I Have a Dream - Childrens Book About MLK Junior

I Have a Dream - Childrens Book About MLK Junior On August 28, 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his I Have a Dream speech, a speech that is still remembered and honored today. I Have a Dream by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., published in recognition of the 50th anniversary of the minister and civil rights leaders dramatic speech, is a childrens book for all ages that adults will also find meaningful. Excerpts of the speech, chosen for their accessibility to childrens understanding, are paired with the stunning oil paintings of artist Kadir Nelson. At the end of the book, which is in picture book format, youll find the full text of the Dr. Kings speech. A CD of the original speech is also included with the book. The Speech Dr. King delivered his speech to the more than a quarter of a million people participating in the March for Jobs and Freedom. He delivered his speech in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. While stressing nonviolence, Dr. King made it clear that, Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. In the speech, Dr. King outlined his dream for a better America. While the speech, which was interrupted by cheers and applause from the enthusiastic audience, only lasted about 15 minutes, it and the integrated march had a profound impact on the Civil Rights Movement. The Books Design and Illustrations I had the opportunity to hear Kadir Nelson speak at the 2012 Book Expo America Childrens Literature Breakfast about the research he did, the approach he took, and his goals in creating the oil paintings for I Have a Dream. Nelson said he had to memorize Dr. Kings speech on short notice as a fifth grader just after moving to a new school. He said doing so made him feel stronger and more confident, and he hoped I Have a Dream would similarly affect children today. Kadir Nelson said that at first he wondered what he could contribute to Dr. Kings magnificent vision. In preparation, he listened to Dr. Kings speeches, watched documentaries and studied old photographs. He also visited Washington, D.C. so he could create his own photographic reference and better imagine what Dr. King saw and did. He and the editor worked to decide on what portions of Dr. Kings I Have a Dream would be illustrated. They chose segments that were not only important and well known but that spoke loudest to children. In illustrating the book, Nelson created two types of paintings: those that illustrated Dr. King giving the speech and those that illustrated Dr. Kings dream. At first, Nelson said he was unsure how to differentiate the two. It ended up that when illustrating the setting and mood of the day, Nelson created oil paintings of the scene as it was during Dr. Kings speech. When it came to illustrating the dream, Nelson said he tried to illustrate not the words so much as the concepts they represented and he used a bright cloud-like white background. Only at the end of the book, do the dream and reality merge. Kadir Nelsons artwork wonderfully illustrates the drama, the hopes and the dreams laid out that day in Washington, D.C. by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The choice of excerpts and Nelsons sensitive illustrations combine to create meaning for even younger children who may not yet be mature enough to understand the full speech. The scenes that look out over Dr. Kings audience emphasize the breadth of his impact. The large close-up paintings of Dr. King emphasize the significance of his role and his emotions as he delivers the speech. Martin Luther King, Jr - Childrens Books and Other Resources There are several books about Martin Luther King, Jr. that I particularly recommend for children 9 and older who are interested in learning more about the civil rights leaders life. by Doreen Rappaport, provides an overview of Kings life and packs an emotional punch with its dramatic illustrations by Bryan Collier. The second, Portraits of African American Heroes features a portrait of Dr. King on the cover. He is one of 20 African Americans, men and women, featured in the nonfiction book by Tonya Bolden, along with sepia-toned portraits of each by Ansel Pitcairn. For educational resources, see Martin Luther King, Jr. Day: Lesson Plans You Can Use and Martin Luther King, Jr. Day: General Information and Reference Material. Youll find additional resources in the linkboxes and below. The Illustrator Kadir Nelson Artist Kadir Nelson has won numerous awards for his childrens book illustrations. He has also written and illustrated several award-winning childrens books: We Are the Ship, his book about the Negro Baseball League, for which he won the Robert F. Sibert Medal in 2009. Children who read Heart and Soul will learn about the Civil Rights Movement and the important role that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. played. The CD Inside the front cover of I Have a Dream is a plastic pocket with a CD in it of Dr. Kings original I Have a Dream speech, recorded on August 28, 1963. It is interesting to read the book, then the entire text of the speech and, then, listen to Dr. King speaking. By reading the book and discussing the illustrations with your children, youll gain insight as to the meaning of Dr. Kings words and how your children perceive them. Having the entire text in print allows older children to ponder Dr. Kings words more than once. Dr. King was a compelling speaker and what the CD does, is allows listeners to experience for themselves Dr. Kings emotion and impact as he spoke and the crowd responded. My Recommendation This is a book for family members to read and discuss together. The illustrations will help younger children to grasp more of the meaning of Kings speech and will help all ages to better understand both the significance and the impact of Dr. Kings words. The addition of the text of the entire speech at the end of the book, along with a CD of Dr. King delivering the speech, make I Have a Dream an excellent resource for the 50th anniversary of Dr. Kings speech and beyond. (Schwartz Wade Books, Random House, 2012. ISBN: 9780375858871) Disclosure: A review copy was provided by the publisher. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.