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M.L.K.: Journey of a King
Coretta Scott KingHonor Winner Tonya Bolden focuses her critical eye on Martin Luther King, Jr.
In the tradition of her award-winning book "Maritcha," Tonya Bolden brings words and pictures together to tell the life story of one of America's greatest figures: Martin Luther King, Jr. -- or M.L.K. Central to the story is King's belief that agape -- the selfless love for one's neighbor -- is the rope that binds all peoples together. This philosophy came forward in his sermons, in his daily practice, and especially in his support of nonviolent protests.
More than 80 photographs of M.L.K. preaching, leading marches, being arrested, and overcoming the violence and prejudice around him are juxtaposed with images of his wife and family, of his fellow protestors, and of other leaders of the day. A tribute to a great human being, "M.L.K." will surely inspire young readers.
In the tradition of her award-winning book "Maritcha," Tonya Bolden brings words and pictures together to tell the life story of one of America's greatest figures: Martin Luther King, Jr. -- or M.L.K. Central to the story is King's belief that agape -- the selfless love for one's neighbor -- is the rope that binds all peoples together. This philosophy came forward in his sermons, in his daily practice, and especially in his support of nonviolent protests.
More than 80 photographs of M.L.K. preaching, leading marches, being arrested, and overcoming the violence and prejudice around him are juxtaposed with images of his wife and family, of his fellow protestors, and of other leaders of the day. A tribute to a great human being, "M.L.K." will surely inspire young readers.
128 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2007
8 people are currently reading
200 people want to read
About the author
Tonya Bolden
79 books186 followersAuthor and publisher Tonya Wilyce Bolden was born on March 1, 1959, in New York City to Georgia Bolden, a homemaker, and Willie Bolden, a garment center shipping manager. Bolden grew up in Harlem in a musical family and loved to read; she attended Public M.E.S. 146, an elementary school in Manhattan, and then graduated from the Chapin School, a private secondary school, in Manhattan in 1976. Bolden attended Princeton University in New Jersey, and, in 1981, obtained her B.A. degree in Slavic languages and literature with a Russian focus. Bolden was also a University Scholar and received the Nicholas Bachko, Jr. Scholarship Prize.
Upon graduating from Princeton University, Bolden began working as a salesperson for Charles Alan, Incorporated, a dress manufacturer, while working towards her M.A. degree at Columbia University. In 1985, Bolden earned her degree in Slavic languages and literature, as well as a Certificate for Advanced Study of the Soviet Union from the Harriman Institute; after this she began working as an office coordinator for Raoulfilm, Inc., assisting in the research and development of various film and literary products. Bolden worked as an English instructor at Malcolm-King College and New Rochelle School of New Resources while serving as newsletter editor of the HARKline, a homeless shelter newsletter.
In 1990, Bolden wrote her first book, The Family Heirloom Cookbook. In 1992, Bolden co-authored a children’s book entitled Mama, I Want To Sing along with Vy Higginsen, based on Higginsen’s musical. Bolden continued publishing throughout the 1990s, releasing Starting a Business from your Home, Mail-Order and Direct Response, The Book of African-American Women: 150 Crusaders, Creators, and Uplifters, And Not Afraid to Dare: The Stories of Ten African-American Women, American Patriots: The Story of Blacks in the Military from the Revolution to Desert Storm and The Champ. Bolden became editor of the Quarterly Black Review of Books in 1994, and served as an editor for 33 Things Every Girl Should Know, in 1998. Bolden’s writing career became even more prolific in the following decade; a partial list of her works include:, Our Souls: A Celebration of Black American Artists, Maritcha: A Nineteenth Century American Girl, MLK: Journey of a King, Take-Off: American All-Girl Bands During World War II, and George Washington Carver, a book she authored in conjunction with an exhibit about the famous African American inventor created by The Field Museum in Chicago.
(source; http://www.thehistorymakers.com/biogr...)
Upon graduating from Princeton University, Bolden began working as a salesperson for Charles Alan, Incorporated, a dress manufacturer, while working towards her M.A. degree at Columbia University. In 1985, Bolden earned her degree in Slavic languages and literature, as well as a Certificate for Advanced Study of the Soviet Union from the Harriman Institute; after this she began working as an office coordinator for Raoulfilm, Inc., assisting in the research and development of various film and literary products. Bolden worked as an English instructor at Malcolm-King College and New Rochelle School of New Resources while serving as newsletter editor of the HARKline, a homeless shelter newsletter.
In 1990, Bolden wrote her first book, The Family Heirloom Cookbook. In 1992, Bolden co-authored a children’s book entitled Mama, I Want To Sing along with Vy Higginsen, based on Higginsen’s musical. Bolden continued publishing throughout the 1990s, releasing Starting a Business from your Home, Mail-Order and Direct Response, The Book of African-American Women: 150 Crusaders, Creators, and Uplifters, And Not Afraid to Dare: The Stories of Ten African-American Women, American Patriots: The Story of Blacks in the Military from the Revolution to Desert Storm and The Champ. Bolden became editor of the Quarterly Black Review of Books in 1994, and served as an editor for 33 Things Every Girl Should Know, in 1998. Bolden’s writing career became even more prolific in the following decade; a partial list of her works include:, Our Souls: A Celebration of Black American Artists, Maritcha: A Nineteenth Century American Girl, MLK: Journey of a King, Take-Off: American All-Girl Bands During World War II, and George Washington Carver, a book she authored in conjunction with an exhibit about the famous African American inventor created by The Field Museum in Chicago.
