The New York Times Book Review - Rumaan Alam
…the book's message is clear and bracing: King understood that it's children who will lead the way, and the man's faith in the future is reassuring even now.
Publishers Weekly
10/23/2017
Clark-Robinson’s stirring debut unfolds through the resolute voice of a (fictional) African-American girl participating in the 1963 Children’s Crusade, during which young residents of Birmingham, Ala., marched to protest segregation. “Dr. King told us the time had come to march,” the girl explains. Her parents can’t risk losing their jobs, so she, her brother, and thousands of their peers volunteer to serve as “Dr. King’s army” (“This burden, this time, did not have to be theirs to bear”). Morrison’s dynamic oil paintings viscerally expose the protesters’ courage and fear, as well as the anger of white onlookers and police who sic dogs on the marchers and blast them with hoses before locking many in jail. The children’s refrains (“Singing the songs of freedom, one thousand strong we came”) are displayed like banners across the pages, emphasizing collective strength in the face of brutal violence. The narrator’s conclusion, “Our march made the difference,” serves as a powerful reminder for today’s readers about their own ability to fight for justice and equality. Ages 6–9. Author’s agent: Natalie Lakosil, Bradford Literary. Illustrator’s agent: Lori Nowicki, Painted Words. (Jan.)
From the Publisher
Kirkus Best Picture Books of 2018 Chicago Public Library's Best of 2018 The Children's Book Review Best of Nonfiction 2018 *"A powerful retrospective glimpse at a key event." — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
*"Much of the text will provoke questions and important conversations between children and adult readers. The experiences of segregation are sensitively depicted...A highly readable historical account which deserves a place on picture book and nonfiction shelves alike." — School Library Journal (starred review)
"This remarkable story remains relevant today as young readers think about their roles in the ongoing struggle for justice. Teachers who use this book might scaffold it with additional resources that teach about the intensive planning and organization that went into this and other activist campaigns." — Booklist
"The art throughout is a vibrant representation of the determination and courage of the civil rights movement. A nuanced account that could inspire the youngest readers to make a big difference." — Horn Book Magazine
"Clark-Robinson’s stirring debut unfolds through the resolute voice of a (fictional) African-American girl participating in the 1963 Children’s Crusade...The narrator’s conclusion, “Our march made the difference,” serves as a powerful reminder for today’s readers about their own ability to fight for justice and equality." — Publishers Weekly
"The text is taut and clear, making its greatest impact through its simple, even understated, specifics." — BCCB
“The book’s message is clear and bracing: King understood that it’s children who will lead the way, and the man’s faith in the future is reassuring even now.” — New York Times Book Review
School Library Journal
★ 11/01/2017
K-Gr 3—The youth of the Birmingham civil rights movement take center stage in this historical picture book. Clark-Robinson narrates from the voice of an unnamed girl, using simple language to tell the story of the momentous events surrounding the arrest and jailing of hundreds of children protesting racial segregation. The narrator states bluntly, "There were so many things I couldn't do." Much of the text will provoke questions and important conversations between children and adult readers. The experiences of segregation are sensitively depicted by Morrison. A playground behind a tall sharp fence sets the stage, while portrait-quality oil paintings of the children and civil rights leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr. fill the rest of the pages. The defiance, determination, and passion comes through clearly on the faces of the figures. An afterword and author's and illustrator's notes provide additional information, as does a cleverly illustrated time line on the endpapers. VERDICT A highly readable historical account which deserves a place on picture book and nonfiction shelves alike.—Clara Hendricks, Cambridge Public Library, MA
FEBRUARY 2019 - AudioFile
Narrator Janina Edwards’s words take listeners to Birmingham, Alabama, in 1963. As Martin Luther King and the city’s citizens plan a peaceful protest, it is the children who step forward to march without the repercussion of job loss. Listeners will walk with a young protester as she encounters hate, police dogs, and several days of jail. Edwards deftly expresses her fear but also her pride as she is released, knowing she has made a difference. Edwards’s even voice leaves listeners to consider the magnitude of the events for themselves. Background music and sound effects are tailored to event and mood. The production concludes with thoughts from the author and illustrator as well as a list of important dates in the Civil Rights movement, including the Children’s Crusade. A.R. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
★ 2017-10-16
A vibrantly illustrated account of the Birmingham Children's Crusade through the eyes of a young girl who volunteers to participate.Morrison's signature style depicts each black child throughout the book as a distinct individual; on the endpapers, children hold signs that collectively create a "Civil Rights and the Children's Crusade" timeline, placing the events of the book in the context of the greater movement. When Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. comes to speak at her church, a girl and her brother volunteer to march in their parents' stead. The narrative succinctly explains why the Children's Crusade was a necessary logistical move, one that children and parents made with careful consideration and despite fear. Lines of text ("Let the children march. / They will lead the way // The path may be long and / troubled, but I'm gonna walk on!") are placed within the illustrations in bold swoops for emphasis. Morrison's powerful use of perspective makes his beautiful oil paintings even more dynamic and conveys the intensity of the situations depicted, including the children's being arrested, hosed, and jailed. The child crusaders, regardless of how badly they're treated, never lose their dignity, which the art conveys flawlessly. While the children win the day, such details as the Confederate flag subtly connect the struggle to the current day. A powerful retrospective glimpse at a key event. (timeline, afterword, artist's statement, quote sources, bibliography) (Picture book. 5-9)
