Dear Dr. King: Letters from Today's Children to Dr. Martin LutherKing, Jr. [Paperback]

Jan Colbert (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 4, 2000 | Grade Level: P and up

Published to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Dr. King's assassination, "Dear Dr. King" features a collection of letters culled from a project masterminded by a Memphis schoolteacher and one Memphis parent of two school-age children. These letters represent the most thought-provoking, poignant, and sometimes humorous questions that children would liked to have asked Dr. King and provide a fascinating snapshot of race issues in America today. 60+ photos .

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-8AThis compilation of contemporary letters from Memphis school children to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is both poignant and witty. The young writers speak of fears and hatreds, hopes and dreams. They point out how far we have come in the area of race relations and yet how far we have to go. The students speak to Dr. King as if he were a close friend still with us and, perhaps, that is his greatest legacyAthat today's young people, both black and white, feel a personal connection to him. The book is a technical jewel. Each of the letters is set in blue, black, or white type in varying sizes and shapes; they are often superimposed on black-and-white photographs. The muted photos include images from the Civil Rights struggle as well as those of unidentified young people. Classroom teachers will want to use these letters to inspire their own students to begin a dialogue on race.AEunice Weech, M. L. King Elementary School, Urbana, IL
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Gr. 4^-7. Letters from children, black and white, written to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at the suggestion of a group of Memphis teachers, are the heart of this well-designed book, which mixes photos of contemporary kids with shots that reflect the struggle for civil rights that took place during the 1960s. The writers, ranging in age from 6 to 12, address King with an easy familiarity, telling bits about themselves ("You may be upset with me because I've been in fights"), posing questions, explaining how things have changed and what still needs to be accomplished, or expressing thanks. The design is attractive, with layout, type size, and font varying from page to page, making each letter seem unique. This will be a good adjunct to the study of the civil rights movement or Dr. King's life, with a number of the letters making excellent read-alouds, and some children will surely be inspired to do a little letter writing of their own. Stephanie Zvirin --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 64 pages
• Publisher: Disney Press (January 4, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786814624
• ISBN-13: 978-0786814626
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 7.4 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,192,457 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A real winner., January 22, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Wilmington, NC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dear Dr. King: Letters from Todays' Children to Dr. Martin LutherKing Jr. (Hardcover)

Saw the book featured on Oprah's show on Martin Luther King, Jr., and bought it. Have bought three more for all grandchildren. Touching, funny, revealing and very well designed. Every kid, of any age, should have one.

2 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A really great book, January 16, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Dear Dr. King: Letters from Today's Children to Dr. Martin LutherKing, Jr. (Paperback)

I was one of the kids who wrote letters for the book 4 years ago, and it was an amazing thing to me to be a "published author." A lot of my friends got to read their letters on Oprah and other TV shows. I really enjoyed reading my copy of this book. I would definitely recommend it to everyone, child and adult.