(source; http://www.thehistorymakers.com/biogr...)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
March 11, 2018
This biography is completed with thorough descriptions of Martin Luther King Jr’s life in chronological order. This highlights Martin Luther King Jr. as a Nobel Peace Prize winner, renowned orator as well as an essential figure within our history in regards to civil rights. Throughout this text, the author uses clear and concise facts about Martin Luther King Jr. This book spans throughout his lifetime, beginning when he was born and where he was raised, and evolving to the days after his assassination. This book targets very specific details, however it avoids the use of figurative language. This book includes a large amount of little-known facts about his lifetime. For example, within the text it states “M.L hoped his return to atlanta would mean more time “to meditate and think through the total struggle ahead,” he remarked in a letter to graduate school professor turned friend Allan Chalmers.” Throughout this text, there are many quotes provided giving the reader more understanding of the events that occured in addition to first hand examples. The information provided within this text is all up to date and accurate. At the end of the text, the book includes notes, selected sources, photography credits, acknowledgements as well as an index to better support the information provided. This is important because it provides the reader with an understanding that the text is further supported, providing a clear connection that the author did the proper amount of research.
February 25, 2019
08 December 2007 M.L.K.: JOURNEY OF A KING by Tonya Bolden, Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2007, ISBN: 0-8109-5476-1
"Someday, we'll get it together and we'll get it undone
Someday, when the world is much brighter
Someday, we'll walk in the rays of a beautiful sun
Someday, when the world is much lighter." -- Stan Vincent
"One mid-April 1944 day he and a teacher, Mrs. Bradley, stood for most of the ninety-mile journey from Dublin, Georgia, to Atlanta because the bus driver had ordered them to surrender their seats to whites, then cursed at them for not moving quickly. M.L. had wanted to sit tight, but his teacher convinced him that nothing good would come of defying the segregation law behind the bus driver's demand. M.L. seethed all the way home, stripped of his joy. For in Dublin, he had done well in an oratorical contest with his speech,' The Negro and the Constitution,' a plea for racial justice."
Does the average school library really need another biography of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.? Do you really need to read another one? If there is anyone beyond John, Paul, George, and Ben who I can count on finding on the library shelf of every single school in which I booktalk, it is MLK.
"That night, M.L. was at a mass meeting when told that his home had been bombed. Coretta and Yoki weren't physically hurt, but he didn't know that until he reached his house, where several hundred blacks had gathered in response to the bombing, more than a few of them armed with guns, knives, and broken bottles.
"M.L. did a masterful job of calming the crowd, but later that night, he was 'on the verge of corroding hate.' He dug deep for the strength to love. By then, he understood well what the love Jesus preached really meant. He knew that it was neither the kind of love that he felt for Yoki, his parents, or his friends, nor the kind of love he had for Coretta, but agape, (pronounced ah-gah-pay), a Greek word for a higher, harder love: a love that has nothing to do with liking a person, a love worthy of people who do you no good and even do you wrong. Agape says to see past a person's sins to the soul God loves."
This concept of agape, and his belief in it, would so well serve Reverend King, permitting him to repeatedly maintain his determination to focus on the cause, to be positive and nonviolent in the face of repeated physical attacks and jailings month after month. Agape is just one of so many important concepts explored by Tonya Bolden about which I have never seen mention in other MLK bios that I have read over the years.
"In talks with riot-ready youth in Chicago and elsewhere, M.L. had been brought up short by the question 'What about Vietnam?' Hadn't the U.S. government resorted to violence to express its will? young blacks asked. What's more, M.L. had been literally sickened by photographs of horrors wrought by America's napalm bombs that accompanied the article 'The Children of Vietnam,' in the January 1967 issue of Ramparts magazine. Added to these promptings was his conscience calling him to recognize that if he didn't boldly denounce the war, he was no better than whites who knew in their bones that racial injustice was reprobate but said and did nothing about it."
Bolden shows how the media of that era sought to keep Reverend King "in his place," editorializing that he was making a mistake to divert his attention from the cause -- Civil Rights -- with which he was identified. But to the me of forty years ago and to the me whom I am today, MLK's stance against The War is what separated him from mere politicians and mere activists and really made him a lasting inspiration in my own world, making him a wise and holy man in the very best sense of the word.
"Early morning, April four
A shot rings out in the Memphis sky.
Free at last, they took your life
They could not take your pride." -- U2
Tonya Bolden, as one of us who grew up an impressionable child during the Civil Rights Movement, as one of us who seeks to come to an understanding of how Reverend King was and remains part of our lives, as one of us who seeks to comprehend how someone who makes such a difference in the world can be taken away in the blink of an eye, has done an exceptional job of writing about this holy man, this man of color and conscience whose life and good works are celebrated across our country with an annual commemoration. M.L.K.: JOURNEY OF A KING is a must-have and must-read biography for the twenty-first century.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.pbworks.com
https://www.facebook.com/richiespicks/
richiepartington@gmail.com
"Someday, we'll get it together and we'll get it undone
Someday, when the world is much brighter
Someday, we'll walk in the rays of a beautiful sun
Someday, when the world is much lighter." -- Stan Vincent
"One mid-April 1944 day he and a teacher, Mrs. Bradley, stood for most of the ninety-mile journey from Dublin, Georgia, to Atlanta because the bus driver had ordered them to surrender their seats to whites, then cursed at them for not moving quickly. M.L. had wanted to sit tight, but his teacher convinced him that nothing good would come of defying the segregation law behind the bus driver's demand. M.L. seethed all the way home, stripped of his joy. For in Dublin, he had done well in an oratorical contest with his speech,' The Negro and the Constitution,' a plea for racial justice."
