I Have a Dream: The Story of Martin Luther King

by Margaret Davidson

An inspiring portrait of a man who changed the course of American history . . . Well documented, clearly written and illustrated with captivating photos. -"Kirkus Review."

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, History, American History, Childrens, Read For School, Reference

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1986

About the author

There is more than one author with this name

Margaret Davidson grew up in New York City. As a child, she always loved to read.

She initially published books under her nickname and maiden name of Mickie Compere and also as Mickie Davidson

She has written many biographies, true stories about people's lives. Some famous people she has written biographies about are Helen Keller, Annie Sullivan, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Golda Meir.

Reviews

[Cameron Paynter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about martin luther king jr. and his life story. This book starts and the very start of his life. Martin is just a young boy when he realizes the truth about the world he lives in. Martin is inspired by his father to right for his people and that is exactly what martin does. Read this book to find out about Martins amazing life story. This book was very interesting and it was one of the favorite books i have ever read.

[Danielle Wood · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great biography for upper elementary/middle grade readers.

[Melissa Hamm]

I found this book so interesting, this has a lot to teach and definitely was a book that made me think. I highly recommend this to everyone.

[Don Heiman · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 1991 Scholastic Inc published a reissue of Margaret Davidson’s book “The Story of Martin Luther King, Jr: I Have a Dream.” Scholastic Inc’s reissue of the book features 22 wonderful photographs. Margaret begins her book by introducing readers to ethnic segregated life events of six year old year old Martin Luther King, Jr. who was born on January 15, 1929. His father was a Baptist minister and a civil rights activist; and his mother was a well educated and passionate advocate for social juastice. He graduated from Morehouse College in 1948 at the age of 19; he also graduated from Crozer Seminary in 1951; and in 1955 he received a Ph.D in systematic theology from Boston University. While at Boston University he married classmate Coretta Scott. In 1954 in the case Brown vs Topeka Board of Education the Supreme Court ruled separate public schools for blacks and whites are unconditional. A year later the Supreme Court ruled that all public bus seating segregation was unconstitutional. This and other rulings led to the creation of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), and Dr Martin was declared the Conference leader. A year later the American Civil Rights “We Shall Overcome” movement was born. This movement led to rulings on desegregation of lunch rooms, washrooms, elevators, and drinking fountains. These desegregation events also triggered many social protests movements including sit-ins, boycotts, marches, and nonviolent demonstrations. These events and social movements also led to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and these events were also key to Dr Martin Luther King Jr’s selection to receive the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. At the Lincoln Memorial to a crowd of over 250,000 viewers Dr. Martin Luther King Jr on August 28, 1963 delivered his amazing social justice speech “I Have a Dream”. The speech captures the essence of American advocacy for social justice. Margaret Davidson’s book is a very important for readers who have a strong interest in social justice and freedom principles. (P)

[Michaela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary:
This book is an inspiring biography of of Dr. Martin Luther King that explains the historical context and meaning of his famous I have a Dream speech and discusses the Civil Rights Movement.

Characteristics that Support the Genre:
This book is considered a biography because it is a text written to inform a reader about a real person's life, and the author is someone other than Dr. King who is the person featured in the text.

Mentor Writing Traits:
I would use this book as a mentor text to teach the writing trait of ideas because the author's ideas about the life and accomplishments of Dr. King are compelling and will make the reader keep reading. This book could also be used to teach the writing trait of presentation as it is illustrated with captivaating photos. Dr. King's famous I have a Dream Speech is about race, dreams, hopes, peace, freeodom, equality, repression, and visions of America.

Classroom Integration:
I would include I Have a Dream: The Story of Martin Luther King in my language arts or social studies curriclum in Black History Month in February to help teach students about the Civil Rights Movement and engage them in a discussion about equality, fairness, and justice. As students read this book, I will instruct them to pay attention to the events of Dr. King's life and how he brought change in America.

Other Suggestions:
Have students write their own I have a dream speeches about their hopes and dreams or visions for America.

Grade Level: 1-5
Guided Reading Level: Q

[JD Gomez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book tells the story of Martin Luther King Jr. and why he deserves to go down in history as an amazing American, Christian, and human.
It starts off by telling us why Martin got involved in these protests, sermons, marches and rallies. It tells us about how when he was little he was denied to play with his best friends because of the color of his skin.
It then goes on about his Christian and family life, which is very sweet, before continuing with the marches and speeches. It tells us about terrible tragedies (such as the bombing of a Sunday school, the whipping of black marchers, the death of teenage Jimmie Lee Jackson and the President John F. Kennedy assassination) and amazing triumphs (such as President Kennedy speaking out against racism, President Johnson Lyndon speaking out against racism, the passing of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and Martin Luther King Jr.’s Nobel Peace Prize Award Ceremony) before telling us that people began to get tired of peaceful protests and began to act out with violence which adds to a personal theory of mine that before people die, a nightmare of theirs comes true, and gets resolved after they die.
Overall an amazing book about the amazing story of Martin Luther King Jr.

[Jenna Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary: This biography is about the life of Martin Luther King Jr. It shares his accomplishments, family, and life history. The text teaches the reader about how Martin Luther King Jr. significantly impacted America.

Characteristics: This biography is broken up into easy-to-read chapters for each stage of his life. There are black and white pictures to support the content of the book and to help the reader connect to Martin Luther King Jr.'s life.

Mentor Writing Trait:
Ideas: This biography book focuses strongly on Martin Luther King Jr.'s accomplishments and life. This is the heart of the composition. The idea of teaching the reader about his achievements is clear and helps keep the reader engaged.

Classroom integration: I would add this biography to my classroom library so students have access when choosing research topics or are interested in learning more about Martin Luther King Jr. I would also like to read some engaging parts of the book to my class around Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Reading level: Q

[Rena Ch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a bad story and contained a lot of historical facts but 4 stars because it was really sad. I don’t get why people were so mean to each other and why some were being treated so unfairly because they had brown skin. Who on earth made up that rule?

The main character (Martin Luther King) quoted Booker T. Washington throughout the book, “Let no man pull you down so much that you hate him.” Sounds easy, like a baby can do it, but some teenagers couldn’t even do it in the book. Then I thought if I were a negro and had all those things done to me, I would have hated. His message was something that’s actually very hard to do, some might even call it impossible.

[Adam]

This was an excellent version of this man's inspiring story appropriate for middle school kids to read with parents. I got it from a high school, and it would work well for kids as a straightforward version, but slightly younger kids can benefit from it with support.

It places things in context and shows what King Junior wanted: for people to be treated decently.

A great book!

[Cala · Rating 4 out of 5]

A children's biography of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Recommended reading level is grade 3.

This is a good children's biography, though I'd want to discuss many topics from this book with my child if they're reading it independently. King was a minister and many of his ideas are based on the Bible and rightful things to stand up for, but not all of his ideas are Biblical.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite the lower reading level it worked fine as a read aloud and I learned a lot alongside my daughter. Multiple times it corresponded exactly to what we were covering in the history lesson and despite learning about MLK and civil rights many decades ago in school I learned anew reading through this.

[Stevenson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful biography written very simple so that everyone can understand how great of a soul MLK was. His legacy lives on page after page, nonviolence can really make big changes, bigger than any world war could ever achieve.

[Matteo]

This book is amazing because the book teaches you a lot of thinks about never give up the book teaches you that because you can see how Martin Luther King never give up. I recommend this book to all of you because the book is going to teaches you a lot.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read aloud for the elementary age and young middle school crowd. Definitely got choked up reading this and had some great convos with my kids. It’s an inspiring biography on MLK He’s life as well as a historical account of the civil rights movement presented in an easy to understand way.

[tha713joker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't want to spoil this book but it is awsome

[Obearsbballo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can easily be read in 2hrs by most people, good intro into MLKJr. Good book for a child's first encounter with Martin Luther King Jr. Would read again.

[Sommer T. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic - this is a great way to introduce kiddos to the life and times of Dr. King.

[Kim Ballance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Child-friendly version of a man's story that I hope will never be forgotten.

[Mark Nenadov · Rating 4 out of 5]

An engaging children’s biography of Martin Luther King. Substantial enough for an adult to enjoy.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent upper elementary biography.

[Alaina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent. Very well done for young readers but still telling about the facts and sad truth about history. My boys really were captivated by his life and how he stood for truth.

[Carolyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mostly good but like her other biographies I have found some inaccuracies.

[Aleksandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5/5

[Jennifer Martelon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: I Have a Dream: The Story of Martin Luther King
Author: Margaret Davidson
Illustrator:
Genre: Biography
Theme(s): Segregation and integration, civil rights movement, historic figures, leadership, prejudice and tolerance experiences
Opening line/sentence: It was a fine fall day in Atlanta, Georgia – a perfect day to do things outside.
Brief Book Summary: This book tells the story of Martin Luther King’s life from his childhood to death. It touches on how his dream developed and how he put up a fight for what he believed.
Professional Recommendation/Review #1: From School Library Journal
I Have a Dream follows the standard juvenile biography format, tracing King's life from his childhood days in Atlanta to his tragic death in Memphis. The text is sprinkled with familiar black-and-white photographs of varying quality garnered from the wire services and newspaper photographers. Although Davidson does not take any liberties with the facts, she uses quotation marks quite liberally, making dialogue that couldn't possibly have been recorded completely accurately come across as a literal rendering. I Have a Dream is similar to, but more expansive than, both Bains' Martin Luther King (Troll, 1985) and Hunter's Martin Luther King, Jr. (Bookwright Pr, 1985). Tom S. Hurlburt, Minneapolis Public Library
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Professional Recommendation/Review #2: KIRKUS REVIEW
An inspiring portrait of a man who changed the course of American history. King's impact on the country is still felt today, and Davidson skillfully builds the dramatic course of events to such a peak that readers may forget this is a history book. The author first shows the early influences that helped to shape King's life. His father, son of a share-cropper, was keenly aware of the subtleties of segregation and prejudice, and pointed them out early to young Martin. As a seminary student, King studied the works and teachings of Christ, Martin Luther, Thoreau, Gandhi, and Douglass, among others. Brief quotes from original sources convey how King came to adopt the use of nonviolence and revolution based on love to effect change. Beginning the civil rights movement in Montgomery, Alabama, with a bus boycott, King leads a long, hard fight against the backdrop of bombings and threats on his own life (as well as his family's). Yet he holds to his convictions, all the while preaching nonviolence and love. His first victory spurs him to lead sit-ins at segregated lunch counters. Young children and students join in the marches and protests, and when the opposition uses violent means to stop them, they are foisted into the spotlight of the national media. President Kennedy introduces a strong civil fights bill to Congress, King wins the Nobel Peace Prize, and he begins his war on poverty when his life is tragically ended by an assassin's bullet. Well documented, clearly written, and illustrated with captivating photos, this involving yet simple presentation will invite further reading on the subject. An excellent introduction to King, as well as a good book for adult literacy programs.
Response to Two Professional Reviews: I fully agree with the second review. It mentions every element that stood out to me while reading this book. The book is written in perfect chronological order starting with Martin Luther King’s childhood which gives the readers insight as to why his dream evolved. It also is definitely clearly written so that children can comprehend the books main idea easily. This book is a great way to start off a unit about Martin Luther King. I do think that the first review was not helpful. The only thing that I learned was that they did not like this book because it seemed to be more expensive than other Martin Luther King books.
Evaluation of Literary Elements: I think that the words and structure of this transitional chapter book are great for the level of readers that this is targeted to. This gives them just the amount of challenge they need while getting the point and idea across clearly. Young readers can also relate to this story since it does include his childhood.
Consideration of Instructional Application: I would incorporate this book into my classroom around Martin Luther King’s birthday. We would read this book as a class to learn all about Martin Luther King’s life. After finishing the book, we would go back and look at cause and effect of his actions and how what he did impacted our country today. Individually the children would write about a dream they have and state reasons why they have this dream along with what they would do to accomplish their dream.

[ZelL · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone not born in the US but grew up here from elementary school age, I’m more than familiar with MLK Jr. and his legacy while still having a sliver of detachment. From textbooks to road names, his impact in the country is undeniably great. But this book, despite the simplicity and briefness, made me get to know him on a level where I teared up so many times. While very informative and digestible in its prose, it is also powerful and wonderfully inspiring for humankind. I was thinking of donating this book, but now I want to keep it for a reread, then read to my future children until they can read it on their own.

[YUE LE]

Title: I have a dream: The story of Martin Luther King
Author: Margaret Davison
Genre: Biography
Theme(s): racial equity, historical figure, hero
Opening line/sentence: It was a fine fall day in Atlanta, Georgia—a perfect day to do things outside.
Brief Book Summary: A story of Martin Luther King. From his childhood life to his success later in his life.
Professional Recommendation/Review #1: From School Library Journal
I Have a Dream follows the standard juvenile biography format, tracing King's life from his childhood days in Atlanta to his tragic death in Memphis. The text is sprinkled with familiar black-and-white photographs of varying quality garnered from the wire services and newspaper photographers. Although Davidson does not take any liberties with the facts, she uses quotation marks quite liberally, making dialogue that couldn't possibly have been recorded completely accurately come across as a literal rendering. I Have a Dream is similar to, but more expansive than, both Bains' Martin Luther King (Troll, 1985) and Hunter's Martin Luther King, Jr. (Bookwright Pr, 1985). Tom S. Hurlburt, Minneapolis Public Library
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Professional Recommendation/Review #2: KIRKUS REVIEW
An inspiring portrait of a man who changed the course of American history. King's impact on the country is still felt today, and Davidson skillfully builds the dramatic course of events to such a peak that readers may forget this is a history book. The author first shows the early influences that helped to shape King's life. His father, son of a share-cropper, was keenly aware of the subtleties of segregation and prejudice, and pointed them out early to young Martin. As a seminary student, King studied the works and teachings of Christ, Martin Luther, Thoreau, Gandhi, and Douglass, among others. Brief quotes from original sources convey how King came to adopt the use of nonviolence and revolution based on love to effect change. Beginning the civil rights movement in Montgomery, Alabama, with a bus boycott, King leads a long, hard fight against the backdrop of bombings and threats on his own life (as well as his family's). Yet he holds to his convictions, all the while preaching nonviolence and love. His first victory spurs him to lead sit-ins at segregated lunch counters. Young children and students join in the marches and protests, and when the opposition uses violent means to stop them, they are foisted into the spotlight of the national media. President Kennedy introduces a strong civil fights bill to Congress, King wins the Nobel Peace Prize, and he begins his war on poverty when his life is tragically ended by an assassin's bullet. Well documented, clearly written, and illustrated with captivating photos, this involving yet simple presentation will invite further reading on the subject. An excellent introduction to King, as well as a good book for adult literacy programs.

