We March - Hardcover

Evans, Shane W.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1596435399 ISBN 13: 9781596435391

Publisher: Roaring Brook Press, 2012

Synopsis

On August 28, 1963, a remarkable event took place--more than 250,000 people gathered in our nation's capital to participate in the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. The march began at the Washington Monument and ended with a rally at the Lincoln Memorial, where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his historic "I Have a Dream" speech, advocating racial harmony. Many words have been written about that day, but few so delicate and powerful as those presented here by award-winning author and illustrator Shane W. Evans. When combined with his simple yet compelling illustrations, the thrill of the day is brought to life for even the youngest reader to experience.

We March is one of Kirkus Reviews' Best Children's Books of 2012

About this title

About the Author

Shane W. Evans studied at Syracuse University School of Visual and Performing Arts and graduated in 1993 and began traveling the world. In addition to contract work in illustration, graphic design and web design for major companies, Evans has conceptualized and illustrated numerous children’s books. Many of the books have been featured in the media such as The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Today Show, NBA Inside Stuff, Reading Rainbow and Late Night with David Letterman. Shane has received much acclaim within the children’s literary field for his work on children’s books such as "Osceola," "The Way The Door Closes," "Shaq and the Beanstalk" and "Take It To The Hoop Magic Johnson." His accolades range from being honored by First Lady Laura Bush at the 2002 National Book Festival, The Boston Globe-Horn Book Award and The Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Non-Fiction for Children.

Reviews

As he did in Underground (2011), Evans distills a critical moment in the fight for racial equality—the 1963 March on Washington—into tight, evocative prose, well calibrated for a very young audience. A boy, a girl, and their parents wake at dawn, prepare, travel, and join a march “to justice, to freedom, to our dreams.” The text itself, but 57 words, tells the story in a clear first-person-plural voice that begins with the young family and soon encompasses the entire assembly. The simplicity of the narrative is matched by Evans’ square, substantial, sunlit paintings, which—with wheelchairs, yarmulkes, and all manner of skin tone—are especially inclusive. The illustrations also depict recognizable faces (Mathew Ahmann, Floyd McKissick, Martin Luther King Jr., and Cleveland Robinson) and iconic landmarks on the National Mall, and conclude with Dr. King delivering the “I Have a Dream” speech with the words “Free at last!” This makes a pivotal event in our nation’s history accessible to our youngest citizens without compromising any of its power. An afterword concludes. Preschool-Grade 1. --Thom Barthelmess

Edition details

• Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
• Publication date: 2012
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1596435399
• ISBN 13: 9781596435391
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Evans Shane W.
• Number of pages: 32