Synopsis
Examines the history of Martin Luther King Jr. Day and describes some of the ways that this holiday is celebrated.
Augusta Scattergood - Children's Literature
In straightforward text illustrated with photographs, the volumes in this American Holidays series cover holidays, including Columbus Day, Presidents' Day, and Memorial Day. The large print as well as the generous use of white space makes this book suitable with younger children. After a brief introduction to Dr. King's life and work, including the words to his "I have a dream" speech, the author, who is Canadian, explains how the holiday was first created. A list of books and websites for further study as well as the simple index and glossary will assure independent use in the classroom or library. The recipe for Church Social Yeast Biscuits and the two simple crafts (a mobile and milk carton buses) suggested for Martin Luther King Jr. Day projects will be less useful. Recommended for schools or community groups seeking to introduce the holiday or for library research by younger children. Others wishing a good classroom read-aloud about Dr. King might prefer Martin Luther King, Jr., Civil Rights Hero (Raintree Steck-Vaughn, 2002) or Martin's Big Words (Hyperion, 2001). 2004, Weigl Publishers Inc, Ages 7 to 12.