Fuse 8 n’ Kate: Martin’s Big Words by Doreen Rappaport, ill. Bryan Collier

In preparation for the upcoming holiday (on Monday) we are FINALLY tackling what I (spoiler alert) consider to be the one, the only, the BEST book on MLK ever to grace a picture book page. Published in 2001, we right a great wrong and finally tackle this most eminent of titles. Along the way we talk about why the heck it lost to another book for the Caldecott Gold (I’ve a theory that the true winner was, what I like to call, a “compromise book”), its beauty, its legacy, and more.

Listen to the whole show here on Soundcloud or download it through iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Play, PlayerFM, Audible, Amazon Music, or your preferred method of podcast selection.

Show Notes:

By the way, if anyone out there ever wants to create a mosaic of every single children’s book illustrator’s version of MLK, that would make me so happy.

Part of what I love so much about Collier’s work is how much careful thought and time and care is placed in something as simple as his endpapers. As he is quick to inform the reader right at the start, that these stained glass windows have multicolors that symbolize many races.

Since Collier puts so much care into each image he creates, if he puts an American flag with just fifteen stars up, you know that’s going to mean something. And you know that if it means something, Kate’s going to find out what.

The lighting, man! The lighting!

We are keen on this young man’s pants. I think that they’re certainly in keeping with the time. We’re just not certain why he’s wearing them in this particular moment. But if anyone wants to make these pants, we will buy them from you.

Okay. So if THIS picture couldn’t win this book a Caldecott Award, what could have?!? This may well be the most badass image we’ve ever discussed on the podcast.

Kate AND Betsy Recommend: Wake Up Dead Man on Netflix

Filed under: Fuse 8 n' Kate