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    Martin's Big Words
    Martin's Big Words
    Martin's Big Words
    Audiobook10 minutes

    Martin's Big Words

    Written by Doreen Rappaport

    Narrated by Michael Clarke Duncan

    4.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Using quotes from some of his beloved speeches, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. comes to life in stunning collage art and vibrant watercolor paintings in this profound and important biography about beliefs and dreams and following ones heart. Martin Luther King, Jr. in his own words, will inspire and affect you, too.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherWeston Woods
    Release dateJan 1, 2002
    ISBN9780545836166
    Martin's Big Words

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    Reviews for Martin's Big Words

    4.5/5

    454 ratings67 reviews

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    • 5/5
      Excellent book about the life and legacy of "Martin."
    • 5/5
      This book was beautifully illustrated and simply but concisely explains to children the Civil Rights movement and the role Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. played in it.
    • 5/5
      When Martin Luther King attended church listening to his father's preaching, he vowed that he too would use big words when he grew up, and he also longed to be a preacher just like his father, and to fight for what was right!This book begins with December 1955 when a dressmaker named Rosa Parks said NO! NO to the nasty treatment by white people who demanded they could take her seat and she could stand. This lead to a major 381 day fight for the freedom to be treated just like everyone else. Through rain, snow, cold, sleet and heat, thousands of black people marched until they had the right to sit on the bus!This book follows Martin's marches for the right to ride the bus, the right to vote, and the right to learn how to use big words.In 1964 Martin won the Nobel Peace Prize with his wife proudly by his side.Sadly, tragically, when Martin fought with the Memphis, Tennessee garbage workers who were on strike for better treatment and larger payment. While there, he called to a friend who was below in the balcony. A shot was heard. This shot killed a brave, caring and sincere man!He, and many others fought for their well-deserved rights!Beautifully illustrated, and lovingly told, this is a book for all!
    • 1/5
      Children's book - Simplistic even for a children's book. Ends weird.
    • 4/5
      For younger children ready to read more independently this is a nice introduction to civil rights and an African American leader. I appreciated this book doesn't gloss over history or glorify Martin Luther King, Jr. or the civil rights movement. The text is appropriate for a third-sixth grader. I read part of it aloud to a kindergartener who asked about the book. They enjoyed it and listened to a chapter. The artwork is detailed and adds to the book.
    • 4/5
      This picture-book biography is an excellent and accessible introduction for young readers to learn about one of the world's most influential leaders, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Doreen Rappaport weaves the immortal words of Dr. King into a captivating narrative to tell the story of his life. With stunning art by acclaimed illustrator Bryan Collier, Martin's Big Words is an unforgettable portrait of a man whose dream changed America-and the world-forever.
    • 5/5
      This is a great book to introduce children to the powerful message of Martin Luther King Jr. The pictures are beautiful and the words are simple enough for all to understand. I like the use of call-out text to emphasize his message and "big words." I read it to several classes, Pre-K through 1st and they all found it interesting and inspiring.
    • 4/5
      Young children can learn about what of our nation's most famous individuals - it's a great introduction to learning about famous people. It also covers themes such as compassion and caring about others.
    • 5/5
      I did like this story for a few reasons. The first reason I liked this story is because I thought the writing was very engaging. The writing in the story was able to keep the story very interesting. Another reason that the story was able to stay interesting and exciting was because the plot was very interesting. The life of Martin Luther King Jr. is a very fascinating, which made for an exciting plot. The plot was able to keep the reader interested with an exciting plot which made them want to continue reading. Another reason I liked the story was because of the illustrations. The illustrations were really able to enhance the story. The illustrations were a powerful representation of Martin Luther King Jr.’s life. They show beyond what they text was able to explain. For example, the last page is a portrait of Martin’s face, and it is a very strong image. This powerful image leaves the readers with a sense of how strong Martin was as a person. He was able to battle what so many people just accepted as reality. He also showed that battles can be fought and won without the use of violence, which is a great message for readers. Through this story readers are able to view the perspective of how Martin felt throughout his life. From a young age he saw the injustice that was in the world, and this was never something he found to acceptable. He knew that he was just as much of a citizen as any white American citizen, and this was something that he was going to spend his life fighting for. Through this story readers are able to increase their perspectives of what this might have been life for Martin. For younger generations this will be a new perspective because they were not alive to experience these changes in the country. Another reason that I liked the story was because it was nonfiction and accurate. Readers are able to gain real information on Martin’s life that will increase their knowledge and understanding as him as a person. It is also an organized nonfiction story. The story follows the life of Martin, and in this way it is organized. It follows a clear storyline of his life, and thus is able to keep the reader on a clear path through the story. I believe the overall message of the story is that you have to stand up for what you believe in. Martin shows with his life that you have to stand up for what you believe in. Martin devoted himself to bringing equal rights to everything, and this was something he truly believed in. He showed readers that one should not be afraid to fight for what they think is right.
    • 4/5
      Although the story is not new the perspective and style is done wonderfully. It is in a autobiographical and biographical combination of the life and death of the civil rights leader. The illustrations are great and colorful but the perspective story told is refreshing so the reader is both participant and observer. Book is good to use for promote social justice, African American leader, biography, autobiography, first person story and civil rights.
