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

Amazon.com

Acclaimed artist Bryan Collier depicts his subject with stunning watercolor and collage illustrations, balancing glorious recreations of stained glass windows with some of the more somber images of peace marchers and the famous bus that pitched Rosa Parks into the civil rights movement. A brief chronology and bibliography provide additional resources for readers. Here is an exquisite tribute to a world hero. (Ages 4 and older) --Emilie Coulter

Book Description

In this elegant pictorial biography of Martin Luther King Jr., authorDoreen Rappaport combines her spare, lyrical text with King's own words for aneffective, age-appropriate portrayal of one of the world's greatest civil rightsleaders. From King's youth, when he looked up to his preacher father and vowedone day to "get big words, too," to his death at a garbage workers' strike ("Onhis second day there, he was shot. He died."), Rappaport imbues the story withreverence.Acclaimed artist Bryan Collier depicts his subject with stunning watercolor andcollage illustrations, balancing glorious recreations of stained glass windowswith some of the more somber images of peace marchers and the famous bus thatpitched Rosa Parks into the civil rights movement. A brief chronology andbibliography provide additional resources for readers. Here is an exquisitetribute to a world hero. (Ages 4 and older) --Emilie Coulter

Customer Reviews:

*Big on Impact - - MARTIN's WORDS RESONATE WITH RESULTS . . . *.......2006-03-22

The awesome simplicity of Doreen Rappaport's text is perfectly complemented by the artistry of Bryan Collier's water colors and clever collage in this stunning book. Their talents combine to make one weep.

"Hate cannot drive out hate. Only love can do that."

Dr. King grew from boyhood immersed in love, and on August 28, 1963, his words carried the length of the Mall in Washington D.C., and to all the citizens and the world. The words resonated with integrity and passion and Old Testament cadences. I, too, stayed with little children at home but was filled with gratitude and an inescapable sense of History . . . proud to have family represent us in that throng marching for justice and peace.

"When the history books are written
someone will say there lived black people
who had the courage to stand up for their rights."

The illustrations are a treat - - a gift to linger over - - from the remarkable stained glass, simple to intricately defined - - to the torn fabric of our nation - - to the symbolic candles in the 'final frame.'

Reviewer mcHAIKU hopes we never forget Martin Luther King's MIGHTY WORDS, and our responsibility to a great man and his message.

I Like This Book!.......2006-01-26

I am Alex, a third grader in California. I like this book because it is fantastic. I learned to fight with words. It is a nice way to entertain yourself. You should buy it because I know you will like it a lot.

Awesome Book!.......2006-01-21

I was first introduce to this book in an undergraduate elementary education course. I purchased it instantly. I have used it with Kindergarten, second grade, third grade, and fourth grade. All the children love it! The illustrations are very unique and colorful. The story is on a level they can understand. It is not bogged down with too many details and is not to lengthy. I highly recommend this book, not only to educators and parents, but to the public in general. Everyone should read this book about the wonderful man who has influenced our society in such a profound and positive way.

Martin's big words the life of Dr. Martin Luther King JR. By Doreen Rapport.......2005-10-29

The book that I read was Martin Luther King Jr the book is good . On, 1/15/29 martin Luther king jr was born in Atlanta Georgia. On, June/18/1953 got married. In, 1968 he was shot and died. Martin Lther king jr, was a Chrishian. He is black. In church martin sang hymns. He read from the bible.

The rare little children's bio of Dr. King.......2005-03-02

When I first started reviewing children's books on Amazon.com I gave myself a long list of rules to follow. And one of those rules stated that I was not to read other reviews of a book on the site until AFTER I'd written my own review. I wanted my little writings to remain unsullied and pure, filled only with my own thoughts (which I obviously mistook to be brilliant) and feelings. After a while though I gave up on this rule. By and large (and this is not speaking for all reviews... just 90% of them) a review for a children's book goes something along the lines of "It was good, my four-year-old requests it every night, buy this book, etc.". Nothing too shocking or revealing. So I grew lazy. I started reading other reviews of picture books long before I sat down to actually write a review of my own. Just moments ago I went to do the same thing for the beautiful picture book, "Martin's Big Words". This book was on my list of must-reads because it had garnered itself a Caldecott Honor years before. So I went to the appropriate Amazon.com page (much as you are now) and read the first review on the list. At the time, it was an unassuming July 18, 2002 review entitled, "There's Something Wrong Here...". I read the review. I digested the review. And I came to the inescapable opinion that the points raised in the review were good ones. Ones that I should consider, dare I say, in my OWN review. This is unprecedented. Never has a review for a book, a children's book, really hit home for me like this one did. So to that mysterious reader who thought to make a point back in 2002, I commend you. And to myself, a mental whipping for breaking my own rules. It's a hard act to follow, but I've a point or two of my own to make and I'm gonna make `em.

