Coretta Scott [Hardcover]

Ntozake Shange (Author), Kadir Nelson (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

Walking many miles to school in the dusty road, young Coretta knew, too well, the unfairness of life in the segregated south.

A yearning for equality began to grow.

Together with Martin Luther King, Jr., she gave birth to a vision and a journey—with dreams of freedom for all.

This extraordinary union of poetic text by Ntozake Shange and monumental artwork by Kadir Nelson captures the movement for civil rights in the United States and honors its most elegant inspiration, Coretta Scott.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Starred Review. Grade 4–9—Poetic language paired with powerful images makes this biography/history of the Civil Rights Movement a moving, provocative read-aloud. Young Coretta and her siblings solemnly "walked all/of five miles to/the nearest colored school/in the darkness/with the dew dampening/their feet." A close-up of the stoic children as the "white school bus/left a/funnel of dust/on their faces" reveals the hurt they already knew. The peaceful, prayerful profiles of Coretta and Martin juxtaposed against a stained-glass church window provide a soothing contrast—"they prayed together/found joy/and were married." Later came the sit-ins and the marches; "hundreds then thousands/white and black/marched/in Alabama/Carolina/Georgia/and Chicago." Until "a quarter of a million at the March on Washington/peacefully singing 'we shall overcome'/and listening to the words/that would inspire a nation." A bird's-eye view of the crowd looks like a garden of flowers surrounding the Reflecting Pool. Yet, despite the song and solidarity, "things nature never intended/a child to see/haunted them…." The book ends with several spreads of marchers and singers accompanied by an excerpt from the traditional gospel song "Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Round." Nelson's stirring oil paintings on plywood are all full-spread with large, easy-to-share images. An author's note provides a summary of the subject's life and of the Civil Rights Movement, though there are no credits or references to the songs. Every library will want copies of this lyrical tribute to an elegant woman and the era she represents.—Barbara Auerbach, New York City Public Schools
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From Booklist

*Starred Review* Unflinching verse and elegant imagery combine in a powerful, evocative, picture-book portrait of Coretta Scott King. As stated on the cover, Shange uses poetry to recount Coretta Scott’s life, from her childhood to her marriage with Martin Luther King, Jr. On the final page, the author offers a linear, prose biography, adding context to her more abstract references in the poetry. Omitting punctuation and capitalization, Shange assembles her simple words into a whole that reflects both the facts of Scott’s story and her humanity. Nelson’s accompanying paintings are luminous and reverent, and as much as they recall his distinct style in books such as Carole Boston Weatherford’s Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom (2006), there is something of Norman Rockwell here, too, in the straightforward compositions and profound dignity of the American spirit on display. Concise back matter notwithstanding, this is not a biography of fact and reporting. Instead, poet and painter have joined forces to offer an indelible, emotional expression of the strength, beauty, and joy of one woman’s character. Grades K-3. --Thom Barthelmess

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books; 1St Edition edition (January 6, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061253642
• ISBN-13: 978-0061253645
• Product Dimensions: 12.2 x 9.3 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #955,033 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Ntozake Shange, poet, novelist, playwright, and performer, wrote the Broadway-produced and Obie Award-winning For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow Is Enuf. She has also written numerous works of fiction, including Sassafras, Cypress and Indigo, Betsy Brown, and Liliane.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sing a Poem of the Dream, February 24, 2009

By 

a gentle sound (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Coretta Scott (Hardcover)

Now what makes this book unique is that it carries the sound of poem, spiritual, song as one might associate with this woman that stood and held the hand of a leader, two people together taking on a journey to place we can call today a Promised Land. A place where dreams are born into being.
It tells in a hushed calm about where she started, Coretta who loved to sing, and then like a brush might sweep across a canvas, it crosses us over, over into a kind of melodic telling of our national prayer. One that speaks of better days, all children at a table, concern, caring and mighty truths. A hope that all people might one day enjoy the prosperity and the chance as well as the reality of a fair opportunity to exist in a country that wrote creeds this way, creeds it often does not fulfill, not yet, not without struggle, strife and difficulty. Born in the darkness and beauty of a people that built a great nation. But a people that it kept down, who in turn kept it moving forward, in part because of woman like Coretta Scott.

The book is beautifully, largely, inspiring, and boldly illustrated with pictures that do remind me of the WPA and that so fits, that illustrated, painted style fits the telling of this poem. Nothing better would carry the feel of the artists than those of that time in the last century who raised the awareness of the necessity of the arts, the power of the arts, and the potential of the arts to speak in the ways of the heart path. Especially in a time of need. Like this time. Of the soul journey. As song does waft to form into our being the music of being heard.

I hate to tred my path alone, so I will share two personal responses to this book. The first involves my own mother. My mother became involved with the issues of treating others fairly and in my youth, in the 1960's onward she connected with the NAACP among other groups. At some point in West Virginia she shared a lunch or maybe two luncheons, as she is correcting me, with Mrs. King. Coming home the first time (and I would date this to the early 80's) I recall her talking to me of Mrs. King's courage, calm, solid determination, thoughtfulness in answering her. She could have left the national stage, raised her children, remarried, she could have and many would have been afraid, locked herself in fear, and wisely chosen to be outside the fray anymore, she had given enough. But to know her, or to meet her, is to meet the mettle of this couple. Neither stepped away. Both went where they were asked to go, asked to fight for justice. It is exactly what it is. The content of their character. And no one could miss that. My mother related this clearly, and handed me an autographed book that she treasured getting. For me. I recall her telling me that she felt Mrs. King like a rock. I believe this was how she might have functioned for her family. As the ground we walk and tread, knowing a path and a way. I read her auto-biography a powerful, inspiring work. It helped me to build my being. The one part of me that teaches in poverty areas and must constantly each day bring a sincere understanding to the work I do, and a worthwhile heart as well. This book too, honors that.

The second thing I might share is the reaction today to reading this to my students. It is not a long text. They were reverent, hush, calm. They recognized places like the Washington Monument. They connected through recent events at the Inaugural and our reading about President Obama and Dr. King. They felt value in the words. They understood notions of separate schools and how we are traveling on a road ever working to be more just. To improve upon the past. They saw the idea of "process" and "progress." And how do I know? They told me these things. They had an understanding that the spouse of a leader like Dr. King must be dedicated and indeed spun of cloth very valuable and precious.

So, I think, if you would give this to a classroom, to a library, to a school, to a student, you have done a very good thing, it will aid in the work we are really here to do.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must-buy for every primary school library, January 30, 2010

By 

CC "Teacher-Librarian" (Washington DC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Coretta Scott (Hardcover)

This is one of the BEST read-alouds for parents, teachers and librarians. The pictures are magnificent, and I have read this to my 2nd, 3rd and 4th Grade classes over the past two weeks, for MLK day. A beautiful companion to "Martin's Big Words," as the pictures complement each other. Highly recommended!