Does the average school library really need another biography of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.? Do you really need to read another one? If there is anyone beyond John, Paul, George, and Ben who I can count on finding on the library shelf of every single school in which I booktalk, it is MLK.
"That night, M.L. was at a mass meeting when told that his home had been bombed. Coretta and Yoki weren't physically hurt, but he didn't know that until he reached his house, where several hundred blacks had gathered in response to the bombing, more than a few of them armed with guns, knives, and broken bottles.
"M.L. did a masterful job of calming the crowd, but later that night, he was 'on the verge of corroding hate.' He dug deep for the strength to love. By then, he understood well what the love Jesus preached really meant. He knew that it was neither the kind of love that he felt for Yoki, his parents, or his friends, nor the kind of love he had for Coretta, but agape, (pronounced ah-gah-pay), a Greek word for a higher, harder love: a love that has nothing to do with liking a person, a love worthy of people who do you no good and even do you wrong. Agape says to see past a person's sins to the soul God loves."
This concept of agape, and his belief in it, would so well serve Reverend King, permitting him to repeatedly maintain his determination to focus on the cause, to be positive and nonviolent in the face of repeated physical attacks and jailings month after month. Agape is just one of so many important concepts explored by Tonya Bolden about which I have never seen mention in other MLK bios that I have read over the years.
"In talks with riot-ready youth in Chicago and elsewhere, M.L. had been brought up short by the question 'What about Vietnam?' Hadn't the U.S. government resorted to violence to express its will? young blacks asked. What's more, M.L. had been literally sickened by photographs of horrors wrought by America's napalm bombs that accompanied the article 'The Children of Vietnam,' in the January 1967 issue of Ramparts magazine. Added to these promptings was his conscience calling him to recognize that if he didn't boldly denounce the war, he was no better than whites who knew in their bones that racial injustice was reprobate but said and did nothing about it."
Bolden shows how the media of that era sought to keep Reverend King "in his place," editorializing that he was making a mistake to divert his attention from the cause -- Civil Rights -- with which he was identified. But to the me of forty years ago and to the me whom I am today, MLK's stance against The War is what separated him from mere politicians and mere activists and really made him a lasting inspiration in my own world, making him a wise and holy man in the very best sense of the word.
"Early morning, April four
A shot rings out in the Memphis sky.
Free at last, they took your life
They could not take your pride." -- U2
Tonya Bolden, as one of us who grew up an impressionable child during the Civil Rights Movement, as one of us who seeks to come to an understanding of how Reverend King was and remains part of our lives, as one of us who seeks to comprehend how someone who makes such a difference in the world can be taken away in the blink of an eye, has done an exceptional job of writing about this holy man, this man of color and conscience whose life and good works are celebrated across our country with an annual commemoration. M.L.K.: JOURNEY OF A KING is a must-have and must-read biography for the twenty-first century.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.pbworks.com
https://www.facebook.com/richiespicks/
richiepartington@gmail.com
April 6, 2019
MLK: The Journey of a King Book review
When I first visited America with my family, I was surprised to see thousands of people from different races and ethnicities from around the world. I read several times in my 8th-grade history class, Martin Luther King, Jr. is a major reason for racial equality in the United States today.
As I have heard several times that African Americans were slaves throughout the 17th and 18th centuries. In addition, the people who were enslaved have helped build the new nation into an economic powerhouse through the production of crops such as tobacco and cotton.
On August 28, 1963, 250,000 people gathered in the nation’s capital for the historic “March on Washington”. This march was to fight for jobs and freedom against political and social injustice towards African Americans. This historic march and other important struggles made by MLK, changed the course of America.
I am happy that the author of MLK: The journey of a King, Tonya Bolden, took her time to explain and show details about a true king that ended segregation in America, and his struggle to make America what we see today.
Most people know Martin Luther King as a Noble Peace Prize winner, but very few people know about his struggle from a young age to get there. Questions such as “How did he fight to maintain peace in the nation?” have been asked by many people. The discovery of this previously-unknown history and struggle for human rights has sparked the nation.
King’s goal was more than to end segregation; he aimed for the “beloved community,” a nation, a world of equality, opportunity, and peace among the people of America. Over the past several decades, the United States has come a long way in its actions on civil rights. But it was not so long ago that black people organized boycotts, walked in marches, and were put in jail for standing up for the right to be treated with equality. King became a major figure in this movement, and his wide vision of the “beloved community” in the face of racism and violence is inspiring to this day.
I learned the astonishing fact that Martin Luther King Jr. was on a book tour, in September 1958, and “A deranged black woman, Izola Mare Curry, plunged a letter opener into his chest” (Bolden 42). When I read this line, I was so confused and understood what type of person MLK was because of the words he said right after: “Don’t prosecute her; get her healed.” I was truly amazed after I read that line because of his kindness, but that line just declared the kindness and emotions of this true King.