Now as a children's librarian I get a whole heaping helpful of small children coming in around January 17th (or just before) requesting books on Martin Luther King Jr. For the older children, such requests are usually easy enough to fulfill. But for little ones with short attention spans and even shorter vocabularies, the choices are limited. Fortunately, there's, "Martin's Big Words". A beautiful encapsulation of the life of the great man, the book shows Martin as a child, first encountering the insanity of segregation. We see him grow up and preach a gospel of love and acceptance. Following this are small looks at the 1955 Montgomery bus boycott, civil rights marches, and his 1964 Nobel Peace Prize. Finally, while marching with striking garbage collectors (a fact not often mentioned in children's biographies of King), he was shot and killed. Says the book at the end, "His big words are alive for us today".

The book is stunning to look at, you know. The endpapers consist of pane after pane of brown, peach, amber, and umber stained glass. Taken together, the stained glass appears to be a variety of different skin tones all working together to make something beautiful. Using collage, illustrator Bryan Collier peppers his unique style with symbolic images (such as four lit candles placed in remembrance of the girls killed in the Sixteenth Street Baptist church). In the rest of the book, Collier's images leap off the page. They're bright, colorful and eclectic. Combined with author Doreen Rappaport's elegant eloquent narrative, children get a full understanding of the courage and greatness behind Dr. King's life and actions.

So what about the complaints of this book? Let's examine them fully. First of all, one criticism is that in the image of the civil rights march there are thirteen men on display, none of whom are either white or female. This is true. And it is a little odd. Not don't-buy-this-book odd. Just why-did-the-illustrator-make-that-choice odd. From looking at the picture I can only assume that Collier was working off a snapshot of a portion of a march from the past and didn't notice that it was a bit skewed. The other criticism of the book is that whites are only portrayed as evil rednecks that want to kill Dr. King. I dunno. The book says plenty of things about diversity and the coming together of the races. As for the lack of positive white images, I admit they're not present in this particular book. However, the world is filled to overflowing with books that DO present positive images of white people. As a white person myself, I'm sick to death of 'em. And I'd gladly exchange four or five hundred such books for a single one that was half as beautifully illustrated and written as "Martin's Big Words".

So yeah, the book has a flaw here or there. But it also fills a need. However important you deem it that your children see positive images of whites during the Freedom Marches is your prerogative. But don't pass "Martin's Big Words" by because it fails to fully display the diversity of the 60s in your eyes. It's a great book with a great message. It's also one of the few King bios that'll capture your seven-year-old's attention for longer than a minute. A great addition to any library and a necessary purchase for anyone who wants to teach their small child about a magnificent man.

The Preacher King: Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Word that Moved America

Average customer rating:

Excellent Evaluation of King's Preaching & Theology
Lischer

The Preacher King: Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Word that Moved America
Richard Lischer
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0195087798

