{"id":37351,"date":"2020-12-06T00:03:12","date_gmt":"2020-12-06T04:03:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=37351"},"modified":"2020-12-06T00:05:28","modified_gmt":"2020-12-06T04:05:28","slug":"review-of-martin-rising-by-andrea-davis-pinkney-paintings-by-brian-pinkney","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=37351","title":{"rendered":"Review of Martin Rising, by Andrea Davis Pinkney, paintings by Brian Pinkney"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Martin Rising<\/p>\n

Requiem for a King<\/em><\/p>\n

by Andrea Davis Pinkney
\npaintings by Brian Pinkney<\/p>\n

Scholastic Press, January 2018. 128 pages.
\nStarred Review
\n2018 Sonderbooks Stand-out<\/a>:
\n#9 Longer Children’s Nonfiction<\/p>\n

I\u2019m writing this review on Martin Luther King, Jr.\u2019s birthday in 2018. It\u2019s a shame I can\u2019t post it today, but I have to remain silent online about any 2018 children\u2019s books until after we announce our Newbery winners.<\/p>\n

This book is poetry combined with art, telling about the events that happened 50 years ago in 1968, the last months of Martin\u2019s life.<\/p>\n

I have to confess I\u2019m not the best audience for unrhymed poetry. I haven\u2019t spoken with anyone else yet about this book, and I have a feeling that when I do, others will be able to point out details of the craft that went right by me.<\/p>\n

But what we have here is history in the form of poetry. There is symbolism \u2013 a progression from daylight to darkness to dawn. Some more symbolism that even I could catch was in a poem about forcing forsythia to bloom where that\u2019s compared with forcing garbage collectors in Tennessee to do degrading work in harsh conditions. March is said to come in like a lion \u2013 but no progress is made, and it leaves much more quietly.<\/p>\n

And the event that sparks the chain of events in this book was the death of two sanitation workers in Memphis, Tennessee, and the protests that sparked. There are lots of facts here \u2013 you\u2019ll learn about what happened, along with the dignity and nobility of those who protested.<\/p>\n

(I\u2019m now going to pause and reread the book as a fitting way of celebrating Martin Luther King\u2019s birthday.)<\/p>\n

Here are some good bits:<\/p>\n

In the poem \u201cCome: February 24, 1968\u201d:<\/p>\n

But, Lord,
\neven with your handiwork
\nhard<\/em> at work,
\nit is hard, hard<\/em> work
\nnot to strike back violently,
\nespecially when you\u2019re striking.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In the poem \u201cRoar! March 11, 1968\u201d:<\/p>\n

These strikers have volunteered for
\npeaceful protest.<\/p>\n

When the police handcuff
\nand shove them,
\nand choke hold their hope,
\nand cart them away,
\nthese men and women,
\nand girls and boys
\nwho have volunteered
\nfor self-dignity,
\nwill not
\nenter jail
\nin the same way
\nMarch
\nenters the calendar.<\/p>\n

These strong, quiet
\nstrikers,
\nand all who stand by them
\nrefuse to Roar.<\/p>\n

Going out like lambs,
\nthey are ignored.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

From the final poem, \u201cRejoice the Legacy: January 15 \u2013 Martin Luther King Day \u2013 Forever\u201d:<\/p>\n

And so, today, though his candles stopped
\nat thirty-nine,
\nwe celebrate Martin\u2019s exquisite life.<\/p>\n

His sparkling-eyed vision
\nof tomorrow\u2019s promise.
\nHis destiny.
\nHis dream.<\/p>\n

How he led us to the mountaintop
\non the path of light, love, and truth.
\nHe didn\u2019t get there with us.
\nBut he showed us the way.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

So that\u2019s this book \u2013 a poetic tribute to Martin Luther King\u2019s life and the story of his final months. I love the suggestion in the author\u2019s note at the back to perform these as a group reading or as a classroom play. It is all too easy to rush through these poems. I\u2019m pretty sure that the harder I look at them, the more riches I\u2019ll find.<\/p>\n

Buy from Amazon.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Find this review on Sonderbooks<\/a> at: www.sonderbooks.com\/Childrens_Nonfiction\/martin_rising.html<\/a><\/p>\n

Disclosure: I am an Amazon Affiliate, and will earn a small percentage if you order a book on Amazon after clicking through from my site.<\/p>\n

Source: This review is based on a book sent by the publisher.<\/p>\n

Disclaimer: I am a professional librarian, but the views expressed are solely my own, and in no way represent the official views of my employer or of any committee or group of which I am part.<\/p>\n

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