An inspirational biography in graphic format--highlighting both King's passion for his cause and his devotion to Gandhi's nonviolent methods. The authors craft original dialogue that reads like policy statements and have Dr. King even as a child spouting lines like "We are being treated as inferior people solely because of the color of our skin. How unfair." Nevertheless, they deliver a clear, cogent account of their subject's upbringing, the vicious racial (and, later, social and economic) issues that sparked his involvement in the civil rights movement and the ensuing course of his short but enduringly influential career. Not all of the dialogue balloons and narrative boxes are properly placed, but Kumar draws facial features accurately. With a mix of overlaid and separated panels, he creates a strong sense of drama whether he's depicting Dr. King firing up a crowd or Rosa Parks' quiet composure. Numerous passages (not always accurately quoted: "the arm [sic] of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice") from Dr. King's speeches and writings add oratorical authority to the account, and a folding timeline at the end provides a broad historical overview of African-American history up to Barack Obama's first presidential election. Despite occasional stumbles, a worthwhile reminder for readers who will recognize his name but may be a little hazy on what he stood for. (Graphic biography. 11-13)

Gr 5-9 This book covers most of the high points of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s life and explains his role in shaping American history. However, some information has been omitted, such as the fact that he was not "Martin Luther" at birth but was given that name as a child when his father renamed both of them at the same time. Kumar's photorealistic illustrations are colorful, but his use of shadowing is sometimes excessive to the point of being distracting. The book would be most useful for reluctant readers who would like to learn more about King's life and understand why he is considered a hero. A foldout time line called "From Chains to Freedom: Black Emancipation in America" runs from slavery in the 1600s to the beginning of Barack Obama's presidency in 2009. Andrea Lipinski, New York Public Library