    • 5/5
      This is a informational biography about the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. The book tell his life story, beginning from when he was a young boy, all the way through the day he dies. The book also shares what kind of impacts that Martin and people like him have had in history for African Americans.
    • 5/5
      I really liked Martin’s Big Words: The life of Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. First, I liked how the author combines Martin Luther King Jr own words with her own to help tell the story. The reader can easily identify MLK’s who is telling the story because the words of Martin Luther King Jr are shown in large bold and colored type so the stand out from the rest of the print. I also liked this book because it provides a good start for class discussions on history, equality and segregation. This book and its illustrations will help readers absorb the message of Martin Luther King Jr.
    • 5/5
      This book is an excellent introduction to the biography of Martin Luther King Jr. I really liked this book because it was a pictorial biography that provided great descriptions and inspirational quotes on each page such as "You are as good as anyone" or "Everyone can be great". The story had an excellent progression from Martin's childhood to the day he died, but did not cut short on any of the amazing things that he accomplished. The illustrations were beautiful and the style of the pictures only enhanced the story's message even more. This book was well organized and even provided a list of important dates in Martin Luther King's life at the end of the story. The big idea of this story is too explain the main details of his life and to show children how much of an inspiration he was to many people in the world.
    • 5/5
      I loved this book by Doreen Rappaport. First, I loved the illustrations. They were very big and detailed. This made it appealing to the eye and the expressions of each character were clear. For example, you can see on Martin's face that he is upset when talking about reading the white only signs. I also loved the sequence of events in the story, I thought it flowed very nicely. The book didn't jump right into Martin's speech but rather talked about him growing up and seeing the "white only" signs to him becoming a pastor, to the Rosa Parks story, and finally about his journey in politics. Lastly, I enjoyed the quotes throughout the story. At the end of each page was an inspirational quote from Martin. For example one of the quotes was "everyone can be great." The overall idea of the story was to inform children about Martin's experience and to stand up for what you believe in even if it will challenge others.
    • 4/5
      I liked "Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.", the central message of which was that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s words were highly influential, and were successful in making him one of the world’s greatest civil rights leaders. The story also conveyed the significance of making a difference with one’s words as opposed to through the use of violent actions. I liked the story’s colorful and larger-than-life illustrations, which I felt greatly enhanced the story and were appropriate to its mood. I also liked the story’s clear language. Like Dr. King, the writing in the story was eloquent and well-stated. Additionally, I liked that the book pushed its readers to think about tough issues – specifically, segregation and civil rights. I feel that this was done in a respectable way by making readers think, but not forcing on them any particular opinion. Finally, I liked the central message of the story, which was to make a difference with one’s own “big words”. I feel that is a beautiful message to send to young children, and teaches them that there lies power behind the words that they use. The book compiled some of Dr. King’s most notable quotes and life events to make his life story accessible to young readers. I feel that this book would be a great one to have in my future classroom library, and could be used to teach my students about the civil rights movement and one of the most influential men behind it.
    • 5/5
      This story is a biography about the life of Martin Luther King. The story really focus on non-violence. I loved this book because it showed important times in Martin Luther King's life. I think this story would be great from children of all ages. This story can make children be more aware of our history. I feel sometimes we forget and this story is just another step to broaden our new generations mind.
    • 5/5
      I liked the book, Martin’s Big Words, by Doreen Rappaport. The big idea in this story is a biography of Dr. Martin Luther King, primarily focused on the “big words” that he spoke. I liked the way the author chose specific words that were important to the times of segregation. She wrote about the time that Martin walked with the people that were protesting the arrest of Rosa Parks. He said, “When the history books are written, someone will say there lived black people who had the courage to stand up for their rights.” The author also quoted Martin Luther King’s speech that is still famous today, “I have a dream that one day in Alabama little black boys and black girls will join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers. I also liked the illustrations and text features in this book. The illustrator, Bryan Collier, used lots of painted images of Dr. King preaching in church and walking besides his community members. There are many pages that show pictures of stained glass. This was done because the illustrator said, “When I close my eyes, and think about Dr. King’s life, the main image that comes to me over and over again is that of stained glass windows in a church.” The text features in the book are bold words, colorful text, and a special quote in large print on every page. The words that the author wants her readers to remember are written in a way that makes them stand out from the rest of the text.
    • 5/5
      Doreen Rapport did an amazing job of sharing some of the most important events in the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I thought this was a rather unique way of telling the story of a person's life. Rapport word choice in this book is extremely kid friendly and can be understood by most young readers (2nd grade and up). The illustrations are rich with color and bring the words in this story to life. Job well done!
    • 4/5
      Martin's Big Words is a great book about MLK's life told through quotes from some of his greatest speeches. The writing is informational and succinct, and quickly moves from page to page. The illustrations are moving, and really tell the tale of struggle- this helps to really draw the reader into the book and keeps them interested. Because the book is told from his quotes, this biographical picture book is a great spin on the genre.
    • 5/5
      I bought this book today because I have always loved Martin Luther King, Jr....