Most of us know that Martin Luther King Jr. was a vital leader in the civil rights movement. We know that he was a powerful speaker who could move people to tears by his words and fill them with hope for the future. We know that he worked for most of his life for racial justice for his people. What many of us don’t know is that Martin Luther King Jr. had an even bigger hope for the future. Yes, he did want his people to have the same freedoms and opportunities as white people, but he also hoped that one day it would be possible to have a peaceful community where people of all races and religions could live together. He strived for world peace as a follower of Gandhi.
As Martin Luther King once said, “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character”. And this book MLK: Journey of a King tells us the true history of how MLK started with this dream and ended with success.
After his journey through Montgomery, he turned from a 15-year-old black teenager to something astonishing. As the book says, “Montgomery made M.L more than a man in the eyes of millions…, turning M.L into something he did not want to be; an idol”. (Bolden 39).
The main reason I like this book is because this narration in this book depicts true emotions and struggles made by Martin Luther King Jr. If you read this book you will be highly motivated to build a character like Martin Luther King. A person who changed history of racial equality and the fate of African Americans in this nation.
When I first visited America with my family, I was surprised to see thousands of people from different races and ethnicities from around the world. I read several times in my 8th-grade history class, Martin Luther King, Jr. is a major reason for racial equality in the United States today.
As I have heard several times that African Americans were slaves throughout the 17th and 18th centuries. In addition, the people who were enslaved have helped build the new nation into an economic powerhouse through the production of crops such as tobacco and cotton.
On August 28, 1963, 250,000 people gathered in the nation’s capital for the historic “March on Washington”. This march was to fight for jobs and freedom against political and social injustice towards African Americans. This historic march and other important struggles made by MLK, changed the course of America.
I am happy that the author of MLK: The journey of a King, Tonya Bolden, took her time to explain and show details about a true king that ended segregation in America, and his struggle to make America what we see today.
Most people know Martin Luther King as a Noble Peace Prize winner, but very few people know about his struggle from a young age to get there. Questions such as “How did he fight to maintain peace in the nation?” have been asked by many people. The discovery of this previously-unknown history and struggle for human rights has sparked the nation.
King’s goal was more than to end segregation; he aimed for the “beloved community,” a nation, a world of equality, opportunity, and peace among the people of America. Over the past several decades, the United States has come a long way in its actions on civil rights. But it was not so long ago that black people organized boycotts, walked in marches, and were put in jail for standing up for the right to be treated with equality. King became a major figure in this movement, and his wide vision of the “beloved community” in the face of racism and violence is inspiring to this day.
I learned the astonishing fact that Martin Luther King Jr. was on a book tour, in September 1958, and “A deranged black woman, Izola Mare Curry, plunged a letter opener into his chest” (Bolden 42). When I read this line, I was so confused and understood what type of person MLK was because of the words he said right after: “Don’t prosecute her; get her healed.” I was truly amazed after I read that line because of his kindness, but that line just declared the kindness and emotions of this true King.
Most of us know that Martin Luther King Jr. was a vital leader in the civil rights movement. We know that he was a powerful speaker who could move people to tears by his words and fill them with hope for the future. We know that he worked for most of his life for racial justice for his people. What many of us don’t know is that Martin Luther King Jr. had an even bigger hope for the future. Yes, he did want his people to have the same freedoms and opportunities as white people, but he also hoped that one day it would be possible to have a peaceful community where people of all races and religions could live together. He strived for world peace as a follower of Gandhi.
As Martin Luther King once said, “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character”. And this book MLK: Journey of a King tells us the true history of how MLK started with this dream and ended with success.
After his journey through Montgomery, he turned from a 15-year-old black teenager to something astonishing. As the book says, “Montgomery made M.L more than a man in the eyes of millions…, turning M.L into something he did not want to be; an idol”. (Bolden 39).
The main reason I like this book is because this narration in this book depicts true emotions and struggles made by Martin Luther King Jr. If you read this book you will be highly motivated to build a character like Martin Luther King. A person who changed history of racial equality and the fate of African Americans in this nation.
November 28, 2017
- Martin was named after his father, Martin Senior. Martin senior was a preacher, a father, and a well-educated member of the black community. Following in his footsteps M.L. was a bright young man with a greatly intelligent head on his shoulders. M.L. was a member of the NAACP and a peaceful activist in the protests for black rights. After the incident where Rosa Parks was punished, M.L. went to work on how they were going to fight back. This then gave birth to the MIA, Montgomery Improvement Association, which grew into a much more power force than was expected. M.L. started the bus boycott that went on for 381 days, this left his as a very popular man in his community which he was fighting for, but also led him to be a hated man by those he was opposing. Even with protecting around his house, in February his house was bombed by anti-protesters and left him with yet another reason to keep pushing forward. The man could calm a riot with his words, he uses the peaceful teachings of Gandhi in his speeches and teachings so that when the white man tries to push back there is nothing violent going on that prevents their message of equality for all races. On December 21, 1956 the bus boycott ended and segregated seating was banned from the busses. He even made the cover of times magazine in 1957. After his fame, he was signing books when he was stabbed, this led him to go home and think on the road that was ahead of him. Speaking with young activists, getting them to carry on his same philosophy with peaceful protest, M.L. was then arrested and thrown in jail for his protests. Having push back from the Jim Crow laws that were in place, this led to police arresting and beating blacks for wanting to release M.L. from prison. Once he was let out he knew that the only way to make a bigger impact is to march. After another bombing, being thrown in jail again, and violent teargassed riots, JFK finally stepped in and allowed for the march on Washington. Which was where M.L. gave his famous, “I have a dream” speech. Now in the fight for voting rights, M.L. spent another five nights in jail. Then riots for worse and more horrifying, the white people were leading violent riots whereas the blacks were peaceful for the most part. After years of peaceful messages and hard work for the betterment of humanity, M.L. was shot on April 9, 1968.
