Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

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Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was written by Doreen Rappaport and illustrated by Bryan Collier. Doreen Rappaport has written many books of fiction and nonfiction for young readers, specializing in thoroughly researched multicultural history, historical fiction, retellings of folktales and myths, and stories of those she calls the "not-yet-celebrated." Among her recent books is Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., illustrated by Bryan Collier, which received a Caldecott Honor Award and a Coretta Scott King Honor Award for illustration. Doreen Rappaport divides her time between New York City and a rural village in upstate New York. She is one of those talented women.[1]

Summary

One of an inspiring book for the children, this picture book biography of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. brings his life and the profound nature of his message to young children through his own words.

Martin Luther King, Jr., was one of the most influential and gifted speakers of all time. Doreen Rappaport uses quotes from some of his most beloved speeches to tell the story of his life and his work in a simple, direct way. Bryan Collier's stunning collage art combines remarkable watercolor paintings with vibrant patterns and textures. A timeline and a list of additional books and web sites help make this a standout biography of Dr. King. [2]

Pros

An account called A_Jenny rated this book five stars because she listened to this book as she read along was very moving. This Coretta Scott King Award, Caldecott Honor (2002), New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Books (2001) and it has a great picture book to use during February as we celebrate African Heritage Month by using the words of Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech carefully chosen illustrations captivating the reader of the inequalities of the life of most African Americans during the acidic Rights Movement and how the words of one man can lead to do many changes in the society. She liked how it began with Martin as a little boy listening and being influenced by his father at the pulpit, and moving onto his adulthood to how his influence had on us then and now. She believed this book is for all ages. Another reader, J-Lynn Van Pelt, also took a part commenting to this book. For her, in the dozens of picture books about Martin Luther King Jr., this one stands out. The underlying message of the power of words was lovely, and the simplicity of the text underscores Martin’s message. The pictures, mixing collage and watercolor, add deeper layers to the story. The full-page picture of the young African American girl in front of the American flag is at once inspiring and haunting. Both the author and the illustrator add a message at the beginning of the book explaining their inspiration and pointing out symbolism and metaphors that add to the written story.[3]

Kirkus Reviews said that the writing was explained that on the cover and final two portraits, King is depicted with a subtle monochromatic technique, which alludes strongly to a stained-glass metaphor, represented in portraits of King’s church. In other spreads featuring King himself, his face is lit, giving it a powerful visual weight and compelling readers to pay attention. While the cover portrait shows his eyes glancing to the side, in the final portrait he looks directly at the reader, his eyes offering an unmistakable challenge. Author and Illustrator Notes are moving as well as informative, and quotes are attributed. Readers will hear his voice echo in this presentation.[4]

References

  1. Doreen Rappaport. goodreads.com. Retrieved January 31st, 2021.
  2. Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (A Big Words Book, 1). amazon.com. Retrieved January 31st, 2021.
  3. Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. goodreads.com. Retrieved January 31st, 2021.
  4. Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. kirkusreviews.com. January 31st, 2021.