Scan barcode
librarianlizreads's review
4.0
This is a beautiful book with short poems and fitting illustrations. These dark, historical events are not muted but are presented in ways that children and adults can understand and appreciate. Each page features new colors and images in order to signify a new, diverse individual and the battle that they waged on hatred and discrimination. Many of the poems are written in different styles of verse that also create diversity. It is a wonderful book for all ages.
rainbowbookworm's review
4.0
This is a great book to introduce some famous--and not-so-famous--civil rights leaders. As a teacher I think it could be used as the starting point for a joint research/poetry project.
kristenremenar's review
5.0
I was so glad when I opened this book of poetry to see that J. Patrick Lewis wrote of civil rights leaders from all around the world. Often when I think of the fight for civil rights, I think of African-Americans in the 1960s. But Lewis in his wisdom includes not only Coretta Scott King and Jackie Robinson, but Aung San Suu Kyi from Burma, Dennis James Banks, an Anishinabe political activist, and Harvey Milk, who stood up for gay rights. Love the notes at the end that give a bit more information about each freedom fighter.
beths0103's review
4.0
A great introduction to some well-known and lesser-known leaders who have fought for civil rights all around the world.
crystal_reading's review
3.0
I really enjoyed the biographical information at the end. I found it difficult to understand several of the poems though without that background. Some of the poems were great, but some didn't clearly communicate what the person had done. It's nice to have this as a resource for the brief biographies and for a few of the poems. I would use the Sylvia Mendez one when I read Duncan Tonatiuh's book Separate is Never Equal.
beecheralyson's review
4.0
Great collection of poetry focusing on a variety of global men and women who have stood for change.
azajacks's review
4.0
I support independent bookstores. You can use this link to find one near you: http://www.indiebound.org
rainbowbookworm's review against another edition
4.0
This is a great book to introduce some famous--and not-so-famous--civil rights leaders. As a teacher I think it could be used as the starting point for a joint research/poetry project.
chitownjr's review against another edition
4.0
This book of 17 poems about a variety of people engaged in civil rights is designed for the older reader. The language in these poems would be too challenging for younger children and the subject matter would be unlikely to appeal to kids under ten.
The goal appears to be to inspire the reader and to teach kids about some of the great freedom fighters in the last century. I found many of the poems required more than one reading in order to get the meaning; but the biographies included in the back of the book were very helpful. The inclusion of resources at the back was also helpful.
The poems can be read in any order and the titles were interesting in that they didn’t identify the person by name but rather by their role. Five different illustrators provided the artwork so there was a variety in the images that made reading each poem fresher. I think the artists did a good job of matching the style of illustration with the subject matter. The art did not so much as explain the text as complement it.
The fact that there was was no table of contents bugged me. Frankly I would have liked one. I also would have preferred to have the biographies with the poems. I didn’t find this poetry as accessible as the other books of poetry we read. This book required a lot more work on the part of the reader, especially if you didn’t know anything about the subject of the poem. That said, I think Lewis did an admirable job of changing his style to fit the subject about whom he was writing. Hats off. I think it must have been a challenging task. I also liked the way Lewis included people from different parts of the world, not just from the United States.
The goal appears to be to inspire the reader and to teach kids about some of the great freedom fighters in the last century. I found many of the poems required more than one reading in order to get the meaning; but the biographies included in the back of the book were very helpful. The inclusion of resources at the back was also helpful.
The poems can be read in any order and the titles were interesting in that they didn’t identify the person by name but rather by their role. Five different illustrators provided the artwork so there was a variety in the images that made reading each poem fresher. I think the artists did a good job of matching the style of illustration with the subject matter. The art did not so much as explain the text as complement it.
The fact that there was was no table of contents bugged me. Frankly I would have liked one. I also would have preferred to have the biographies with the poems. I didn’t find this poetry as accessible as the other books of poetry we read. This book required a lot more work on the part of the reader, especially if you didn’t know anything about the subject of the poem. That said, I think Lewis did an admirable job of changing his style to fit the subject about whom he was writing. Hats off. I think it must have been a challenging task. I also liked the way Lewis included people from different parts of the world, not just from the United States.
beecheralyson's review against another edition
4.0
Great collection of poetry focusing on a variety of global men and women who have stood for change.