November 28, 2018
This book won the Orbis Pictus Award for a remarkable example of nonfiction literature for children, and rightly so. It is all about the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. and goes into great depth into the biography of him. Along with a lot of information given through text, this book additionally has multiple photographs on each page of Martin Luther King, Jr., his family, his friends, and events that went on in his life and/or during the civil rights movement. This book includes about 20 pages of references and sources in the back of the book, including a timeline of his life, a bibliography, an index, and more which show this book’s accuracy. This is a fairly text-heavy book with a lot of information, however, it describes not only the events of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s life but also the emotions and thoughts of this iconic individual. This would be a great book for a child to use when doing a biography or research project on Martin Luther King, Jr. and it would be a great resource for accurate information about his life and the work that he did. This could also be a great book for a teacher to use when discussing the civil rights movement, particularly the photographs, which show a lot of marches, protests, and fights between African Americans and whites.
April 19, 2020
M.L.K The Journey of a King is an Orbis Pictus award winning book. This book focuses on Kings love for his neighbor. This book describes how he was passionate about his goal which was to have a community where people with all different colors of skin could come together and get along. I also enjoyed this book because there were around 80 photographs of king’s journey and everything he endured in order to fight for equality. This element of having photos enhanced the story because we could put ourselves in his shoes more. The authors use of photographs was a tool to help show the reader how involved King truly was. Overall, this book focused on King and his fight for equality and the dream he had to achieve it. I think this is a great book to show a classroom so they can learn more about our country’s history and how hard individuals fought to have people of different color be seen as equal.
April 18, 2018
M.L.K.: The Journey of a King by Tonya Bolden was a Coretta Scott King Honor Winner which I totally agree with. The author does an amazing job by capturing the amazing life story of Martin Luther King, Jr. had by being one of America's greatest figures. By doing this she uses photographs to show his life story. M.L.K had many great qualities, but the most known is his philosophy that came from his daily practice and nonviolent protests. The marches, preaching and leading lead by M.L.K helped overcome the violence and prejudice that our world was active in. I would use this book in a history lesson when discussing the Civil Rights Movement and how much of an influence M.L.K was in America. This book was amazing and it was nice to go back and remember all the wonderful things he accomplished and did for us. Our lives would be so much different it is wasn't for M.L.K.
November 20, 2019
M.L.K. the Journey of a King by Tonya Bolden is a nonfiction book that discusses the life of M.L.K. I loved this book because it actually talked more about who he was as a person instead of only talking about his speeches and the boycott of the busing system. This book talked about how his house was bombed many times, his church was bombed many times, that he wasn’t that person it could have been anyone, and that he thought about quitting every day. I also really enjoyed this book because it gave little blurbs with photographs to explain a little more about who these people were in M.L.K.’s life. The photography in this book is so powerful as well giving the words meaning and to see it with your own eyes what actually happened. This would be a great book to have in a classroom for students to read or read it to them before a history lesson on segregation.
November 21, 2018
M.L.K. Journey of a King is a very accurate testimony to the life of M.L.K. Although Tonya Bolden does theorize some of the specific emotions, she backs them up heavily with evidence, such as letters and other dialogues that have been found from the time. The detail that Bolden goes into is very deep and complete. Bolden is very qualified to write the book because she has written more than twenty books, and won many honors and awards in doing so. Throughout the book, there are also some perspectives that are shown via the use of messages that were sent between Martin and others. This book would be wonderful to use in a classroom when going more in depth on the life of Dr. King or the civil rights movement as a whole.
April 14, 2020
M.L.K. The Journey of a King tells the awe-inspiring story of Martin Luther King Jr. and the impact that he left on our world. Bolden shares M.L.K.'s experiences in changing the community around him through nonviolent protests and sermons, but she also takes us behind the scenes of what his life was like with his family. Throughout the book, there are photographs featured of M.L.K. during his sermons, speeches, marches, and of his wife and his family. This wonderfully written tribute to M.L.K. lets us experience his life through his passion for agape love for those around him. This would be a great book to use in the classroom when learning about the civil rights movement or M.L.K. I would recommend this to a teacher of 6th-9th grade students.
