Happy New Year! We hope you all enjoyed a restful and happy break and are ready to dive back into school! Martin Luther King Jr. Day is just around the corner. Here are five books that will help you explain this important man’s life to the smallest learners.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Trudi Strain Trueit – This non-fiction book has great actual photographs rather than traditional illustrations. The text is super simple and short, making it a great jumping off point for your discussion, without being overwhelming for young learners.
Martin Luther King JR. Day (First Step Nonfiction), Robin Nelson – This is another non-fiction book with super simple text which is illustrated with photographs rather than drawings. The short sentences on each page explain the basics in an easy-to-understand way without being too much for little ones.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (Holidays and Festivals (Heinemann Paperback), Rebecca Rissman – Another great opportunity to review the accomplishments and importance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Simple text accompanies photographs, making it easier to make it clear this is non-fiction rather than another storybook.
Let’s Get Ready for Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Welcome Books: Celebrations), Lloyd G. Douglas – Also non-fiction, this book takes a slightly different point of view. It talks about all the things that we do to remember Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Illustrated with (mostly) color photographs and written in short, concise text, this is a great book to round out your collection and review why we commemorate this important day.
Amazing Grace, Mary Hoffman, – A change of pace from the non-fiction texts in this list, this is a fictional, traditional picture book. Grace is an African American girl who loves to imagine she is different characters. When her class puts on a performance of Peter Pan, she wants to play the lead role. Unfortunately, one of her classmates tells her she can’t because she’s a girl, while another tells her she can’t do it because of the color of her skin. With the support of her family, Grace manages to prove them wrong.
How will you be honoring Martin Luther King Jr. in your classroom? What books do you use to help your students learn about his legacy? Did you find this book list helpful? Please share! We really value your feedback!
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