A poignant account of the author's brief years shared with his civil rights leader father offers insight into their special bond, their separation during Dr. King's imprisonment and the author's 5-year-old witness to the famous "I Have a Dream" speech.

Renowned educator Christine King Farris, older sister of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., joins with celebrated illustrator Chris Soentpiet to tell this inspirational story of how one boyhood experience inspired a movement. Mother Dear, one day I'm going to turn this world upside down. Long before he became a world-famous dreamer, Martin Luther King Jr. was a little boy who played jokes and practiced the piano and made friends without considering race. But growing up in the segregated south of the 1930s taught young Martin a bitter lesson--little white children and little black children were not to play with one another. Martin decided then and there that something had to be done. And so he began the journey that would change the course of American history.

With poetic text and dynamic art, award-winning creators Carole Boston Weatherford and James E. Ransome use key moments from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s life to inspire future generations to stand up for what's right, make the world a better place, and be a King. You can be a King. Stamp out hatred. Put your foot down and walk tall. You can be a King. Beat the drum for justice. March to your own conscience. Featuring a dual narrative of the key moments of Dr. King's life alongside a modern class as the students learn about him, this engaging story highlights principles that readers today can emulate in their own lives. As times change, Dr. King's example remains, encouraging a new generation of children to take charge and change the world . . . to be a King.

Learn all about the childhood of America's most famous civil rights activist in this nonfiction Level 2 Ready-to-Read! Young Martin Luther King Jr. is having some problems with his best friend, Bobby. First, they are going to different schools this year. Next, Bobby's dad is not letting his son play with Martin. When Martin learns why, he is confused and hurt--but he learns a lesson that he will never forget.

"...school and public librarians will want to include this in their collections. The audio version...will be in great demand." - School Library Journal

“A powerful celebration of Martin Luther King Jr., set against the last few months of his life and written in verse” (School Library Journal). Martin Rising is a stunning, poetic presentation of the final months of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s life—told in a rich embroidery of visions, color, musical cadence, deep emotion, and multiple layers of meaning. Against a backdrop of the sanitation workers’ strike in Memphis, Tennessee, the book builds to its rousing crescendo as King delivers his “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech—where his life’s commitment to peaceful activism and his dream of equality ascend to their highest peak. The Pinkneys’ powerful and spiritual look at King’s legacy celebrates the courage and moral conviction of a man who changed the course of history forever. And even in the face of searing tragedy, he continues to inspire, transform, and elevate all of us who share his dream. Praise for Martin Rising A Washington Post Best Book of the Year A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year A New York Public Library Best Book of the Year A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year “Unique and remarkable.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review “Each poem trembles under the weight of the story it tells . . . Martin Rising packs an emotional wallop and, in perfect homage, soars when read aloud.” —Booklist, starred review

Martin Luther King Jr. led the American Civil Rights Movement. But do you know what he was like as a child? From roller skating to playing football and basketbal, Martin was a fun-loving child. This playful story of his childhood will help young readers connect with a historic figure and will inspire them to want to achieve greatness.