Be a King

October 30, 2017
Weatherford (In Your Hands) and Ransome (The Nutcracker in Harlem) show readers how lessons from the life of Martin Luther King Jr., translated into simple maxims, remain relevant. Alternating between decisive moments in King’s life and a contemporary classroom preparing to celebrate the holiday honoring him, Weatherford assures readers, “You can be a King.” One spread shows King giving his historic speech at the Lincoln Memorial (“You can be a King. Have a dream. Make yours great enough to grow into”), followed by vignettes of a child in a wheelchair making cupcakes for the celebration. The concept isn’t entirely successful: the classroom scenes, rendered in a cartoony sketchbook aesthetic against white backgrounds, feel forced and stagey. But the historical scenes, painted in Ransome’s signature thick, saturated style, are infused with a powerful sense of narrative. King himself is absent in one of the most stirring images: an empty bus during the Montgomery Bus Boycott. The green, riderless seats affirm the
King quotation that opens the book: “Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve.” Ages 4–8. Author’s agent: Rubin Pfeffer, Rubin Pfeffer Content.

Starred review from November 1, 2017

K-Gr 3-In this book inspired by the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Weatherford and Ransome offer advice to a new generation of change-makers. In each spread, Weatherford repeats the refrain "You can be a King" and encourages young readers to continue Dr. King's work by taking such actions as getting a good education, standing up to bullies, believing in important causes, doing one's best, having a dream, and helping others. Each piece of advice alludes to Dr. King's life, and in some cases, recalls his speeches and writing. Ransome's art, rendered in acrylics, colored pencils, oils, and gouache, adds depth to the deceptively simple text. The illustrations alternate between full spreads depicting important events from Dr. King's life and the civil rights movement and a contemporary classroom in white space, in which a diverse group of children paint a mural of Dr. King and prepare their own march for social justice. There is a shift in the style of the art here as well; the historical scenes maintain a serious tone, while the contemporary scenes evoke a more childlike quality. An author's note provides a brief biography of Dr. King and also offers insight into both Weatherford's text as well as many of the historical moments captured in Ransome's illustrations. As such, while the book is accessible as an inspiring primer on social justice and taking action, it also challenges more sophisticated readers to make connections between the art, the text, Dr. King's life, the civil rights movement at large, and the continuing struggle to affect change. VERDICT A first purchase, this book is sure to spark discussion and empower readers of all ages.-Lauren Strohecker, McKinley Elementary School, Elkins Park, PA

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2017
This book endeavors to connect children with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by encouraging them to "be a King."The title page depicts a group of racially diverse students with one disabled child (there is no visible religious diversity in this image, though there is some later on) as they stream into school. From there, spreads alternate between scenes from Dr. King's life, illustrated in Ransome's signature painterly style, and the contemporary students, rendered in a more-informal style with loose outlines and flat blocks of color. Each block of text begins with the phrase "You can be a King." Often the illustrations complement the text: "Keep the faith of your ancestors" is paired with a spread of Dr. King's childhood home, pictures of his forebears lining the wall. The students commence work on a mural of Dr. King at school, and the "You can be a King" lessons are shown as the children paint and draw. One uncomfortable spread depicts the child in a wheelchair attempting to add to the mural, but the accessible spots appear to have been completed; the teacher and other children do not help the child to participate, but instead the child bakes cupcakes for the class. In the final spread, the lack of a "Black Lives Matter" sign among the protest signs is notable.A pretty good, if didactic, resource for adults wanting to help children draw connections between Dr. King's teachings and their own lives. (author's note) (Picture book. 5-9)

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September 15, 2017
Grades K-3 Most young people recognize Martin Luther King Jr.'s iconic I Have a Dream speech, but few could actually explain the specifics of King's dream and how it applies to them. This book for emergent readers pares his message down to its most understandable form. The advice is simple: be honest, keep learning, act on your individual conscience. This advice is offered in plain terms and is written on pages filled with Ransome's colorful illustrations, which alternate between scenes in a modern classroom of children of all races, creeds, and exceptionalities, and scenes from King's own life. His first taste of bigotry as a child is illustrated, as are some of his greatest achievements, such as enrolling in Morehouse College at the age of 15, delivering his message on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, and organizing nonviolent protests in Selma. By applying a repetitive and straightforward prose, the book manages to make essential lessons in civic responsibility accessible to the very young reader.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)