We March

by Shane W. Evans

Overview

On August 28, 1963, a remarkable event took place—more than 250,000 people gathered in our nation's capital to participate in the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. The march began at the Washington Monument and ended with a rally at the Lincoln Memorial, where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his historic "I Have a Dream" speech, advocating racial harmony. Many words have been written about that day, but few so delicate and powerful as those presented here by award-winning author and illustrator Shane W. Evans. When combined with his simple yet compelling illustrations, the thrill of the day is brought to life for even the youngest reader to experience.

We March was one of Kirkus Reviews' Best Children's Books of 2012, and is an important story about the African American civil rights movement.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250073259
Publisher:	Square Fish
Publication date:	01/12/2016
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	106,009
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 11.00(h) x 0.20(d)
Lexile:	290L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Shane W. Evans has illustrated numerous books for children, including Black Jack: The Ballad of Jack Johnson and Underground, recipient of four starred reviews, both for Roaring Brook Press. He lives with his family in Kansas City, Missouri.

Editorial Reviews

"[A] well-told and superbly rendered book.” —School Library Journal, starred review

“This makes a pivotal event in our nation's history accessible to our youngest citizens without compromising any of its power.” —Booklist

“There's an iconic flavor to the scenes, their streamlined compositions and simplified human figures standing in for the experience of many.” —The Bulletin

“Share with readers of all ages as a beautiful message about peaceful protest and purposeful action.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“Many young children know there was a march on Washington a long time ago and that Martin Luther King Jr. gave a famous speech that day. Some know why the march took place; fewer still know how it happened. Using a minimalist text (no more than ten words per page) as he employed in Underground, Evans covers the last two points.” —Horn Book Magazine

“A moving introduction to a historic day.” —Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher

Written in the same spare style as Evans’s Underground, this account of the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom—identified only in a concluding note—drives home the emotion and the drama of that event. Brief, blunt sentences propel the narrative and place readers on the scene: “We follow our leaders. We walk together. We sing.” Evans spotlights a family of four, first pictured rising with the sun and creating placards with their church congregation. Buses bring them to the Washington Monument, where they join others in the march that culminates in Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. Though the day unfolds through the family’s perspective, what emerges is a communal voice that conveys a strong sense of solidarity and purpose (“We lean on each other as we march to justice, to freedom, to our dreams”). Similarly minimalist, Evans’s art features angular characters whose expressions capture their passion and commitment. Evans’s predominantly cool palette is warmed by the diffuse light of the sun, which appears in full blaze behind a closeup image of King. A moving introduction to a historic day. Ages 4–8. Agent: Writers House. (Jan.)

Publishers Weekly

PreS-Gr 3—It is the remarkable simplicity of this book that makes it so outstanding. The members of an African-American family rise and set off to church to pray and then take part in a march for freedom. But this is not just any march; it is the historic March on Washington in 1963. Readers follow this family as Evans's palette shifts from morning grays and blues to lighter and more hopeful hues of yellow and bright green as Dr. King delivers his magnificent "I Have a Dream" speech. The contrast between the conciseness of the writing and the grandness of the story gives the book a powerful punch. Young readers will now have a book celebrating the March on Washington that they can read, while older readers will be drawn to the beauty of this well-told and superbly rendered book. A must for every collection.—Joan Kindig, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA

School Library Journal

An African-American family awakens before dawn to prepare for the historic March on Washington in August, 1963. In this stirring companion to Underground (2011), Evans captures a pivotal event in the struggle for equality and civil rights in America. The family joins neighbors to pray at their church, paint signs and travel by bus to Washington. They walk and sing and grow tired but "are filled with hope" as they stand together at the Washington Monument to listen to Dr. King speak of dreams and freedom. With just one line per page, Evans' text is spare but forceful. The March has become synonymous with Dr. King's grandiloquent speech, but Evans reminds readers that ordinary folk were his determined and courageous audience. The full-page paintings depict a rainbow of people holding hands and striding purposefully. One illustration in particular, of the father holding his son high on his shoulders, echoes a painting in Underground, in which a father holds his newborn child high up toward the sky. The strong vertical lines used for the arms of the marchers mirror the intensity of the day. Share with readers of all ages as a beautiful message about peaceful protest and purposeful action. (author's note) (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews