Independent Reading Level : Grades K/1
Awards:

I love the way this book relates to children. I have read quite a few Martin Luther King Jr picture books and I think this is by far the easiest one for all children to relate to. It provides specific examples of what african americans were not allowed to vs what white people were allowed to do. I think that this would allow students to really think about how things were different back then and how awful segregation really was. ( )

This was a great book! It This book is intended to introduce children to biographies, the intended audience for this book are young school ages children. The illustrations in this book are detailed yet simple and easy to follow for young children. The book is very colorful and eye catching perfect for children being introduced to literature. I loved that the book used simple phrases and words to describe a very complex time in history. The biography started by portraying Martin Luther King Jr as a small boy. Throughout the book the author emphasized the inequalities lived by Martin Luther King Jr because of the color of his skin. The author did a great job at portraying the segregation in the world of whites and blacks through illustrations of the different signs on thing like water fountains and schools. The author also used repetitive words and phrases, and listed the things that whites and blacks were segregated in. I like how the author highlighted Martin Luther King Jr's message by in a way taking the main idea from his speech and putting into a very simple phrase of "You are just as good as anybody". I also liked how more complex things were simplified for children and not just skipped. For example towards the end of the book it stated that because of Martin Luther King Jr the laws in the world were changed. I also like how in the beginning it stated all the places that were segregated and in the end it stated all the things that they whites and black could now do in the same place, it was full circle. I loved the book! ( )

This book is good for younger readers because there is one sentence per page and the text isn't too challenging. There are a lot of colorful illustrations to help the readers follow along with the information coming from the text.

The message of this story is also about bravery and standing up for what you believe in. Martin Luther King, Jr. was not happy that his whole life he was not allowed to interact with those who were different from him. The whites had all the privileges while the blacks were not allowed to go near them. They had separate schools, parks, restaurants, water fountains, and blacks had to ride in the back of the buses. Martin Luther King, Jr. wanted change. He became a leader and he was a very brave person to try to make change happen. Luckily, change did happen because of him. He stood up for what he believed in, which were better rights for black people, and finally, laws were changed. ( )

This book is a biography about the life of Martin Luther King Jr. It is a simpler, child friendly version of his trials and tribulations growing up. The story depicts segregation in a way that children could understand. The illustrations are beautiful. The book has one sentence pages so it provides room for discussion.

I personally love all books regarding history. I loved how the illustrations depicted what really happened but in a child friendly way. I appreciate how the author and illustrated crafted the book. The one sentence pages really aided in discussing the events that went on and allowing me time to answer the questions.

I would definitely add this book to the library in the classroom.
I would do a poll in the classroom, asking for something they would like to see change in the classroom or school, then ask them to make a plan of how to change it.

I would also have the children to make dream clouds. Make their I have a dream speech's and give them after lunch. To provide them with the experience of public speaking. ( )