A Time to Act: John F. Kennedy's Big Speech

by Shana Corey, R. Gregory Christie (Illustrator)

Overview

School Library Journal Best Book of 2017

Chicago Public Library Best Book of 2017

Acclaimed author Shana Corey and New York Times Best Illustrated, Caldecott Honor, and Coretta Scott King Honor–winning artist R. Gregory Christie deliver a fresh look at President John F. Kennedy and his relationship with the civil rights movement.

From prominent leaders such as Martin Luther King, Jr. and Jackie Robinson to children and teenagers, it was the people speaking out and working for civil rights through sits-ins, freedom rides, and marches who led John F. Kennedy to take a stand.

And with his June 11, 1963, civil rights address, he did.

This is the story of JFK—from his childhood to the events that led to his game-changing speech and the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Corey and Christie offer a deeply human look at our country’s thirty-fifth president, underscoring how each one of us, no matter who we are, have the power to make a difference.

With quotes from JFK’s speeches, detailed back matter, and a thought-provoking author’s note, this biography—in time for what would be JFK's 100th birthday—offers a sensitive look at a tumultuous time in history and compelling questions about effecting positive change today.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780735842755
Publisher:	NorthSouth Books
Publication date:	04/04/2017
Pages:	56
Sales rank:	1,263,813
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 11.10(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	850L (what's this?)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Shana Corey has written several picture books, among them Here Come the Girl Scouts!, a New York Times Editors’ Choice, You Forgot Your Skirt, Amelia Bloomer, which the New York Times called “a picture book girls are likely to love.” and The Secret Subway, which Kirkus called "Absolutely wonderful in every way.” Learn more at shanacorey.com.

R. Gregory Christie received the Caldecott Honor Award in 2016. He is a three-time recipient of the Coretta Scott King Honor Award for Illustration and a two-time recipient of the New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Books of the Year Award. He’s also a recipient of the NAACP’s Image Award, The Boston Globe’s Horn Book Award, and the American Library Associations’ Theodore Seuss Geisel Award in Illustration. He lives in Georgia.

Editorial Reviews

02/20/2017
Corey (The Secret Subway) and Christie (Freedom in Congo Square) celebrate the birthday centenary of John F. Kennedy with an engaging picture book biography primarily focused on the former president’s evolution on the topic of civil rights. A conversational narrative starts out speaking directly to readers: “The people who make history aren’t just famous leaders.... They’re real people, just like you. Sometimes they are you.” After spreads detailing Kennedy’s childhood, military service, and early political career, the story turns to civil rights and the president’s initial hesitancy to advocate for meaningful reform. Corey adeptly contextualizes Kennedy’s eventual arrival at action, amid protests and desegregation attempts, and his historic antidiscrimination speech that set the stage for the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Christie’s expressive paintings veer toward the abstract, with skewed proportions and bold brushstrokes, yet the realism of the faces stands out. An empowering conclusion (“And so now it’s your turn... to speak up, to act... to make history”) is followed by an author’s note, bibliography, source notes, and brief vignettes about other notable figures who appear in the story. Ages 8–up. Author’s agent: Tracey Adams, Adams Literary. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

A story of John Kennedy's short but historic life that rings with truth and excitement. Readers of all ages... will appreciate this moving lesson in American history.

Senator Harris Wofford

**Starred Review. Excellent. The dramatic and innovative illustrations beautifully capture a place in time and the people who inhabited it. The back matter is powerful addition to a most thoughtful book.

Booklist

This is a timely and relevant book...Corey’s prose rings natural and true, and will definitely feel relatable to young teens and ‘tweens who are seeking to define themselves and their principals. Artist R. Gregory Christie’s illustrations of children with elongated necks and determined faces courageously carrying the signs that demand equality all help to loan a collage-ish look and feel to this important book. Use this to teach tolerance, equality, integration, social studies, and the fundamentals of American laws.

New York Journal of Books - Rita Lorraine Hubbard

**Starred Review. Excellent. The dramatic and innovative illustrations beautifully capture a place in time and the people who inhabited it. The back matter is powerful addition to a most thoughtful book.

Booklist

★ 03/01/2017
Gr 3–5—On June 11, 1963, President John F. Kennedy gave an eloquent speech in which he made a plea for civil rights for African Americans. He was lauded for his blunt but sincere appeal to ensure equality for all Americans. Corey begins with biographical information on Kennedy, including his wealthy upbringing in an influential family, his illnesses as a child, his run for Congress, and his eventual election to the presidency. The text then segues into the struggle of African Americans to achieve civil rights, detailing the arduous work of sit-ins, marches, and Freedom Rides. Finally, the story returns to Kennedy's 1963 speech to Congress. Though mostly adulatory in tone, the book points out that Kennedy was, for political reasons, hesitant to take action, thus providing a contrast between the man who wrote Profiles in Courage and the politician in the White House. Christie's impressionistic illustrations are poignant and enhance the straightforward narrative. Back matter includes a section that identifies notable figures featured in the artwork and offers additional background on them. VERDICT Though there are numerous biographies on Kennedy for this audience, few focus solely on his role in civil rights, making this work a dynamic addition for U.S. history collections.—Margaret Nunes, Gwinnett County Public Library, GA

School Library Journal

2017-02-01
A roundabout history of President John F. Kennedy's June 11, 1963, address on American civil rights.Corey starts this story of Kennedy's speech, and the context under which it was delivered, early—too early—in Kennedy's life. Readers learn that his brother was his father's favorite and that he was sickly. They also learn that he came from wealth, but Corey doesn't take this opportunity to discuss class in America and how it impinges on racism. Instead, readers learn he was a courageous soldier in World War II and wrote Profiles in Courage. The writing is choppy, perhaps in an effort to be punchy: "In 1946, Jack ran for Congress. His whole family helped. His father gave money and advice. His mother and sisters gave teas." By midbook, Corey begins to focus in on Kennedy's political conundrum. When it comes to Kennedy's dallying on the civil rights issue, Corey does hit a number of nails squarely on the head: Kennedy was being upstaged by children on their crusade, he was losing the African-American vote, he played politics with Congress. Still, the speech was historic, as the book implies, and the author's note elaborates upon this. Christie's illustrations show a good, moody application of radiant paint and a sharp caricaturist's touch. A halting misuse of page space that, in the end, finally presents Kennedy's speech in the proper light. (thumbnail bios of civil rights figures, bibliography, sources, further reading) (Informational picture book. 6-10)

Kirkus Reviews

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