To begin my reviews of children's and young adult's books related to Black History Month (February), I have chosen a book for the youngest readers--not because it is short and easy to review, but because it carries so much power in so few words. This book is also unique because it is one of the few biographies written--perhaps I should say well-written--for the four- through eight-year-old age range.
Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., by Doreen Rappaport, is not a new book. It received plenty of honors in 2001, when it was first introduced. Awards included the Coretta Scott King Award honor status, and the Best Illustrated Children's Book category of the New York Times Book Review. Also, it was a Caldecott Honor Book during the same year.
Martin's Big Words continues to be among the best biographies written expressly for very young readers and pre-readers. It is wonderfully written, using quotations from Dr. King's speeches and writings to move the story along. That so much information can be relayed by such a short story, brilliantly enhanced with stunning illustrations by Bryan Collier, is a tribute to the writing style and artistic interpretation of a prize-winning author-illustrator team of Rappaport and Collier.
Children who know little or nothing about Dr. King will be as enchanted by Martin's Big Words as those who are familiar with the status that Dr. King has in modern American society. Even the youngest reader can learn how the honesty, integrity, and perseverance of one person can help change a nation for the better.
Needless to say, I love this book.
##
No comments:
Post a Comment
Enter your comments here.