ReaderKidZ is pleased to celebrate Dr. King through several of the wonderful books that capture the boy, the man, and the pastor who inspired us to stand up and lead with words, not fists.

MARTIN’S BIG WORDS: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by Doreen Rappaport, illustrated by Bryan Collier (Hyperion Books for Children, 2001)

This simple, yet powerful, text by author Doreen Rappaport is a story of a young Martin who believed his mother when she told him “you are as good as anyone.” He learned – in spite of the “Whites Only” signs posted in his town – there were good words and he used those words to inspire people everywhere to stand up for the equal treatment of all. To march for freedom. To fight with peaceful words.

Told through watercolor and cut paper collage, Brian Collier’s illustrations are exquisite, allowing readers to truly connect and experience the story. Martin’s Big Words is perfect for ages 5 and up.

Another wonderful read-aloud describing King’s life, death, and accomplishments is Happy Birthday, Martin Luther King. Geared towards younger students, Marzollo’s careful consideration in choosing just the right words to highlight King’s life include sentences such as, “His dream was that people everywhere would learn to live together without being mean to one another,” and rich details like “His body was put in a simple farm cart and pulled slowly by two mules to a cemetery.” Brian Pinkney’s scratch board and oil pastel illustrations elevate the story and are infused with emotion and light.

MARCH ON! THE DAY MY BROTHER MARTIN CHANGED THE WORLD by Christine King Farris, illustrated by London Ladd (Scholastic Press, 2008).

Martin Luther King Jr.’s sister, Christine King Farris, takes readers on a journey as she recounts the events leading up to and culminating in the day of the great March for jobs and freedom in Washington. Her passionate story-telling skills place the reader in the patchwork of people standing at the Lincoln Memorial. The reader feels she is with King as he prepared his speech, met with the six most respected civil rights leaders of the time, heard the hymns from the crowd, the chants “Amen!”, “Glo Be!”,“Ha’ Mercy!”, and delivered his speech urging America to move forward and find freedom. It’s a glimpse into King’s world and all that he held near and dear in his heart. London Ladd’s acrylic paintings are gorgeous throughout, rich in color and energy. This book should not be missed! For ages 9 and up.

MY UNCLE MARTIN’S WORDS FOR AMERICA by Angela Farris Watkins, PhD, illustrated by Eric Velasquez (Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2011)

Martin Luther King Jr.’s niece eloquently reminds readers that before King came along, America was a very different place. There were no African American judges, astronauts, Hollywood directors, or Presidents. There were laws – “Jim Crow” laws – that prevented African Americans from exercising their civil rights. Watkins demonstrates, not only the power of her uncle’s words and actions to bring about change, but also the role the people played. Rich and colorful pastel oil illustrations bring justice and beauty to the pages.

Readers may also enjoy a more intimate read in My Uncle Martin’s Big Heart, by the same author/illustrator team. (Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2010). Both books for K and up.

ICE FALL by Matthew Kirby (Scholastic Press, 2011)

Adventure comes in all shapes and sizes. For Solveig, adventure arrives unexpectedly. Accompanied by her siblings, she’s been sent by her father, the king, to a steading in the cold Nordic North. While they wait, believing that their father will defeat the enemy and call them to return home before the full force of winter arrives, things turn ominous for the children. A dreker, a dragon-headed ship of war, has moved up the near-frozen fjord carrying berserkers, animal-like warriors of the king. In the shadow of a glacier and with this uncomfortable company, the children must wait out the frigid winter.

The food dwindles, winter drags on, and a air of darkness descends on the steading. A traitor is in their midst and Solveig, who has begun to recognize her gift as a Skald, must grapple with this news and the dreams that have begun to haunt her in the middle of the night.

Imagine. It’s 1915, the end of October. Sir Earnest Shackleton’s main goal ten months earlier had been to become the first person to cross the South Pole’s ice cap. But now his ship, the Endurance is trapped. He and his men are stranded hundreds of miles from the nearest land and the Endurance is leaking badly.  The only hope for survival is to live on the ice.

This account of Shackleton and his crew’s trek across snow and ice, charging sea leopards, splitting ice floes, storm-tossed seas, and a final dangerous climb over treacherous mountains make this story of perseverance in the face of incredible hardship a book no fan of real-life adventure will want to miss.

SNOW DOGS: Racers of the North by Ian Whitelaw (DK Publishing, 2008)

Have you ever wondered what it must be like to travel over an Arctic landscape on a sled pulled by a team of huskies? Snow Dogs takes young readers behind the scenes and opens up the world of sleds, dog teams, mushers, competition, and survival in one of the coldest, most brutal climates in the world.