Happy Perfect Picture Book Friday, dear friends! As promised, we have a double-decker, close-out-the-summer special: a brand-new picture book (just released on Tuesday – and if you leave a comment, you will be entered into the giveaway of a shiny new copy) that is sure to take plenty of awards…it’s already garnered amazing starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Booklist, and Horn Book. And here’s one from Kirkus:

★ “Wittenstein’s free-verse narrative perfectly captures the tension leading up to the speech as each adviser urged his own ideas while remaining a supportive community. Pinkney’s trademark illustrations dramatize this and the speech, adding power and further illuminating the sense of historical importance. Gives readers a fresh and thrilling sense of what it took to make history.” —Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

Which isn’t at all surprising because it’s written by Barry Wittenstein and illustrated by Jerry Pinkney.

A PLACE TO LAND: Martin Luther King Jr. and the Speech that Inspired a Nation

Written by Barry Wittenstein

Illustrated by Jerry Pickney

Published by Neal Porter (Holiday House – August 2019)

Ages: 7-10

Theme: Civil Rights, be true to yourself, cooperation

Synopsis: From Amazon:

Much has been written about Martin Luther King, Jr. and the 1963 March on Washington. But there’s little on his legendary speech and how he came to write it. Find out more in this gripping book with illustrations by Caldecott Medalist Jerry Pinkney.

Martin Luther King, Jr. was once asked if the hardest part of preaching was knowing where to begin. No, he said. The hardest part is knowing where to end. “It’s terrible to be circling up there without a place to land.”
Finding this place to land was what Martin Luther King, Jr. struggled with, alongside advisors and fellow speech writers, in the Willard Hotel the night before the March on Washington, where he gave his historic “I Have a Dream” speech. But those famous words were never intended to be heard on that day, not even written down for that day, not even once.

Barry Wittenstein teams up with legendary illustrator Jerry Pinkney to tell the story of how, against all odds, Martin found his place to land.

Why I love this book:

• Presents this historic moment in a context that makes it accessible to young children
• As a writer, I appreciate Dr. King’s struggle with knowing where to land…where to end my story.
• With each spread I fall more in love with Pinkney’s art and Wittenstein’s text…and that is the hallmark of a great picture book, right?

RELATED ACTIVITIES

Photo courtesy: https://www.creativechild.com/articles/view/10-martin-luther-king-day-crafts

Lots to do here if you follow this website link: https://www.creativechild.com/articles/view/10-martin-luther-king-day-crafts

Thank you for spending you precious time here, dear readers. Please don’t forget to leave a comment – thanks to Barry, we have a signed and inscribed copy of this amazing book to give away! And remember to come back tomorrow for his super-charged Q&A on Will Write for Cookies.

This is the LAST weekend in August…Labor Day weekend…that means summer is just about over. I’m sad about the early nights…but happy for all of the wonderful picture books that will be launching this fall! I’m wishing all of you a safe and happy weekend.