Distinctions and Praise for Because of You, John Lewis: A Junior Library Guild Selection
A Kirkus 2022 Best Picture Books of the Year
Jane Addams Children’s Book Award Finalist
Chicago Public Library’s Best of the Best Books of 2022: Best Informational Book for Older Readers
★ “This book celebrates heroes and the uncanny ripple effect of being inspired by them. Carrying on the legacies of King and Lewis, Tybre Faw marched for causes he believed in such as school safety, human rights, and immigrant equality. This acts as a helpful reminder to kids that they’re never too young to fight for what they believe in. The watercolor illustrations are a vivid and dramatic complement to this story of friendship, courage, and effecting change.” — School Library Journal, starred review ★ "With deep emotion, Pinkney captures the generational struggle for freedom and takes readers from Dr. King’s radio speeches during the Jim Crow era to the Black Lives Matter movement of today. Brown's watercolor-and–quill pen illustrations are striking and larger than life, adding great depth and meaning to the verse." — Kirkus Reviews, starred review
Distinctions and Praise for Martin Rising: Requiem for a King: A Washington Post Best Book of the Year A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year A New York Public Library Best Book of the Year A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year A 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... The back matter includes 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 Rising is an inspiring joy to read and a genuinely unique accolade." — VOYA
★ 07/01/2022
Gr 1–5—Ten-year-old Tybre Faw wished to meet his hero Congressman John Lewis and shake his hand. Tybre Faw knew just about everything about Lewis, who championed voter's rights. When he was younger, Lewis would preach sermons to the chickens on his family's farm. Young John Lewis was as inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., just as Tybre Faw was inspired by Lewis. On a Sunday in 1965, peaceful protesters marched across the Edmund Pettus Bridge for the right to vote, but sadly, before they were able to cross it, they were violently attacked and beaten by racists. Brown's illustrations accurately portray details of the attack and the subsequent injuries may seem upsetting to some readers. After reading so much about Lewis, Tybre Faw convinced his grandmothers to take a road trip from Johnson City, TN, to Selma, AL, where John Lewis made a once-a-year memorial march. He met John, shook his hand, and was even invited to walk by his side across the bridge. This book celebrates heroes and the uncanny ripple effect of being inspired by them. Carrying on the legacies of King and Lewis, Tybre Faw marched for causes he believed in such as school safety, human rights, and immigrant equality. This acts as a helpful reminder to kids that they're never too young to fight for what they believe in. The watercolor illustrations are a vivid and dramatic complement to this story of friendship, courage, and effecting change. Back matter includes a time line, photos, resources, and more. VERDICT This inspirational tale about friendship, courage, and good trouble is an essential purchase for all collections.—Myiesha Speight
★ 2022-04-13
A picture-book biography in verse highlighting the friendship between John Lewis and the young African American boy whom he inspired.
In her signature expressive and soulful style, Pinkney introduces readers to young Tybre Faw, a boy from Tennessee who learns about Sen. Lewis from reading books. Inspired by Lewis' lifelong fight for justice and equal rights, Tybre convinces his grandparents to make a 4-hour drive from their home in Tennessee to Selma, Alabama, where every year Lewis conducts an annual pilgrimage across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in honor of his historic showdown, which helped usher in the Voting Rights Act. There, the two meet and a friendship is sparked. Woven into the narrative is the story of how Lewis, inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., went on to become a civil rights hero. With deep emotion, Pinkney captures the generational struggle for freedom and takes readers from Dr. King’s radio speeches during the Jim Crow era to the Black Lives Matter movement of today. Brown's watercolor-and–quill pen illustrations are striking and larger than life, adding great depth and meaning to the verse. Backmatter includes a statement further describing the relationship between Lewis and Tybre, a timeline of Lewis' life, captioned photographs, and the poem “Invictus” by William Ernest Henley, which Tybre delivered at Lewis’ funeral service. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
This eloquent tribute is a must-read. (Picture-book biography. 6-10)
