I'm looking at these two:

Martin Luther King Jr.: A Life, by Marshall Frady (2002)

Penguin Books

For those looking for an introductory level approach to King, Frady’s book — part of the Penguin Lives Biographies series — offers just that. At just over 200 pages, it provides a swift bird’s-eye view of the civil rights leader, from one of the foremost reporters on the movement.

The Heavens Might Crack: The Death and Legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., by Jason Sokol (2018)

Basic Books

Sokol’s book (just released in March) homes in on the period immediately following King’s assassination, when Americans grappled with the loss of a leader of enormous importance, both practical and symbolic. While King is widely admired today, in 1968, his death was met with a wide range of reactions around the country and the world.

From: Cathy Andronik [mailto:cathyandronik@yahoo.com]
Sent: Thursday, June 9, 2022 10:26 AM
To: Matthew Cadorette; Hsiang, Sara
Cc: casl-l@mylist.net
Subject: Re: [CASL-L] MLK books

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I love the H.P. Lovecraft question.  I once had a high school student ask me for something "eldritch."  I, who own a Miskatonic University sweatshirt, knew EXACTLY what he meant.  There is only one place a 16-year-old boy would pick up that vocabulary word.  And . . . same here, my library had a few stories in collections but not an entire book of Lovecraft.  (Perhaps because of the racist content in some of the stories?).  

As for an MLK bio appropriate for high school, I just did a quick search--and there is not a lot out there.  Swanson concentrating on the assassination, Bausum with a concentration on the political situation leading up to the assassination, but no ordinary "he was born . . . he accomplished . . . he died" type biography for that grade level in the past 15-20 years.  I had Martin Luther King, Jr.: We Shall Overcome (African-American Biography Library)

Martin Luther King, Jr.: We Shall Overcome (African-American Biography L... Nonviolence is the answer. With powerful words and peaceful actions, Martin Luther King, Jr., led the way. He ro...

at my school and remember students checking it out frequently.  Looks like you can rustle up a copy yet on Amazon.  

Cathy Andronik

(Retired) Brien McMahon HS, Norwalk

On Thursday, 9 June 2022, 09:43:57 am GMT-4, Hsiang, Sara <hsiangs@stratk12.org> wrote:

Hey Matt (and company)!

I know--it's horrifying when you have gaps like that. Like I only had 1 HP Lovecraft book last month when a 9th grader asked, and was embarrassed but this is a bit rougher. LOL

I have a bio (Let the Trumpet Sound : a life of Martin Luther King, Jr.) by Stephen Oates that is hefty, yellowed, and hasn't been checked out since 2009--before I arrived here.

I also have 2 DK  bios, of lower lexiles. DK Biography (MS) and DK Life Stories (Elem). 

I could use something HS level.

Cheers,

Sara

On Thu, Jun 9, 2022 at 9:33 AM Matthew Cadorette <MCadorette@waterfordschools.org> wrote:

Hi folks:

Much to my chagrin, a student asked me for a MLK bio and I realized I had none.

I have three books written by Dr. King and a number on the civil rights movement, but no straight up biographies.

Any suggestions?  Something comprehensive enough but not so enormous that it will scare away students?

Thanks,

Matt

Matt Cadorette

Librarian
Waterford High School
20 Rope Ferry Road
Waterford, CT
(860) 437-6956

x7127
OR
x7103
Lancer Library Website

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