      It was an easy read with beautiful pictures...A well written summary of what he went through from childhood through his death and when MLK day was created and became a national holiday. It's great for children of about the age of about 8 and older (depending on the child)...It does say that he was shot and died, but nothing more specific than that. And of course, it doesn't show him dead...

    • 5/5
      Summary: This book is about Martin Luther King Jr. and his life. It explains the discrimination that he witnessed and had to encounter. This book shows the courage that MLK Jr. had during his life time and the positive changes that brought upon our country. It told about how even though he was shot his but his words are still alive even today.Personal Reaction: I think that all children need to learn about MLK Jr. and all of the positive change he helped bring to America. He was such a great man and positive figure.Classroom Extensions: 1) I would use this book to teach children about MLK Jr. and his importance in the United States. 2) I would have the children each write their own two or three sentence speech and read it in front of the classroom.
    • 5/5
      I think this is an excellent book to read to students to help them understand about the Civil Rights Movement, inequality, and the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. The book is illustrated beautifully with many colorful pictures that capture your attention and shows the history of the big changes that occurred in America. It is filled with lots of information and dates of events that happened during that time period and really opens up the way for discussion about this topic. I would recommend this book to anyone who would like to know about the Civil Rights Movement and the inequality of African Americans as well as many others.
    • 5/5
      I bought this book today because I have always loved Martin Luther King, Jr....

      It was an easy read with beautiful pictures...A well written summary of what he went through from childhood through his death and when MLK day was created and became a national holiday. It's great for children of about the age of about 8 and older (depending on the child)...It does say that he was shot and died, but nothing more specific than that. And of course, it doesn't show him dead...

