…[Andrea Davis Pinkney] makes King's death feel as significant as the falling of the sky above. It is, of course, a terrible and sad story, but one in which Brian Pinkney's illustrations manage to find beauty.

Distinctions and Praise for Martin Rising: Requiem for a King:A Washington Post Best Book of the YearA Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the YearA New York Public Library Best Book of the YearA School Library Journal Best Book of the YearA Chicago Public Library Best Book of the Year"Envisioned for young readers but sure to be appreciated more widely, Martin Rising depicts King as a source of warmth and brightness on its radiant front cover. [The Pinkneys] sustain and develop this idea throughout their book, paying stirring tribute to King's personal warmth, spiritual strength and leadership. The book's vivid poetry bursts with information as well as feeling, and the watercolor images are grounded in reality but feel elevated, on a higher plane." --The Washington Post* "Spiritually vital." --Kirkus Reviews, starred review* "Unique and remarkable." --Publishers Weekly, starred review* "Each poem trembles under the weight of the story it tells... Martin Rising packs an emotional wallop and, in perfect homage, soars when read aloud." --Booklist, starred review* "A powerful celebration of Martin Luther King Jr...As the last moments of King's life tick away, the narrative zooms in, detailing the emotional beats of his final public speeches, the feverish exhaustion of long days and nights away from home... Throughout, the crowds filling churches seeking inspiration and bravely marching in the face of violence are as much a part of the story as King himself....Beautifully illustrated and begging to be read aloud, this poetry collection is an exceptional classroom tool for civil rights lessons and offers much for individual readers to linger over." --School Library Journal, starred review* "A creative poetic celebration of the contributions of Martin Luther King Jr. that also, as a song for the dead, includes a meticulous explanation of how and why he died.... Accompanying the varied and intense poetry, Brian Pinkney's swirling watercolor, gouache, and India ink illustrations give life and movement to King's story and reflect the complex emotions that surface throughout this biography...." --The Horn Book, starred review"This genre-bending work uses poetry to document the last months of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s life... This well-researched, thorough tribute captures the details that make each section vividly memorable... The often alliterative and sometimes rhyming poetry, full of simile and metaphor, begs for re-reading and performing.Brian Pinkney's ...luminescent illustrations epitomize the essence of King's life as a beacon of light and creates hope, even during troubling times.... Theback matterincludes a retelling of the events of King's last months in straight-forward text accompanied by black-and-white photographs, a timeline, and a bibliography.Martin Risingis an inspiring joy to read and a genuinely unique accolade." --VOYAPraise for Martin & Mahalia: His Words, Her Song:* "Wife-and-husband team Andrea Davis Pinkney and Brian Pinkney match talents as they weave together the stories of two giants of the American civil rights movement...[A] colorful, inspirational resource." --Booklist, starred review"Historical context and artistic inspirations wrap up this informative approach to the two icons and the effect of their partnership on history." --School Library JournalPraise for The Red Pencil:* "Pinkney faces war's horrors head on, yet also conveys a sense of hope and promise." --Publishers Weekly, starred review* "Pinkney uses deft strokes to create engaging characters through the poetry of their observations and the poignancy of their circumstances....A soulful story that captures the magic of possibility, even in difficult times." --Kirkus Reviews, starred review* "Amira's thoughts and drawings are vividly brought to life through Pinkney's lyrical verse.... An essential purchase." --School Library Journal, starred review

★ 2017-09-26
The multiaward-winning Pinkneys' requiem lovingly explains in a set of "docu-poems" the events surrounding Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination, particularly the Memphis sanitation workers' strikes that brought him to the city where he eventually died. The author humanizes King through the love he has for his family and movement comrades (including an April 4, 1968, pillow fight with his brother, Andrew Young, and Ralph Abernathy) as well as the viral bug he suffers with as he gives his last, prescient, and momentous "I've Been to the Mountaintop" speech. The illustrator, blending influences of Marc Chagall and Norman Lewis, gives the story a loosely drawn, vibrantly warm, watercolor haze, which, with halos of yellows and oranges and even wings, give King and his family an almost beatific, if not saintly, glow, even in their sorrows. The character of Henny Penny, who is a blend of the fabled chicken and a wise black grandmother, provides the Greek-chorus narration in a device that is understandable if sometimes-distracting. Catholicism creates hagiographies to explain their martyrs' and other saints' deaths, whether history concurs with their feats for the faith or, in some cases, their very existences. Even as U.S. black communities wrestle with Dr. King's personal foibles, media-glossed images, and complex messages, here readers have a children's book in which adults may also find succor, if not inspiration, considering the current reverting-to-pre-Civil Rights administration. Spiritually vital. (author's and illustrator's notes, history, timeline, bibliography) (Poetry. 8-adult)