Starred Review Lewis, Aydin, and Powell's lauded March: Book One (2013) ended with the successful desegregation of Nashville's lunch counters. Book Two, though certainly a continuation of the story, has a markedly different tone, focusing on the dangerous freedom rides in 1961, which incited brutal, hate-filled reactions and splintered some factions of the civil rights movement, as well as the monumental March on Washington in 1963. Continuing their nonviolent action meant facing potentially fatal consequences; Lewis and the freedom riders, for instance, all signed wills before they embarked on their historic ride, and Martin Luther King Jr. himself declined to participate. Powell captures the danger and tension in stunning cinematic spreads, which dramatically complement Lewis' powerful story. In one staggering wordless scene, Aretha Franklin's joyous performance at President Obama's inauguration is overlaid with snapshot glimpses of the bloody, angry aftermath of the freedom rides in Montgomery, Alabama, highlighting both the grand victory represented by Obama's election and the sacrifices many made to achieve it. The story of the civil rights movement is a triumphant one, but Lewis' account is full of nuance and personal struggle, both of which impart an empowering human element to an often mythologized period of history. An important chronicle made accessible both by Powell's expert artwork and Lewis and Aydin's compelling, down-to-earth writing, this is a must-read.

Gr 9 Up-Gr 8 Up-In this second volume, representative Lewis continues describing his experiences with the civil rights movement. As in the first book, Lewis attends Barack Obama's inauguration, flashing back to his life as a young man taking part in the fight that would make it possible for America to eventually elect its first black president. Lewis lays out his involvement with sit-ins and the freedom rides, as well as becoming chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and speaking at the March on Washington in 1963, where he urged the crowd to "complete the revolution." Graphic in every sense of the word, this memoir puts a human face on a struggle that many students will primarily know from textbooks. Lewis makes it clear that the movement was far from a uniform entity, with disagreements cropping up, some small, such as differing opinions about the wording in speeches, others more serious, including whether to respond to resistance passively or with violence. Visually stunning, the black-and-white illustrations convey the emotions of this turbulent time, from Lewis's fear and pain while in prison to Governor George Wallace's sneering indifference during his "Segregation forever" speech. Powell's use of light and dark is masterly, and the contrast between the joy of Obama's inauguration and the obstacles faced back in the 1960s is effective. This insider's view of the civil rights movement should be required reading for young and old; not to be missed. Mahnaz Dar , School Library Journal