King's Courage

What a terrific idea for a series of books! Co-Authors Stacia Deutsch and Rhody Cohon wrote this eight-book series and focus on different American historical figures - in this book, it is Martin Luther King Jr. Abigail, Zack, Jacob and Bo are classmates who have a very special social studies teacher - Mr. Caruthers. With the aid of his specially invented time travel computer, he has his four students travel back through time to convince Martin Luther King Jr. to not give up his dream. They only have two hours to complete their mission, which gets extremely complicated when Zack and Jacob's younger brother, Gabe, needs to be babysat for the afternoon. Gabe grabs the computer and starts to disappear in a poof of green smoke into the time travel hole - the four classmates have no choice but to follow Gabe through the hole, find Gabe in the past, rescue the computer from him, and find Dr. King and convince him to continue on. Did they find baby Gabe in 1965? Did baby Gabe trap them in the future by accidentally chewing on and breaking the computer? Did they join the march for voting rights? Did they find and convince Martin Luther King Jr. to not give up his dream? After all, they only have two hours to complete their mission! You will just have to read this action-packed very exciting book to find out what happens. This book is chock full of history, including the historic voting rights march from Selma, Alabama to Montgomery, Alabama. I was fifteen and remember watching all the news coverage on this historic event, and all the trouble Dr. King encountered, and what a burden he carried to win voting rights for black Americans with the heavy threat of violence always hanging over his head. I can still hear the song, "We shall overcome" in my memory and was so happy to see it included in this story. What a great way for kids to learn about American history! I was fascinated! The black and white illustrations of Illustrator David Wenzel were peppered throughout the book in just the right spots - he sure can draw realistically and yet be kid-friendly at the same time. Reviewed by: Gayle Jacobson-Huset, Managing Editor

We love this series! My kids are telling anyone who will listen all about Lincoln and the Emancipation Proclamation or about Alexander Graham Bell and the lightbulb. They are similar to the MAGIC TREE HOUSE series but written for a slightly more sophisticated reader.

This is an amazing book, and I suggest everyone should read it. It is for all ages and is very well done. I've read all the books, and this is the best yet!