June 14, 2017
This is a great informative book about Martin Luther King and his great works as a activist. This book describes his childhood until his death. This book also tells how he became such an historical figure. This book can and will help younger children to see the true meaning of peace and righteousness . I would recommend this book to an older group of children ( maybe 2nd or 3rd graders) who are just getting ready to learn more about the civil rights movement and equality. The story in this book is told in such an interesting way where you have to just keep reading it. The pictures in the story help you to really visualize what occurred. Excellent book
November 29, 2017
Bolden wrote in ways that were easily accessible to a wide-range of readers. I loved the photos and side captions peppered throughout that added to the narrative. The ending surrounding his assassination was very abrupt. Perhaps the subject was thought to be inappropriate for the younger-aged target audience. Nonetheless, it left me thinking, "really? that's all she has to say about that?" Overall, I highly recommend to any elementary/middle school teacher or MLK enthusiast.
April 23, 2021
(Orbis Pictus Book Award)
In elementary school, I really got interested in Martin Luther King Jr. I think his legacy is extremely important from the time that his life occurred, to present day. I liked this book because it discusses a lot about his life on a deeper level. This book gave a lot of information about Dr. King that I didn't always know. I will always enjoy reading about someone as powerful as him. This book would be a great book to incorporate into a history lesson as well.
In elementary school, I really got interested in Martin Luther King Jr. I think his legacy is extremely important from the time that his life occurred, to present day. I liked this book because it discusses a lot about his life on a deeper level. This book gave a lot of information about Dr. King that I didn't always know. I will always enjoy reading about someone as powerful as him. This book would be a great book to incorporate into a history lesson as well.
October 16, 2017
This book is a very good book that tells about Martin’s life and his role in the civil rights movement. Dr. King was a very important person. His I Have A Dream speech is very iconic. If it wasn’t for him and other people in that time period, we would still be segregated. Highly Recommended!!!
January 16, 2019
A great look into the life of Martin Luther King Jr. The illustrations are actual photographs from his time. They don't necessarily go with the events happening on the page, but still very interesting.
November 29, 2017
Excellent!
January 22, 2020
I believe MLK!
I think he's nice
I think he's nice
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 25, 2023
You're the king? NO I'M THE KING, NEVER BACK DOWN, NEVER GIVE UP. NICK EHHHHHHHHHH 30
June 10, 2024
Honestly I feel like MLK's message and voice is being lost to history when it's needed the most. This book was refreshing in bringing back the agape he was all about.
July 11, 2018
M.L.K.: The Journey of a King by Tonya Bolder is a children's biography. M.L.K.: The Journey of a King won the 2008 NCTE Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children. This biography describes the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The main focus of this biography is different than some other biographies. Instead, this book gives the message of loving your neighbor. Loving and respecting your neighbor is not always an easy task today, but it was more difficult in the past. In addition, important parts of Martin Luther King's life are discussed. Children ages eight to twelve may find this book appealing and appropriate. This book has a great message while also teaching the readers about the influential person. This biography is written in chronological order making it easy to comprehend. Each image really is helpful in describing and displaying the history from the past. The front cover has the image of Dr. King giving his famous speech. The black and white may not be as appealing to young readers. However, the image is from real life and the time period. This book may be used when working with children during Black History Month. The students may use this book to expand their knowledge about Dr. King.
November 16, 2019
This book is a full biography of Martin Luther King Jr and his contributions to the Civil Rights Movement. It is bursting with information regarding all aspects of MLK’s life and has many interesting details, despite reading a little bit like a history textbook. The book focuses on MLK’s values as a person in addition to his massive accomplishments, making it feel like a richer and more personal look into his life. I really enjoyed the photographs and the information provided in the captions. They felt like snapshots into the exact moments in history they referenced. Overall, readers will come away from this book with a deeper understanding of one of the most influential men in America and the Civil Rights Movement. They will also come away inspired to try to make a difference like MLK did, and this is because Bolden is able to show MLK’s struggles as well as his triumphs, showing readers he was a person just like anyone else. Despite (in my opinion) being a bit boring at times, after finishing the book I felt fulfilled.
April 29, 2019
Genre: Individual Biography
Awards: Orbis Pictus Winner
Audience: Grades 3-6.
A) This book is a complete biography. It is the story of M.L.K. Jr.'s life from birth to death, and all the civil rights impacts he made in between.
B) This is an authentic biography. It is historically accurate and provides facts of the life of a historically well known man.
C) Why should this man's life/dream matter to me? What are M.L.K. Jr.'s kids like?
Awards: Orbis Pictus Winner
Audience: Grades 3-6.
A) This book is a complete biography. It is the story of M.L.K. Jr.'s life from birth to death, and all the civil rights impacts he made in between.
B) This is an authentic biography. It is historically accurate and provides facts of the life of a historically well known man.
C) Why should this man's life/dream matter to me? What are M.L.K. Jr.'s kids like?
November 30, 2016
1) Book summary, in your own words (3 pts)
-Martin Luther King Jr. is a historical figure that children will have to learn about many times in their lives and this book is especially appropriate for an introduction to younger children and also as a review for further knowledge for children that have already have prior knowledge. The book utilizes real historical pictures as the illustrations, which is the part I enjoyed most. The book does a great job of showing the human frustrations that King felt during this time period and allows students to relate to him and his struggles.
2) Grade level, interest level, lexile (1 pt)
- 3rd grade.
3) Appropriate classroom use (subject area) (1 pt)
-History
4) Individual students who might benefit from reading (1 pt)
-Students that enjoy History.
-Students that are studying the Civil Rights Movement.
5) Small group use (literaturecircles) (1 pt)
-Students can read through the book together or individually and discuss what they found most admirable about MLK.
