![]() I have always felt a connection to MLK Jr’s I Have a Dream speech, and this is one of the reasons I chose to read A Place to Land. King’s speech transcends one race and works to paint a picture of a world where we all can live in unity. It is one of the defining moments in the Civil Rights movement and Wittenstein and Pinkney do a fabulous job of giving the reader a glimpse into how this speech came to be in their picture book A Place to Land. They allow the reader take a peek behind the curtain and into MLK Jr’s mind as he pens the speech. A Place to Land discusses the cultural and historical influences that King drew upon when composing his speech – people such as Langston Hughes and Abraham Lincoln as well as the Bible and spirituals. As he is thinking through the content of his speech we learn that he was thinking about Rosa Parks, Emmett Till, Medgar Evers, and the children of Birmingham. His planning and thought process is anchored in some of the cultural markers and historical tragedies that have molded him into the man that he has become and have caused some of the racial divisions in the country. We learn that his advisors encourage him to preach to the crowd. They want him to dig down into that fountain of knowledge and experience he has developed over the years in the pulpit and share it with the 250,000 congregants at the Lincoln Memorial, and in the end, he does. Pinkney’s illustrations reflect the people’s faces and historical documents and propaganda that may have been seen at Lincoln Memorial and over the course of the Civil Rights movement. The majority of the faces are black; however, there are other races represented as well. They faces are all contemplative or look to be participating in the gathering. A Place to Land is an uplifting book in both words and illustrations. The illustrations do not stereotype or oversimplify the characters as is mentioned in the article 10 Quick Ways to Analyze Children’s Books for Racism and Sexism, and the hero of the story is not a “safe” hero in that King definitely worked against the establishment to try and bring about change for all. A Place to Land tells the story of a brilliant black man whose goal was to bring peace and equality to all. The last page of the book is particularly poignant. “And those battles continue to be fought. But that night brought optimism and laughter, for they all agreed. Martin stepped up to the lectern, and stepped down on the other side of history.” The author does not state that this one speech brought everyone together and the world is now a perfect place. He does not minimize the battles that still need to be fought which is important for those individuals who read this book and are still feeling disenfranchised and who face hatred and bigotry today, but the book does give kudos to a man who deserves it and helps to open a discussion into the work that still needs to be done. I love this book. I love that it gives background into one of the most important leaders and speeches in our nation’s history. I would hope that as students and teachers read and study this book alongside the I Have a Dream speech they would all feel a sense of pride and unity at the words that MLK so brilliantly espouses. The reader is certainly given a glimpse into the mind of MLK Jr and his intentions, and I personally see my desires and hopes reflected in his words and in the intent of this gorgeously illustrated picture book. This book shares some history from a perspective that is not often discussed, the lead up to the speech, and it opens a door to some conversations about what still needs to be done in order to achieve King’s dream. It also gives a glimpse into the writing process of a brilliant man. Approximate Reading Level: 2nd-4th grades
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