Coretta Scott
Inspiring picture book biography of civil rights leader.
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Ntozake Shange's Coretta Scott, beautifully illustrated by Kadir Nelson, tells the story of the civil rights movement in poetry, through the hopeful eyes of Coretta Scott King. It follows her journey from her childhood in the segregated South of the United States till the March on Washington, D.C., in 1963. And it's written in a way that is appropriate for younger kids,
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What's the Story?
CORETTA SCOTT tells a story most Americans know, but one that should be told again and again. It tells about the civil rights movement, Martin Luther King Jr., and, more specifically, of Coretta Scott King, all in poetry. From the time she walked five miles to an all-Black school as a child to the time she joined in the March on Washington, D.C., Coretta Scott had a song in her heart and the strength to work tirelessly for peace, justice, and freedom for all people in America.
Is It Any Good?
This gorgeous picture book biography offers an inspirational poem about an inspirational woman. Award-winning illustrator Kadir Nelson's artwork is phenomenal. Just look at the cover; Nelson's portrait of Coretta Scott is amazing. In that one painting, he captures not only strength, but the beauty, sensitivity, and hope of this woman who was so much more than simply the wife of Martin Luther King Jr. Beyond that, each full-paged illustration expresses the same depth and complexity of feeling.
The text of author Ntozake Shange's poem, all lower case, humbly and beautifully tells the story and honors a brave, elegant, intelligent, committed woman.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the different issues raised in Coretta Scott, like unequal treatment of Blacks and Whites -- how these issues affected her, and how she affected them.
Can you imagine walking five miles to school each day? Why did the Black kids have to walk while the White kids rode on the bus?
Look at the Black kids' faces in the painting that shows them walking rather than riding to school. How do you think they're feeling? What do they do about it? What would you do?
Book Details
- Author: Ntozake Shange
- Illustrator: Kadir Nelson
- Genre: Poetry
- Book type: Fiction
- Publication date: January 6, 2009
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 4 - 7
- Number of pages: 32
- Last updated: July 12, 2017
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