Book Description

Today it seems extraordinary that a nation the size of the United States could have been so profoundly affected by the minister of a little Baptist church in Montgomery, Alabama. But at a turning point in American history, Martin Luther King, Jr., had an incalculable effect on the fabric of
daily life and the laws of the nation. As no other preacher in living memory and no politician since Lincoln, he transposed the themes of love, suffering, deliverance, and justice from the sacred shelter of the pulpit into the arena of public policy. He was the last great religious reformer in
America. How the man who always saw himself as "fundamentally a clergyman, a Baptist preacher" crafted his strategic vision and moved a nation to renewal is the subject of this remarkable new book.
The Preacher King investigates Martin Luther King Jr.'s, religious development from a precocious "PK" ("preacher's kid") in segregated Atlanta to the most influential American preacher and orator of the twentieth century. To give the most accurate and intimate portrait possible, author Richard
Lischer draws almost exclusively on King's unpublished sermons and speeches, as well as tape recordings, personal interviews, and even police surveillance reports. In King's published works, Lischer shows, King and his editors modified and polished his sermons in order to reach as wide an audience
as possible. By returning to the raw sources, Lischer recaptures King's real, African-American, preaching voice and, consequently, something of the real King himself. He shows how as the son, the grandson, and the great-grandson of preachers, King early on absorbed the poetic cadences, the
traditions, and the power of the pulpit. He traces King's coming of age from his rebellious teenage years (King once wrote that at thirteen he shocked his Sunday School class by "denying the bodily resurrection of Jesus") to his arrival in Montgomery, where he took on the role of "Brother Pastor" to
his flock during the year of ministry before he burst into national prominence. Lischer shows that King was as profoundly influenced by his fellow African-American preachers as he was by Gandhi and the philosophers, and tracks King's themes of brotherhood and justice from the set pieces of his
weekly sermons to his electrifying mass meeting speeches, demonstrations, and civil addresses. Lischer also reveals a later phase of King's development that few of his biographers or critics have addressed: the prophetic rage with which he condemned American religious and political hypocrisy. During
the last three years of his life, Lischer shows, King accused his country of genocide, warned of long hot summers in the ghettos, and called for a radical redistribution of wealth.
More than any other book, The Preacher King captures the crucial aspect of the identity of Martin Luther King, Jr. Human, complex, and passionate, here is a preacher who never gave up trying to shape a congregation of people that would be capable of redeeming the moral and political character of
the nation.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Evaluation of King's Preaching & Theology.......2002-01-01

One can easily see why this book was awarded the Outstanding Book of 1995 by the Religious Speech Communication Assoc., it is so well written. The research appears exhaustive, the writer is is firm touch with his subject matter, having poured over sermon manuscripts and listened to tape after tape, and conducted interview upon interview.

One is able to grasp the essence of King's preaching from this reading. Long suspecting that King comes out of the liberal element in the church, this confirmed that suspiscion. The theology and subsequent preaching is far from what my confession would maintain as Biblical. This is social gospel, theology not from heaven down, but earth up, trying to impose its agenda upon God, rather than letting His word and plan of salvation have its way.

While one can easily relate to the race problems and frustrations with an American that would not listen to the pleas, but an America that responded violently, there remains no cause to make the precious Gospel a political one. Jesus had attempts to preach such freedom from political oppression, but in each and every instance, He maintained the gospel at the level it is intended, spiritual.

King thus is out of sync with his namesake, Martin Luther, as well as the historic Christian church. The gospel is about the forgiveness of sins for the life everlasting. As the famous hymn sings: "What is the World to Me?"

This book is vibrant with the complexities of the background and influences on King's theology and preaching. Enjoyed it, yet sad that the title "preacher" is applied to such a false teacher of God's Word. To apply humanity's agenda above and beyond God's is the height of sin and rebellion.

Lischer.......2001-04-09

I love this book, but I was looking for the hard jacket, and could only find softcover.

The Words of Martin Luther King, Jr.: Selected by Coretta Scott King (Newmarket Words of Pocket Edition Series)

Average customer rating:

deeply moving
His fundamental commitment to unconditional love and unarmed truth
Small but effective collection of MLK's speeches
An excellent sampling of King's writings and ideas.

The Words of Martin Luther King, Jr.: Selected by Coretta Scott King (Newmarket Words of Pocket Edition Series)
Martin Luther, Jr. King
Manufacturer: Newmarket Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1557041512

Book Description

More than 120 quotations on the community of man, racism, civil rights, justice and freedom, faith and religion, nonviolence, and peace. 16 photos, chronology.

Customer Reviews:

deeply moving.......2007-10-11

I was perusing through my bookshelf today, and stumbled across a very old edition of this book, "The Words of Martin Luther King, Jr."
Well I'd always noticed it here and there - but today I actually read it.

It's fantastic. It's something else. He was a genius before his time - yet he managed to stand up, at the right time.

