This picture book describes the life of Martin Luther King Jr. He was a very passionate, brave, and determined man. Martin Luther King Jr. believed that black people should have the same rights as white people. He led many peaceful protests and fought for equality. Nothing was going to stop him until he achieved this goal. Some people went so far as to break into his home and attack him, but not even that would stop him. He even spoke in front of half a million people in Washington, D.C. Even though he was killed in 1968, Martin Luther King Jr. contributed greatly to the equality that we now have in our country. ( )

Martin Luther King, Jr.: A Life of Fairness by Tonya Leslie gives information about King's life, and about his beliefs concerning racism. It tells about Rosa Parks and the Civil Rights Movement, along with how King formed peaceful protests to convince people that the color of one’s skin didn't matter; he believed words were more important than violence. The words that are listed in the Glossary can be found in the text in bold. Also, the author, Tony Leslie, uses repetition of when writing her story to emphasize what she wants the reader to remember. The illustrator, Tin Walski, carefully and creatively made sure that the characters mentioned in the text were the faces completely outlined and visible on each page. This technique makes the readers eyes look to the character, or characters, the author is discussing on each page. A Table of Contents, Glossary, Index, and Other Suggested Readings are also nicely done in the book. ( )

I liked the read but was a bit worried that some words were too large or advanced for the young readers(e.g. segregation, racism, Civil Rights Movement), but I guess one might also say it would help improve their vocabulary The content is a good level that allows for deeper discussion, but doesn't force the nasty stuff too much on the children, so they're acceptable for younger / more sensitive kids to read as well.