February is Black History Month. It is a month where everyone focuses on Black history as part of the United States history since our society tends to focus on white male history most of the time. It saddens me that we need these cultural history months as every day we should be focusing on history of different cultures that have helped build our country, but alas that is not the case. Having the cultural months ensures that schools focus on the history that is not always focused on during the entire year. Today I am sharing a new book that is perfect for celebrating Black History Month with lower elementary aged students. It is Coretta: The Autobiography of Mrs. Coretta Scott King by Coretta Scott King and the Reverend Dr. Barbara Reynolds and illustrated by Ekua Holmes. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8.
From the Publisher:
Celebrate the life of the extraordinary civil and human rights activist Coretta Scott King with this picture book adaptation of her critically acclaimed adult memoir.This is the autobiography of Coretta Scott King––wife of Martin Luther King, Jr.; founder of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change (the King Center); architect of the MLK, Jr. legacy; and global leader in movements for civil and human rights as well as peace. Learn about how a girl born in the segregated deep south became a global leader at the forefront of the peace movement and an unforgettable champion of social change.
Resilience, bravery, and joy lie at the center of this timeless story about fighting for justice against all odds.
From Me:
Coretta takes us from her birth through many of the major parts of her life. Her schooling experience, meeting Martin, the threats to her family and Martin's arrests. It shares her point of view about the marches and the work they did together. It tells us her own feelings when Martin is murdered and how she chooses to continue his work and keep his legacy alive. It is amazing to read her feelings from the March on Washington. Reading this version really made me feel like Coretta is speaking to the reader herself.
This book does an amazing job of sharing the life and work of Coretta Scott King with younger children. We all hear about her husband but this book shares what work she did and achieved. It includes things from her speaking on his behalf and singing to raise money for the Civil Rights Movement to having Martin's birthday made into a federal holiday. There are so many things I know I didn't realize she did even after reading other books about her. It is full of life and is an interesting story that kids will enjoy hearing and/or reading themselves.
The book shares some of the racism and violence Coretta experienced in her own life. It also shares how she fought back. Coretta Scott King was a truly amazing woman who deserves to have her story told and taught. This book allows us to do this with younger children in a way that they will learn about her and hopefully be as amazed as I am.
The pages of the book are colorful, and the illustrations are beautiful. They help tell the story and take the reader to the various points in history. At the end of the book is a Civil Rights timeline, the principles of nonviolence that Dr. and Mrs. King followed as well as brief blurb about Coretta. It also gives a website to learn more about Coretta. I hope you will check it out!! It is a book every library and school should own.
