Common Sense Media Review
By Regan McMahon
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Kid-friendly bio a strong, accessible intro to King's life.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 7+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
I AM MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.: ORDINARY PEOPLE CHANGE THE WORLD traces King's life from his boyhood in Georgia, where he's stopped from playing with a white friend and can't be served ice cream at the white soda fountain or go to the white amusement park or school. But he loves books and "big words," which he gets to use first as a minister and then as a leader in the civil rights movements where his speeches motivate African-Americans to stand up for their rights and march against injustice. The book succinctly covers the most famous protests he led, and the final two pages include a biographical and civil rights movement time line, as well as black-and-white photos of King and his family and the March on Washington.
Is It Any Good?
The lively style and kid's-eye view of history as it happened make this brief first-person biography engaging and accessible to young readers. Kids who wonder what life in the segregated South was like or why there's a holiday in King's name will get a better understanding of both from this visually appealing book.
Illustrator Christopher Eliopoulos' cartoony style and comics-like layout, complete with speech balloons, make it easy to read, even though it deals with serious issues and complex history.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Martin Luther King. Jr. What did you learn from this book that you didn't know about him or what he did?
What do you think about how the illustrator pictures King as a small kid with a mustache and dressed as his grown-up self?
How different is life in your town and at your school compared with what life was like for young Martin in his town?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Christopher Eliopoulos
- Genre : Biography
- Topics : Activism , Family Stories ( Siblings ) , History
- Book type : Non-Fiction
- Publisher : Dial Books for Young Readers
- Publication date : January 5, 2016
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 5 - 8
- Number of pages : 40
- Available on : Hardback, Kindle
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate