Review by Booklist Review
Before he became a congressman of Georgia, leader of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, Freedom Rider, and civil rights activist, John Lewis was a farm boy who loved spring and his flock of chickens. This picture-book biography recalls those early days when young John, inspired by the faith and camaraderie he felt at church, practiced instilling messages of gratitude, peace, and cooperation among his private congregation of chickens. Although the concept may appear comical at first glance, this book is wonderfully sincere. Asim and Lewis' words and images convey their respect and admiration for John Lewis, and readers will feel the same way. A tender narrative, paired with watercolors filled with light and movement, captures the heat of a Georgia day and the unmistakable bond John formed with his feathery followers. Young readers will appreciate the gentle messages about the importance of hard work, persistence, and patience that lay the foundations for John Lewis' activism as an adult, which is detailed in a final author's note.--Chaudhri, Amina Copyright 2016 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Asim (Fifty Cents and a Dream) draws on an anecdote from congressman John Lewis's 1998 memoir, Walking with the Wind, as he recounts the story of the future civil rights activist tending to a flock of chickens, both physically and-in a way-spiritually. On the Alabama farm of his childhood, Lewis was in charge of the chickens; inspired by church ministers, Lewis would preach to the birds, which "swayed to the rhythm of his voice." E.B. Lewis (The First Step) stages the scenes under the bright springtime light of Alabama mornings, giving a full sense of John Lewis's world, from the dusty henhouse to the sturdy wooden pews of his family's church, while always emphasizing the tender care he devoted to the chickens. It's a moving portrait of the power of small actions and "learn[ing] to speak up for those who can't speak for themselves." Ages 5-8. Author's agent: Joy Harris, Joy Harris Literary. (Oct.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 2-5-Luminous artwork and stirring text shed light on the childhood of one of America's most respected civil rights leaders. Young John Lewis found his calling early in life, tenderly caring for the many chickens on the family farm and emulating his church's ministers by preaching to the attentive hens: "'Blessed are the peacemakers,' he'd say when [the chickens] fought over their morning meal. 'Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,' he would tell a hen who didn't want to share, 'for they shall be satisfied.'" The future Freedom Rider and U.S. congressman would even baptize newly hatched chicks. When a local businessman stopped by the farm to make a trade for one of Lewis's hens, the bighearted boy sagely figured out a way to make a transaction without handing over one of his beloved chickens. Lewis's strong faith and his deep connection to his family and community shine through in Asim's straightforward text and illustrator E.B. Lewis's full-page, light-dappled watercolors. An author's note briefly discusses Lewis's leadership in the March on Washington and other key events of the civil rights movement and explains that Asim based the story on Lewis's own recollections. VERDICT A quietly powerful and joyful look at the childhood of a living legend and a superb introduction to studying heroes of the civil rights era.-Kiera Parrott, School Library Journal © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
John Lewis, longtime member of the U.S. House of Representatives, was a member of the Big Six during the 1963 March on Washington and went on to solidify his place in history on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama. But who was he before that? He was a farm boy from southern Alabama, as described in Asims conversational text. While his father plowed the fields and his mother cooked food from her garden, John raised his beloved chickens. He felt peaceful when he fed themthe same peace he felt in church on Sundays. After church, young John liked to go to the chicken yard in his fine clothes and preach a sermon to the chickens. (When they dipped their heads in rhythm to his words, he knew they agreed with what he said.) Soon, Johns sermons became such a regular part of farm life that his siblings started calling him Preacher, foreshadowing the days when he would speak before thousands. Illustrator E. B. Lewiss bucolic-looking watercolor and gouache landscapes take modern readers back to a time when the entire Lewis family was busy on the farm from dawn to dusk. But even though the days were long and demanding, this family stayed together and used the lessons they learned on the farm and in church to grow into the people they were meant to be. A fine introduction to the life of an American icon. robin smith (c) Copyright 2016. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
