My Brother Martin: A Sister Remembers Growing Up with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Bibliographic information:

Farris, Christine King.  My brother Martin: A Sister Remembers Growing Up with The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  Scholastic, Inc, 2003, illus. Soentpiet, Chris, p. 39.

Brief plot description:

Have you ever wondered what Martin Luther King’s childhood was like?  The story, written by Martin’s sister, begins by telling the story of Christine and Martin’s birth in their grandparent’s house.  They grew up in an Atlanta, Georgia neighborhood of Sweet Auburn where there was only one white family who owned a store.  She tells how their dad and mom were not always home, and how they were raised by their grandmother and aunt.  One day the white boys told Martin that they couldn’t play with them anymore because they were black.  That day marked the beginning into the cruel and unfair world that the blacks had to face.  Their parents told them stories about what Africans couldn’t do and their experiences with white people.  Martin won prizes and had several speeches and marches to get his message out to others.  The story ends with Martin having a dream and that dream changed everything. 

Brief review:

I really enjoyed this book because it was a real description of Martin’s childhood.  The book could be used on Martin’s birthday, when talking about the conditions of the 60s, or during Black History month.  The illustrations in this book are wonderfully done and make the story come to life.  The main idea of this book is that Martin didn’t have a dream when he was born, but he developed one when he realized the conditions that he and his family were living in.  Included in the book are several illustrations in rich colors and detailed images including some of the marches and Martin’s “I have a dream” speech and some photographs of a young Martin.  After reading the Afterword, I believe that this story is very important for children to read because it comes from a family member who knew the real Martin Luther King, Jr. 

Genre label:

Biography

Reading level/interest level:

4^th - 7^th grade

Similar materials in style content, theme or characters:

The Life and Words of Martin Luther King, Jr. by Ira Peck

I Have a Dream: The Story of Martin Luther King by Margaret Davidson

Freedom Train: The Story of Harriet Tubman

Awards:

ABC Children’s Bookseller’s Choices

CBC/NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book

Arizona Young Reader Book Award Nominee