An inspiring portrait of a monumental day in US history, seen through a child’s eyesAgnes can hardly contain her excitement! She’s headed to the March on Washington. Sitting on her father’s shoulders, she’s awed by the sea of people—people of every color, gathered together to be a part of the fight for equal rights for Black people. She soaks in the words of John Lewis and Josephine Baker and is mesmerized by Mahalia Jackson’s singing. Then Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gives a speech about his dreams for his children—for all children. On the bus ride home, Agnes has her own dream: that the words of Dr. King would be heard and embraced by the whole world.
Shelia P. Moses (SheliaPMoses.com) is the award-winning author of numerous books for young readers, including
We Were the Fire: Birmingham 1963,
The Legend of Buddy Bush (a National Book Award nominee and Coretta Scott King Honor winner), and
Joseph’s Grace (an NAACP Image Award nominee). She lives in Virginia.
Keith Mallett (KeithMallett.com) also illustrated
Sing a Song by Kelly Starling Lyons,
Ice Cream Man by Glenda Armand and Kim Freeman,
How Jelly Roll Morton Invented Jazz by Jonah Winter, and
Curve and Flow and
Take a Picture of Me, James VanDerZee by Andrea Loney. His work was commissioned to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of Jackie Robinson’s historic breakthrough into major league baseball, has graced the cover of Chicken Soup for the African American Soul, and has been featured in many movies and TV shows, and Franklin Mint and Lenox Collections have created collectibles of his work. He lives in California.
* “It’s August 1963, and young Agnes and her parents are on a bus headed from Birmingham to the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. After stopping at the former home of Frederick Douglass, where Agnes is pleased to find a water fountain without a ‘Whites Only’ sign, the bus takes them to the starting point for the event. As the marchers proceed toward the Lincoln Memorial, more and more people join them. . . . Written from Agnes’ point of view, the first-person narrative transports its audience to the most successful civil rights march in American history, as experienced by a child who is moved by Dr. King’s powerful ‘I Have a Dream’ speech. Mallett’s accomplished digital paintings reflect the family’s experiences while bringing the marchers and speakers to life on the page. This inviting picture book offers broader context for Martin Luther King Jr. Day and a child-friendly way to open Black History Month.” —
Booklist,
starred review
“Along with her parents, young Agnes travels by bus from Birmingham, Alabama, to Washington, D.C., proud to be taking part in this momentous occasion in the summer of 1963. . . . Agnes dreams of prominent figures of the Civil Rights Movement such as Sidney Poitier, Lena Horne, and Jackie Robinson. (Backmatter offers a spotlight on some of the famous people who were part of the March.) Once in D.C., a detour to the historic home of Frederick Douglass places a lot of what’s happening in helpful perspective. . . . Agnes is pleasantly surprised to see people from all walks of life using the same water fountains (there are no 'whites only' signs in sight), marching shoulder to shoulder, sharing a poignant moment in the reflection pond, and uniting for what’s right. Sitting on Daddy’s shoulders, Agnes takes in monumental words from John Lewis and Josephine Baker, a moving performance from Mahalia Jackson, and, ultimately, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s 'I Have a Dream' speech. Moses’ text is tinged with childlike excitement and wonder. Mallett’s digital illustrations glow with warmth, with Agnes’ braids and yellow bows framing her joyful face as she listens to the speakers with pride. A stirring tale and proof positive that young people can help make history, too.” —
Kirkus Reviews“Young narrator Agnes, plus Mama and Daddy, travel by bus from Birmingham, Ala., to Washington, D.C., in this dream-centered picture book tracing one family’s experience of the March on Washington. . . . When Agnes sees 'people of every color' sharing a water fountain, Mama assures, 'We are one today.' A visit to the Lincoln Memorial is followed by figures seen from Daddy’s shoulders: John Lewis, Josephine Baker, Mahalia Jackson, and Martin Luther King Jr. Following the event, people of all backgrounds together soak their tired feet in the reflection pond. Riding home, Agnes dreams that the whole world attends King’s speech, a moment that underlines the book’s themes of freedom for all. Moses provides a child’s-eye view of a pivotal historical event, while Mallett’s straightforward digital illustrations use bright colors to foreground the family’s day amid the large crowd, portrayed with various skin tones. An author’s note and figure biographies conclude.”
—Publishers Weekly
