Martin & Anne: The Kindred Spirits of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Anne Frank

by Nancy Churnin, Yevgenia Nayberg (Illustrator)

Overview

Anne Frank and Martin Luther King Jr. were born the same year a world apart. Both faced ugly prejudices and violence, which both answered with words of love and faith in humanity. This is the story of their parallel journeys to find hope in darkness and to follow their dreams.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781939547538
Publisher:	Creston Books
Publication date:	03/05/2019
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	10.20(w) x 10.10(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	9 - 10 Years

About the Author

Nancy Churnin is the author of many children's books, including Martin & Anne, Sydney Taylor Notable Irving Berlin, the Immigrant Boy Who Made America Sing, and the Sydney Taylor Honor Book Dear Mr. Dickens. She is a full-time writer living in Texas.

Yevgenia Nayberg is an illustrator, painter, and set and costume designer. She received a Sydney Taylor Silver Medal for her illustrations for Drop by Drop. She lives in New York.

Editorial Reviews

"As the teenage diarist and civil rights leader stand together, the timeless, powerful themes they heralded form the conclusion: 'Love is stronger than hate. Kindness can heal the world."—Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher

2019-01-28

The lives and legacies of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Anne Frank are drawn in parallel in this visually appealing picture book.

Born in the same year on different continents, Martin and Anne both faced discrimination from the time they were school aged. Peers who were former friends fell in line with laws and policies made by privileged groups of which they were not a part. "Whites only" signs and "No Jews allowed" signs; a speech competition and a diary; beginning college at 15 and learning about Ghandi, and writing about dreams for a better world—these experiences are illustrated in matching form on opposite sides of each spread. Martin grows up to win the Nobel Peace Prize, and his assassination at age 35 cannot silence his message; Anne's life comes to an end at 15, but her legacy lives on when her diary is published and becomes a bestseller. While the ending is trite ("Love is stronger than hate. / Kindness can heal the world"), the journey through their lives and the effect of coupling their lasting impact are powerful. The art emphasizes the message of parallel experiences and changing worlds. With natural tones of green and brown and stylized faces and forms, the images don't fall back on King's iconic look, creating instead a fresh tapestry of landscapes and humanity.

A surprisingly successful and enlightening combination strengthened by striking artwork. (Picture book/biography. 5-9)

Kirkus Reviews