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

In honor of Martin Luther King Day tomorrow I selected Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr Martin Luther King by Doreen Rapport for this week's reading. It's a very brief biography and each page includes a direct quote from King himself. The Rosa Parks book that we read a couple weeks ago was more informative, but I actually felt that it was a bit too much for my kindergartener. This one was just right for his age level. It really just provides a bare bones outline of who Martin Luther King is, what he stood for, and how he died. It highlights a few of his notable accomplishments, but keeps it simple and brief. Best of all, each page is adorned with gorgeous illustrations by Bryan Collier. Every one of them could easily be exhibited in a fine art gallery. This book is a beautiful tribute to one of the finest men this country has ever known.

After reading I asked my son how things would have been different if Martin Luther King had promoted violence instead of peace. He decided that a lot more people would have been hurt. We then discussed how if Dr. King had solved problems with his fist, then his power would have ended with his death, but that his powerful words are still helping people today. This was a lovely read and absolutely perfect for introducing young children to the father of American civil rights.