CORETTA'S SONG

A thorough biography of Coretta Scott King from a celebrated author/illustrator pairing.

Far more than “Mrs. King”—indeed, more than any label—she is Coretta, and this book makes clear the weight of that name. This journey through Coretta’s life begins with the family who raised her in 1930s Alabama. “She found comfort and hope in the Black church,” as well as from her family and education, despite the injustices of segregation. Coretta learned music and loved to sing, she spent summers picking cotton to help pay for her tuition, and she watched her father build and rebuild business after business when jealous white Alabamians burned down his home and property. Descriptions of her college experience and musical training, her decision to marry a charming young minister named Martin, her concerts, and her leadership alongside and after Martin deepen this loving portrait of an incredible woman who used her position to counter inequality wherever she saw it. Many adults will learn something from this book; children may take several readings to grasp the full story, but Coretta’s integrity and perseverance through adversity will inspire all who pick this book up. Caldecott honoree Cabrera’s art is at its peak here: Every spread is packed with lush, evocative images with such an impressive variety of composition and color that readers will easily lose themselves.

Triumphant.