Martin Rising: Requiem for a King

The grim task of writing about Dr. King's assassination is handled with great tenderness by this husband-and-wife team. Andrea Davis Pinkney's 39 poems sing, exhort, console, and illuminate. She explains the strike by sanitation workers that brought King to Memphis ("Come, / please come./ The strikers need you"), describes King's exhaustion, and celebrates his prophetic last speech ("I've seen the promised land," he says. "I may not get there with you"). Brian Pinkney paints with gentle, rounded strokes, alternating portraits with atmospheric, abstract washes. He shows King adjusting the knot of his tie on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel, his gaze distant. Suddenly, there's a "Pop!" Deep emotion finds expression in impassioned bursts: "Angry fists alight with fire!/ Smashing glass!" The fairy tale hen, Henny Penny, appears throughout to warn and comfort in anguished moments: "She tries, oh, she tries/ to fly/ in the bullet's face." In the end, King's legacy offers redemption and hope: "And with love, we all shall rise." Written with an eye toward choral reading, this is a unique and remarkable resource. Ages 9-12. Agent: Rebecca Sherman, Writers House. (Jan.)

Copyright 2017 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

Gr 4 Up—A powerful celebration of Martin Luther King Jr., set against the last few months of his life and written in verse. Divided into three sections, ("Daylight," "Darkness," and "Dawn"), Andrea Davis Pinkney's poems focus on the winter and spring of 1968, from King's birthday on January 15 through the horror of his assassination on April 4 and end with a tribute to his legacy of hope on Easter Sunday, April 14. The poems begin broadly, painting a portrait of spring emerging in Memphis as garbage collectors fight against discriminatory wage policies, ultimately bringing King to that city to organize and uplift the movement. But as the last moments of King's life tick away, the narrative zooms in, detailing the emotional beats of his final public speeches, the feverish exhaustion of long days and nights away from home, and the relief of stolen moments of leisure with his closest friends. Throughout, the crowds filling churches seeking inspiration and bravely marching in the face of violence are as much a part of the story as King himself. Brian Pinkney's watercolor, gouache, and India ink illustrations convey warm moments of victory and joy, as well as the darkness and chaos of loss, through swirls of color. Impressionistic brush-stroke portraits of King alternate with spreads full of faces listening, marching, and mourning. Back matter includes author and artist reflections, a time line, and additional historical information with photographs. VERDICT Beautifully illustrated and begging to be read aloud, this poetry collection is an exceptional classroom tool for civil rights lessons and offers much for individual readers to linger over.—Chelsea Couillard-Smith, Hennepin County Library, MN

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Praise for Martin Rising: Requiem for a King

"Envisioned for young readers but sure to be appreciated more widely, Martin Rising depicts King as a source of warmth and brightness on its radiant front cover. [The Pinkneys] sustain and develop this idea throughout their book, paying stirring tribute to King's personal warmth, spiritual strength and leadership. The book's vivid poetry bursts with information as well as feeling, and the watercolor images are grounded in reality but feel elevated, on a higher plane." — The Washington Post

* "Spiritually vital." — Kirkus Reviews, starred review

* "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

* "A powerful celebration of Martin Luther King Jr...As the last moments of King's life tick away, the narrative zooms in, detailing the emotional beats of his final public speeches, the feverish exhaustion of long days and nights away from home... Throughout, the crowds filling churches seeking inspiration and bravely marching in the face of violence are as much a part of the story as King himself....Beautifully illustrated and begging to be read aloud, this poetry collection is an exceptional classroom tool for civil rights lessons and offers much for individual readers to linger over." — School Library Journal, starred review

* "A creative poetic celebration of the contributions of Martin Luther King Jr. that also, as a song for the dead, includes a meticulous explanation of how and why he died.... Accompanying the varied and intense poetry, Brian Pinkney's swirling watercolor, gouache, and India ink illustrations give life and movement to King's story and reflect the complex emotions that surface throughout this biography...." — The Horn Book, starred review

"This genre-bending work uses poetry to document the last months of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s life... This well-researched, thorough tribute captures the details that make each section vividly memorable... The often alliterative and sometimes rhyming poetry, full of simile and metaphor, begs for re-reading and performing.Brian Pinkney's ...luminescent illustrations epitomize the essence of King's life as a beacon of light and creates hope, even during troubling times.... Theback matterincludes a retelling of the events of King's last months in straight-forward text accompanied by black-and-white photographs, a timeline, and a bibliography.Martin Risingis an inspiring joy to read and a genuinely unique accolade." — VOYA

Praise for Martin & Mahalia: His Words, Her Song

* "Wife-and-husband team Andrea Davis Pinkney and Brian Pinkney match talents as they weave together the stories of two giants of the American civil rights movement...[A] colorful, inspirational resource." — Booklist, starred review

"Historical context and artistic inspirations wrap up this informative approach to the two icons and the effect of their partnership on history." — School Library Journal

Praise for The Red Pencil

* "Pinkney faces war's horrors head on, yet also conveys a sense of hope and promise." — Publishers Weekly, starred review

* "Pinkney uses deft strokes to create engaging characters through the poetry of their observations and the poignancy of their circumstances....A soulful story that captures the magic of possibility, even in difficult times." — Kirkus Reviews, starred review

* "Amira's thoughts and drawings are vividly brought to life through Pinkney's lyrical verse.... An essential purchase." — School Library Journal, starred review