6) Whole class use (read aloud) (1 pt)
-Carpet reading
7) Related books in genre/subject or content area (1 pt)
-I Have a Dream by MLK
8) Multimedia connections (audio book, movie) available (1 pt)
-YouTube video of reading available.
-Martin Luther King Jr. is a historical figure that children will have to learn about many times in their lives and this book is especially appropriate for an introduction to younger children and also as a review for further knowledge for children that have already have prior knowledge. The book utilizes real historical pictures as the illustrations, which is the part I enjoyed most. The book does a great job of showing the human frustrations that King felt during this time period and allows students to relate to him and his struggles.
2) Grade level, interest level, lexile (1 pt)
- 3rd grade.
3) Appropriate classroom use (subject area) (1 pt)
-History
4) Individual students who might benefit from reading (1 pt)
-Students that enjoy History.
-Students that are studying the Civil Rights Movement.
5) Small group use (literaturecircles) (1 pt)
-Students can read through the book together or individually and discuss what they found most admirable about MLK.
6) Whole class use (read aloud) (1 pt)
-Carpet reading
7) Related books in genre/subject or content area (1 pt)
-I Have a Dream by MLK
8) Multimedia connections (audio book, movie) available (1 pt)
-YouTube video of reading available.
April 23, 2012
Summary
M.L.K.: The Journey of a King is the complete biography of Martin Luther King Jr the most well known civil rights activist of the movement. The book starts with Rev. Dr. King's assassination and a flash back into his life. It goes back to his parents and his education. The it progress to his religious enlightenment and his marriage. When he moved to Montgomery Alabama and accepted a pastoral position, he had no idea that he would become the face of the civil rights movement in Alabama. He even said he had to think about supporting the boycott of the bus system started with the arrest of Rosa Parks. He didn't sit on the sidelines though, he became very active in the movement for equality and his journey took off. From his countless arrests to the bombing of his and his family's homes, M.L. remained committed to the cause and emphasized a strict non violent policy toward those who opposed them. The story continues to unfold outlining his many rallies and marches including his most famous march on Washington DC. The story ends again with his death and funeral.
Critique
I found this book to be very informative but a little confusing at times. M.L.K.'s story is told through the actual text as well as the picture captions so it's hard to know what order to read things in. Several times I read things out of order and missed chunks of the story so I had to go back. Once you figure out where to read, the writing style is easy to understand and very informative. The information, from what I have learned and based on the sources used, is accurate. Additionally, the pictures included in the book illustrate M.L.K.'s life well and show some of his greatest and not so great moments.
Response
I would not use this book in a classroom with young children. Some pictures are graphic and overall the book was hard to understand unless you knew what to look for. I would perhaps read sections of the book or use the information I found to supplement a unit about M.L.K. It is an important part of American history and one that I think students should know about. I would provide more child friendly books in a younger classroom and use this book for some illustrations in an older classroom.
M.L.K.: The Journey of a King is the complete biography of Martin Luther King Jr the most well known civil rights activist of the movement. The book starts with Rev. Dr. King's assassination and a flash back into his life. It goes back to his parents and his education. The it progress to his religious enlightenment and his marriage. When he moved to Montgomery Alabama and accepted a pastoral position, he had no idea that he would become the face of the civil rights movement in Alabama. He even said he had to think about supporting the boycott of the bus system started with the arrest of Rosa Parks. He didn't sit on the sidelines though, he became very active in the movement for equality and his journey took off. From his countless arrests to the bombing of his and his family's homes, M.L. remained committed to the cause and emphasized a strict non violent policy toward those who opposed them. The story continues to unfold outlining his many rallies and marches including his most famous march on Washington DC. The story ends again with his death and funeral.
Critique
I found this book to be very informative but a little confusing at times. M.L.K.'s story is told through the actual text as well as the picture captions so it's hard to know what order to read things in. Several times I read things out of order and missed chunks of the story so I had to go back. Once you figure out where to read, the writing style is easy to understand and very informative. The information, from what I have learned and based on the sources used, is accurate. Additionally, the pictures included in the book illustrate M.L.K.'s life well and show some of his greatest and not so great moments.
Response
I would not use this book in a classroom with young children. Some pictures are graphic and overall the book was hard to understand unless you knew what to look for. I would perhaps read sections of the book or use the information I found to supplement a unit about M.L.K. It is an important part of American history and one that I think students should know about. I would provide more child friendly books in a younger classroom and use this book for some illustrations in an older classroom.
February 22, 2012
The title of this book is called M.L.K a journey of a king, and the author is Tonya Bolden. I would rate this book 4 star because it tells the entire history of a man who changed the face America forever by giving everyone equal rights and used non violence. The story started when M.L.K witnessed that his race was treated unequally, and his journey started when he made great speeches in different states in america. He got rid of the bus law, the bathroom law, and many others using a method of non violence One of the most interesting parts was the march from Atlanta Georgia where he and his crowd used non violence and got hit many times, but they got the freedom they deserved.
The images in this book is disturbing because each picture has a great or sad story. M.L.K was an African American revolutionist who wanted to win equal rights for his people who were treated unequally and were discriminated for their color of their skin. People called them blacks. Unfortunately M.L.K was shot on april 4th 1968 in Memphis Tennessee when he was giving his last speech. He was shot by a person named James Earl Ray who was angry about African American Freedom. I would recommend this book to people who like history, and this book can give you a few tips for freedom. I would also like to rate this book 4 star as I found it very interesting about the history. This book should be read by people who love history.
