books. 

Genius: Martin Luther King Jr.

Jennifer Fandel
Nonfiction
For ages 10 to 14
The Creative Company, 2005   ISBN: 978-1583413296

The son of a teacher and a pastor, Martin Luther King Jr. did not have to suffer many of the hardships that his father had had to endure. He had a comfortable home, plenty to eat, and he was able to get an education. But there was something that he did not have, something which no black person in the south had at that time. Martin did not have the same rights as white people. He lived in a society that was segregated and he had to accept that he was a lesser citizen who could not play where he wanted, who could not eat in the restaurant of his choice, and who could not sit at the front of the bus. He, like the millions of other black people living in the south, was a victim of segregation.

As he grew up Martin came to understand how cruel and unjust segregation was and he wanted to do what he could to bring it to an end. He worked hard to get a good education and he, like his father before him, became a pastor. Like his father too Martin knew in his heart that his people would never be able to give of their best if they were forced down by laws which kept them separate and decidedly unequal. So Martin set about working to get the laws repealed and in the end he gave his life for the struggle.

With wonderful period photographs, quotes, and a timeline at the bottom of the pages, this biography of Martin Luther King Jr. captures the essence of who Martin was and what he fought to do in his lifetime. Superbly written with poignancy and an obvious appreciation for the history of the times, this is a book which will help readers understand what made Martin Luther King Jr. such a world icon.

At the back of the book there is a “In His Words” section. Here readers will find the texts for two of Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous speeches: the one he gave in a high school in 1967, and the one he gave when he was presented with the Nobel Peach Prize in 1964.

You can see my other Martin Luther King Jr. children's book review here.