    • 4/5
      The book, Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is an informative biography accompanied with wonderful illustrations. First, I love how the author used text features on each page to enhance important quotes. The author uses color and bold font to highlight necessary information. On one page, the author uses clear concise language, and the use of text features to describe southern towns. “White only” is bolded and in all caps to capture the reader’s attention. The quote on this page reads, “You are as good as anyone.” Second, the illustrations are beautiful. Each illustration really enhances the story, and adheres to the mood of the story. The illustrations are realistic, but historic looking. Finally, this book pushes readers to think about tough issues and broadens their perspectives. The big idea of this story is to relay information about Martin Luther King Jr, but the message is about tolerance and acceptance. People should not give up, and follow their dreams.
    • 5/5
      This is a great informational book about Martin Luther King Jr. I really liked how the author made the reader aware of how Martin felt, by saying, “this made Martin feel…” This allows the book to be read to young children because they do not have to infer. I liked how even though this story is about a harsh time, the author includes things that Martin did enjoy, and made him happy. “In church, Martin sang hymns, he read from the bible, he listened to his father preach. These words made him feel good.” I think there are two big ideas in this book. The first big idea is that anyone can make a difference. In the book, Martin Luther King Jr. is quoted, “Everyone can be great.” The other big idea in this book is love. The author includes examples of fights won without violence. There are even quotes by Martin Luther King Jr. about the importance of love, “Hate is cannot drive out hate. Only love can do that.”
    • 5/5
      This book was one of the most interesting and engaging biographies that I have read thus far, and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to learn more about Martin Luther King Junior, especially because it won three awards. One reason I liked this book is because it featured famous quotes by Martin Luther King Jr. on almost every page. These quotes were in bright colors and really stood out against the backdrop. One of the quotes that stood out to me was, “Hate cannot drive out hate. Only love can do that.” These quotes give the reader a more in-depth look at how revolutionary MLK Jr. really was and provides more authenticity, not to mention that all of the quotes are very interesting. Another reason I enjoyed this book is because it provided the major highlights of his life in a concise and interesting way. It didn’t ramble on with the more minute details of his leadership, which helped the reader stay engaged because every page was about a new and interesting fact of his life. Some of the topics discussed were his early years experiencing segregation, watching his father preach as inspiration, leading protests and helping his people, and finally his death in Tennessee. The big idea of this story is mainly to learn more about Martin Luther King Junior’s life, but it can also be that revolutionary people who promote positive change will have a lasting impact long after they are gone. The final sentence of this book is, “His big words are alive for us today.”
    • 3/5
      I enjoyed this book for a couple different reasons. One of these reasons being that the author incorporated direct quotes from Martin Luther King such as when the author writes, “I have a dream that one day in Alabama little black boys and black girls will join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.” I also enjoyed this book because the author incorporated a timeline in the back of the book with important dates throughout Martin Luther Kings life, such as August 28, 1963, Dr. Kings “I Have a Dream” speech at the March on Washington. The overall theme of this book is to inform the reader of Martin Luther King’s accomplishments.
    • 5/5
      This is a picture book biography of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Reading this book would be a great way to learn about Dr. King. It has wonderful illustrations and I think it does a great job of explaining a tough topic for young children.
    • 5/5
      I bought this book today because I have always loved Martin Luther King, Jr....

      It was an easy read with beautiful pictures...A well written summary of what he went through from childhood through his death and when MLK day was created and became a national holiday. It's great for children of about the age of about 8 and older (depending on the child)...It does say that he was shot and died, but nothing more specific than that. And of course, it doesn't show him dead...

    • 5/5
      Martin's Big Words:The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is and informational picture book. This book is a partial biography that teaches about the life of Martin Luther King Jr. This book also informs about diversity and segregation. This tells about Rosa Park's refusal to move her seat on the bus and the bus boycotts. For 381 days people walked to work and Martin walked with them and prayed with him. He taught and preached the ways of non-violence. Many were hurt and killed in this journey to civil rights but they didn't fight back. Martin gave his "I have a dream" speech and ten years later segregation ended.This would be a good book to use in a classroom when learning about the civil rights movement. This would be a good book to pair with Rosa by Nikki Giovanni. Students could learn more about Martin Luther King Jr. by reading other books about his life.