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Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

This book beautifiully pairs simple vocabulary with MLK’s eloquent messages.

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Martin Luther King, Jr., was one of the most influential and gifted speakers of all time. Growing up in the segregated South, he was inspired by his mother’s belief in equality and his father’s sermons. He found his calling as a minister too, preaching words of love over hate—words that propelled him to the forefront of the civil rights movement, and whose legacy is still felt today.

Doreen Rappaport uses quotes from some of Dr. King’s most beloved speeches to tell the story of his life and his work in an accessible way, while Bryan Collier’s stunning collage art combines remarkable watercolor paintings with vibrant patterns and textures. A timeline and other backmatter round out this addition to the acclaimed Big Words series of biographies.