The images in this book is disturbing because each picture has a great or sad story. M.L.K was an African American revolutionist who wanted to win equal rights for his people who were treated unequally and were discriminated for their color of their skin. People called them blacks. Unfortunately M.L.K was shot on april 4th 1968 in Memphis Tennessee when he was giving his last speech. He was shot by a person named James Earl Ray who was angry about African American Freedom. I would recommend this book to people who like history, and this book can give you a few tips for freedom. I would also like to rate this book 4 star as I found it very interesting about the history. This book should be read by people who love history.
December 3, 2013
Journey of A King is an in-depth biography of the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This book features a combination of over 80 real photography’s and text to go along with them. It starts of with his assassination and then a flash back into his life; from the beginning with his parents and education, to his religious learning and marriage. It then goes into his involvement with the civil rights and his firm belief in peaceful protest and non-violence to those who opposed him. It goes on to depict his marches including that in Washington D.C. Where he gave his famous “ I Have A Dream Speech.” The story concludes with his death and funeral. Bolden used her own style in depicting Dr. Kings Story. For the most part it was easy to follow, but sometimes a little confusing because you had to figure out the order of the photographs. The design of the book is very appealing to the reader because it gives more of a realistic feeling, compared to picture books. Also, I think the way Bolden design the book, intertwines with her style. She used the power of images to go beyond the words in the text and make this book more meaningful. In classroom teaching, I would use this book with older kids because there has to be some background knowledge of the subject and some of the photographs will be meaningless to small children. In the classroom, this book can be very useful. There is a very meaningful theme of unconditionally loving others in order to help them.
Read
December 9, 2015M.L.K: The Journey of a King is a book about a man named Martin Luther King Jr, one of the worlds most well known civil rights activist. The story shares the life of Martin Luther King Jr from his childhood to his tragic death. It embraces many of his experiences such as becoming a pastor at a church in Montgomery Alabama, developing his belief that all people should be treated equal, and the struggles and the stressors faced by him and his family. M.L.K wasn't planning on being the civil rights activist he is so well-known for today. He showed a little hesitation with joining the boycott on the bus system that started with the arrest of Rosa Park. Martin Luther King Jr became very involved with the fight for equality maintaining a strict non-violent policy against those who presumed them with violence. His journey magnified with the famous "I have a dream speech”. The various marches and rallies lead to several repercussions such as arrests and the bombing of his and even his families homes. M.L.K fought hard to end segregation with peace and although he ran into many roadblocks he knew he could make a dif-ference. The book uses graphic and real images from the time period of the civil rights movement that will give students an authentic feel to the horrible things African Americans went through to fight for equality.
November 13, 2013
M.L.K.: Journey of a King by Tonya Bolden is a complete biography that tells the story of Dr. King and his life through captivating pictures and easy-to-read information. Dr. King was one of the most known activists during the Civil Rights movement, and his life from childhood to his assassination is told through this informative book. Bolden uses many color pictures to support the information she writes about Dr. King’s life. This book’s design steals the show and is just another example of this book deserving of the Orbis Pictus Award. Bolden designed this book where the words and the pictures together tell the story of Martin Luther King Jr. The book does not take form of a textbook; instead, it tells the story in interesting that keeps the reader engaged. They only add feeling to the emotional events Dr. King lives through, making for an engaging read. The title itself has the word journey in it and readers can expect to read just that; Dr. Martin Luther King’s life journey. This book could easily be used to support a unit on Dr. King in a future classroom. It has a timeline in the back that breaks down events in Dr. King's life into an orderly fashion. This could be used in the classroom when students are learning how to read timelines.
April 20, 2015
After watching a wonderful CNN segment live from Selma, Alabama on the 50th Anniversary of "Bloody Sunday", I realize that I need to know more about the civil rights movement and the terrible travesty and plight of blacks who, with Martin Luther King, Meggar Evans, and a host of other strongly committed people led the people in demanding what should have rightfully been theirs, ie the right to vote, to sit at lunch counters, to share the same school system, to ride in the front of the bus instead of having to go to the back and give up their seat to a white person.
http://www.blackpast.org/aah/bloody-s...
Sadly, I don't remember learning a lot in school when the civil rights movement was happening.
This is a well researched, loving tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
After reading the book, I was amazed at the moral, ethical strength of this wonderful man committed to non violent means to make a difference and right the wrongs that for too long were in place.
I had no idea that he was imprisoned so many times. When President Jack Kennedy was assassinated, Martin told his wife that it was a "sick society" and that he knew the same thing was going to happen to him.
Highly recommended.
http://www.blackpast.org/aah/bloody-s...
Sadly, I don't remember learning a lot in school when the civil rights movement was happening.
This is a well researched, loving tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
After reading the book, I was amazed at the moral, ethical strength of this wonderful man committed to non violent means to make a difference and right the wrongs that for too long were in place.
I had no idea that he was imprisoned so many times. When President Jack Kennedy was assassinated, Martin told his wife that it was a "sick society" and that he knew the same thing was going to happen to him.
Highly recommended.
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