Reviews
A Place to Land: Martin Luther King Jr. and the Speech That Inspired a Nation by Barry Wittenstein
locolibrarian's review against another edition
5.0
I love how this book gives us a behind the scene perspective on his greatest speech. This book gives insight into the process, influence, and the brilliance behind the speech. The pictures are gorgeous and beautiful to look at. The writing paints beautiful images and highlights the details of that day. A strong, inspiring message presented wonderfully with both words and images.
WARNING:
Be careful when reading to younger students because it does describe how people were mistreated with violence: shot, hung, beaten, stuck with cattle prods, etc.
WARNING:
Be careful when reading to younger students because it does describe how people were mistreated with violence: shot, hung, beaten, stuck with cattle prods, etc.
constantcatreader's review against another edition
5.0
I love how this book gives us a behind the scene perspective on his greatest speech. This book gives insight into the process, influence, and the brilliance behind the speech. The pictures are gorgeous and beautiful to look at. The writing paints beautiful images and highlights the details of that day. A strong, inspiring message presented wonderfully with both words and images.
WARNING:
Be careful when reading to younger students because it does describe how people were mistreated with violence: shot, hung, beaten, stuck with cattle prods, etc.
WARNING:
Be careful when reading to younger students because it does describe how people were mistreated with violence: shot, hung, beaten, stuck with cattle prods, etc.
readingthroughtheages's review against another edition
5.0
Wow. This is a powerful book. Just when you think you've read about and understood MLK Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech, you read this and learn even more. Between the powerful words and the illustrations that make a statement, this is a book you're going to want to have for Civil Rights discussions and for teaching Civil Rights time period and about MLK.
asey's review against another edition
medium-paced
4.0
A great book to give a background to the “I Have A Dream” speech.
In the notes about characters, they touch on Abernathy who was “an openly gay man in a time of homophobia.”
In the notes about characters, they touch on Abernathy who was “an openly gay man in a time of homophobia.”
5elementknitr's review against another edition
4.0
I thoroughly enjoyed the collage aspect in the artwork.
I also liked the extra history and "role-call" at the end.
I also liked the extra history and "role-call" at the end.
panda_incognito's review against another edition
5.0
This is phenomenal. The lyrical writing and collage illustrations combine beautifully, sharing the story of how MLK composed the "I Have a Dream Speech" at the last minute and improvised its most essential part. This book lives up to its inspiring content in every way, and the author's attention to both textual rhythm and content is amazing. The book reads like poetry while remaining breathtakingly accurate to the historical record, and the notes in the back of the book provide support for the smallest details, share additional historical context, and summarize information about the other Civil Rights figures who appeared throughout. This is a wonderful story and a great educational resource, and I highly recommend it.
My favorite aspect of this book, however, is how it celebrates MLK's identity and influence as a Baptist preacher. Many books about Civil Rights figures gloss over their faith commitments, obscuring their motivating beliefs and robbing them of their distinctiveness in an attempt to appeal to broad audiences. This book shatters the mold. Instead of presenting MLK as an inspiring speaker who happened to be a pastor at home, the author introduces him as a Baptist preacher first and foremost, showing how his power to inspire flowed from the concepts, language, rhythm, and enduring faith that had shaped his ideology and public discourse for years. Even though this attention to MLK's Christian faith shouldn't be unusual, this book stands out in a crowded market by celebrating the ways that his passionate preaching and deep theology changed the world.
My favorite aspect of this book, however, is how it celebrates MLK's identity and influence as a Baptist preacher. Many books about Civil Rights figures gloss over their faith commitments, obscuring their motivating beliefs and robbing them of their distinctiveness in an attempt to appeal to broad audiences. This book shatters the mold. Instead of presenting MLK as an inspiring speaker who happened to be a pastor at home, the author introduces him as a Baptist preacher first and foremost, showing how his power to inspire flowed from the concepts, language, rhythm, and enduring faith that had shaped his ideology and public discourse for years. Even though this attention to MLK's Christian faith shouldn't be unusual, this book stands out in a crowded market by celebrating the ways that his passionate preaching and deep theology changed the world.
ajacks's review against another edition
5.0
I support independent bookstores. You can use this link to find one near you: http://www.indiebound.org
thehmkane's review against another edition
4.0
I read this book to review it for my library system's Mock Caldecott Awards. This is a Jerry Pinkney work, so of course the art is stunning. The way the pictoral style evolves over the course of the book is beautiful and brilliant.
Reading this book with a child might be a little difficult. It's on the long end, and deals with some heavy context. You'd need both the right grownup, and the right child to make it work. It's a tough and necessary conversation, though.
Reading this book with a child might be a little difficult. It's on the long end, and deals with some heavy context. You'd need both the right grownup, and the right child to make it work. It's a tough and necessary conversation, though.