Description: This book contains a brief history of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s life from boyhood to his assassination; including quotations of some of the most powerful and famous words he said.
Story: Rappaport does a great job of quickly telling the story of Dr. King’s life and his involvement in the Civil Rights Movement.I read this story to my four-year-old and it was a little bit too sophisticated for her age. She didn’t seem to understand the concepts of segregation and death. At this point in my daughter’s life she doesn’t seem to notice the differences in people’s skin color. I found myself wondering if I was intruding upon her innocence by introducing her to the concept of segregation when she doesn’t seem able to understand what it was. As a result I recommend this book for a little older age.
Illustrations: Collier has done a beautiful job with the illustrations in Martin’s Big Words. They are a modern mix of different techniques. I absolutely love the cover picture of Dr. King. Collier won the Caldecott Honor for this book in 2002.
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