Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by Doreen Rappaport (Illustrated by Bryan Collier)
Reviewed by: Chris Singer
About the author:
Doreen Rappaport is known for her ground-breaking approach to multicultural history and stories for young readers. In her many award-winning books, she brings attention to not-yet-celebrated Americans, along with well-known figures.
A former teacher of music and reading, Doreen knows how to capture children’s attention. Her dynamic formats engage even the most reluctant readers.
Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is an Orbis Pictus Honor Book, Coretta Scott King Honor Book, Caldecott Honor Book for Illustration, ALA Notable Book, and is on the Blue Ribbon list of the Bulletin Center for Children’s Books.
We Are The Many: A Picture Book of American Indians, introduces the accomplishments of sixteen distinguished American Indians.
Her classic Escape From Slavery presents the history of the Underground Railroad through adventure stories.
The Boston Coffee Party introduces children to a neglected event in history books and shows the active roles played by women during the Revolutionary War.
About the illustrator:
Bryan Collier, award-winning author and illustrator, has illustrated numerous children’s books, including Rosa by Nikki Giovanni which was awarded a Coretta Scott King Award and a Caldecott Honor. He also won a Coretta Scott King Award for Uptown, his first attempt at both writing and illustrating. Collier’s latest book he illustrated, Dave The Potter, was just awarded a Caldecott Honor as well.
About the book:
Martin Luther King, Jr., grew up in a place where people used words that made him feel bad. This beautifully illustrated, award-winning book shows how Martin used words to fight for equal rights for black people.
When Martin was growing up, he saw the words “Whites Only” all over town. But he remembered the words of his mother, “You are as good as anyone.”
Doreen Rappaport has taken the words of Martin Luther King, Jr. and woven in her own to create a captivating yet completely accessible book for young readers.
This definitive picture book biography of Dr. Martin L