Response to Two Professional Reviews: According to the two reviews, this is a standardized, classic biography for k3-5 to read. The story is told in a chronology order and is very easy for kids to follow. Also it is a good book to be used for further discussions.
Evaluation of Literary Elements: This is a biography in transitional chapter book format. The language and vocabulary used are appropriate foe early readers and the story is very easy to follow. Students can learn the entire life about Martin Luther King form his childhood to adulthood. The childhood part is very critical because its relatable to the kids.
Consideration of Instructional Application: Social study. Students will learn about not only Martin Luther King but also why he is famous, what he had brought to the American society. Why he is a great man. Students can have further and deeper discussions about all these topics.

[Arsu Rajbhandari · Rating 2 out of 5]

He inspired a a lot of ppl and without him I wouldnt even be here rn but it’s boring as hell

[Jana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this biography of Martin Luther King, Jr. I appreciated that it was more substantial than many of the wonderful picture book biographies of this civil rights hero, but at the same time, it was written in kid-friendly language that is accessible to all of the students in my classroom. While I am pretty familiar with many of the details of King's life: his education, his rise to prominence during the Montgomery Bus Boycott, his speeches, his participation in marches for freedom and justice; I still learned quite a bit from this book.

Near and dear to my heart and the hearts of fellow Book Nerds - "Books were a kind of magic for Martin. They took him so many places. They told him so many new things. Most important, they introduced him to so many people who became heroes in his life." In his formative years, King spent a lot of time studying the lives of heroes like Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, Booker T. Washington, and George Washington Carver. Reading about these historic figures inspired the young man to do something big and important with his life. "Whatever he grew up to be, he wanted to help his people. He wanted to make their lives better."

As the struggle for freedom and Civil Rights wore on, however, King had many times when he was tired and discouraged from the fight. After being unjustly arrested, harassed and threatened, he was very close to giving up. At his lowest point, he prayed out loud - "Lord, I'm down here trying to do what is right. But Lord, I must confess that I'm weak. I'm afraid. The people are looking to me for leadership. If I stand before them without strength or courage, they, too will falter. I am at the end of my powers. I have nothing left. I can't face it alone." As he gained peace and an inner calm from his time spent reaching out to God, we see just how difficult this period of time was for King and how human he was.

This book also provides young readers with a glimpse of the personal, playful side of Martin Luther King, Jr. I think this is awesome, because kids can relate more to him and his family. King traveled far away from home frequently, and so his children would be so happy and excited when he returned - "Oh, how the children loved these times when their daddy was home. Martin could seem very serious when he was giving a speech or leading a march. But at home he was full of fun - teasing and tickling and roughhousing."

[Ryan Bachmeier]

Book Title: I Have a Dream: The Story of Martin Luther King
Reading Level: 3.9
Guided: Q

Book Summary: This book is the story of Martin Luther King. The book tells of Martin's life starting at age six, when he was told he could not play with a white friend. It shows the beginnings of what created his dream for America, how he fought for it, and gave his life for it. This book allows students to not only learn about MLK as the politician, but also as a person.

Bookshelf Genre: Biography

Characteristics that support the genre:
The book is a non-fiction book about his life.

Bookshelf Mentor Writing Traits:

Ideas: The ideas chosen for this book are relatable for young students because it shows them what it means to find their own thoughts of how things should be and what it takes to continue to believe in them and fight for them.

Organization: This book is organized very well. It presents information in order of the events that occurred.

Classroom Integration:
This book could be used in the classroom when discussing the civil rights movement and learning about famous leaders in American history.

[Carey · Rating 5 out of 5]

A "Battle of the Books" gem, that both my 3rd & 5th grader loved!
This book allowed us to engage in some very thought provoking discussion and my kids were shocked with some of our country's history in treatment of our fellowmen.
I'm currently requiring my 8th grader to read this book, so she too, can gain a greater respect for the rights and freedoms that we take so granted for in this country and that, unfortunately, is left out of school lesson plans.

As a mother, I want my children to have a glimpse into history and learn, feel the struggles for freedom. I felt like this book did just that.
The author was able to capture both the tension and the victory won as she penned the life story of MLK Jr. for a younger audience.