Each excerpt makes you think. Very deep and moving.

Powerful. I highly recommend this book.

His fundamental commitment to unconditional love and unarmed truth.......2007-03-02

This book is a small compilation of quotes from Dr. King's writings and speeches. It's never a bad idea to honor the civil rights leaders and martyrs by reading literature that would again remind us of their struggle.
Through his words we will be reminded of how far we have come:
"I can foresee the Negro vote becoming consistently the decisive vote in national elections." - chapter on Justice and Freedom
Through his words we will be reminded of how far we haven't come:
"...wars are poor chisels for carving out peaceful tomorrows." - chapter on Peace

In one sitting, you could read this book in its entirety. As benefactors of his sacrifice, we should spare a few moments of our time to reflect on Dr. King and his enduring legacy.

Small but effective collection of MLK's speeches.......2005-07-11

When looking for some words of tribute to use at a church function, I recalled the copy of the book sitting amongst others in my home library. No better orator could have been selected than the revered civil rights leader. My presentation went off without and hitch and for that, I thank Dr. King.

This collection is divided into ten sections, with notable commentary by Dr. King:

1. The Community of Man
2. Racism
3. Civil Rights
4. Justice and Freedom
5. Faith and Religion
6. Nonviolence
7. Peace
8. "I've Been to the Mountain Top" (excerpt)
9. "I Have a Dream" (excerpt)
10. Proclamation of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day by then-President Ronald Reagan

The book begins with a foreward by King's widow, Coretta, and ends with a chronology and sources of the works printed.

An excellent sampling of King's writings and ideas........1999-03-31

After having read quite abit by and About King over the years, I would recommend this book to anyone, whether they were new to King's philosophies and ideas or a veteran of the movement he helped to create within this country and the world.

The Life And Words Of Martin Luther King Jr. (Scholastic Biography)

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The Life And Words Of Martin Luther King Jr. (Scholastic Biography)
Ira Peck
Manufacturer: Scholastic Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0590438271

Book Description

Quoting extensively from Dr. Martin Luther King's sermons and speeches, the author chronicles King's rise from a young minister in Montgomery, Alabama to the world's greatest spokesperson for civil rights.

King Remembered: The Story of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Words and Pictures

Average customer rating:

most intriging, excellent,bravo

King Remembered: The Story of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Words and Pictures
Flip Schulke , and Penelope Ortner McPhee
Manufacturer: Pocket Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr.

ASIN: 0671620185

Customer Reviews:

most intriging, excellent,bravo.......1999-09-10

More books are needed like this for our youth of this next century..

Dream: The Words and Inspiration of Martin Luther King, Jr. (Me-We)

Average customer rating:

obvious must read

Dream: The Words and Inspiration of Martin Luther King, Jr. (Me-We)

Manufacturer: Blue Mountain Arts
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Motivational | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1598422405
Release Date: 2007-04-02

Product Description

A collection of words and inspiration by four of the 20th Century's most preeminent humanitarians. Each book in this series features an introduction by Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

Customer Reviews:

obvious must read.......2007-08-31

like Ganghi, one of MLK's greatest inspirations, MLK was an amazing leader, teacher, political activist and peace maker. A must read for anyone who wishes to be inspired and change themselves and the world into a more peaceful place.

I Have a Dream: The Life and Words of Martin Luther King, Jr.

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I Have a Dream: The Life and Words of Martin Luther King, Jr.
James Haskins
Manufacturer: Rebound by Sagebrush
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

I Have a Dream: The Story Behind Martin Luther King Jr.'s Most Famous Speech (America in Words and Song)

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I Have a Dream: The Story Behind Martin Luther King Jr.'s Most Famous Speech (America in Words and Song)
Kerry A. Graves
Manufacturer: Chelsea Clubhouse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0791073351

Lie & Words of Martin Luther King JR 1ST Edition

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Lie & Words of Martin Luther King JR 1ST Edition
Ira Peck
Manufacturer: SCHOLASTIC BOOK SERVICES
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000W1Q6HS

Average customer rating:

Life & Words of Martin Luther King JR
Ira Peck
Manufacturer: SCHOLASTIC BOOK SERVICES
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000UDAJF8

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