Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Rappaport, D., & Collier, B. (2001). Martin's big words: The life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. New York: Hyperion Books for Children.

This is a biography that outlines the beginning of this great dream that this man once had. This serves as a reminder that this very dream that Martin Luther King had arose from the fact that inequality was seen throughout this great country of ours. He opened the eyes of many others, making them realize that staying quiet over this would take them nowhere. It was then when those many others that shared this very same dream that Martin Luther King dreamed of, realized that this would definitely not be made true if the minorities did not work together. This was inspiring to say the least!            

This is a vivid reminder that our dreams start in our head and can be sought out with courage and determination. Martin Luther King’s greatness is perfectly illustrated by simply documenting where this great dream all started and how he was unwilling to let it die without fighting for it. 

Exposing our children to historical facts is always a good idea. My son learned about Martin Luther King, Jr. when he was in first grade. He came home with an assignment in which he had to create a timeline of his life. This book would have been handy for us to complete the requirements, unfortunately, I didn't have it. I had to use the Internet as a resource and "kid friendly" sites that were still too advanced for a six year old. When I showed him this book he was eager to read it. He didn't allow me to read it to him, he read it on his own, and needless to say he loved it. He says that Martin Luther King, Jr. is one of his favorite historical figures and it makes me proud to see that he has role models that were positive influences to our country. 

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