Review of My Brother Martin: A Sister Remembers
Growing Up with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Christine King
Farris. Illus. Chris Soentpiet.
In her “Afterword” to My Brother Martin,
author, Christine King Farris tells the reader she wanted to “share some true,
funny, intriguing” stories about Martin Luther King, Jr.’s childhood. The book
gives a brief description of their family history and their happy and somewhat
sheltered lifestyle followed by a couple of mischievous tricks the children
play. The turning point of the story comes when their playmates, children of the
white storeowners on the block, are no longer allowed to play with them because
they are “Negroes.” The saddened children ask their mother why this has
happened, and she explains racial prejudice to them. Martin replies, “Mother
Dear, one day I’m going to turn this world upside down.” The following years
are then summarized with scenes in church and with Dr. King Sr.’s beliefs and
struggles. Then there are two pages of text on Dr. King, Jr.’s activism ending
with a reference to the famous “I have a dream” speech.
On the first page of the text, opposite a photo of
herself, Farris encourages readers/listeners to gather round to hear her stories
of her brother. She explains she is Martin Luther King, Jr.’s older sister and
that she knew her famous sibling long before he was famous. Then follow the
accounts of their happy childhood accompanied by Chris Soentpiet’s lush,
realistic paintings. The loving extended family, the childhood activities, and
a couple of childhood pranks are articulated. Farris tells how they used their
grandmother’s fox fur piece to shock passing pedestrians and how, one day,
Martin (M.L.) and his younger brother A.D. loosened the legs of the piano bench
so they wouldn’t have to take their lesson that day from their grumpy piano
teacher, Mr. Mann.
After this general look at the Kings’ childhood,
Farris introduces the conflict of the book. She explains what their
neighborhood in Atlanta was like and that the King children were kept close to
home and rarely encountered prejudice and segregation. The street they lived on
had a store on the other side owned by a white family. The King backyard was a
favorite play area, and the storeowners’ children played there with the King
children. They visited the local fire station together and were close
playmates. But one day when the King boys went to get them, they were told they
were no longer allowed to play with the Kings. All four boys are depicted in
the illustration as dejected. Since this is the King children’s first
significant encounter with racial prejudice, their mother explains what has
happened and gives hope that the world will change one day. Martin vows to
“turn the world upside down.” From here on, the book moves swiftly from
Martin’s childhood vow to his adult career as a Civil Rights leader. The next
to last page of the text shows the adult Martin making his “I Have a Dream”
speech with the text “and when he was much older, my brother M.L. dreamed a
dream…” followed on the last page by a picture of two vibrantly happy little
girls, one black, one white, running arm in arm and holding the arms of other
children that who are just out of the picture with the text “…that turned the
world upside down.”
Soentpiet was specifically invited by Farris to
illustrate the book. The models for the principles were handpicked, many of
them from the King family. The interiors of the childhood home of the Kings are
lovingly detailed and have an authentic 1930s feel as do the clothes. Happiness
is shown on every face (except the people who are the recipients of the King
children’s pranks!) until the scene where the playmates are separated. From
then on seriousness and concern is shown on each child and adult face until the
final picture of the running children who mirror King’s words that serve as the
epigraph of the book, “I have a dream that one day…little black boys and black
girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as
sisters and brothers. I have a dream today!” The adult years of King, briefly
depicted, are in black and white, perhaps suggesting newspaper shots or newsreel
footage. The vivid colors of the final picture and the motion depicted in the
blowing hair and clothes of the laughing little girls have an even greater
impact after this black and white interlude. Knowing the words in the speech
and seeing the picture after the text, most readers will be moved. It is very
important that children experience the pictures as well as hear the words of
this book.
Appended to the end of the book is Mildred D.
Johnson’s poem “You Can Be Like Martin: A Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King,
Jr.” In addition, Farris’ “Afterword” discusses her goals, and Soentpiet’s
“Illustrator’s Note” discusses his involvement in the project including the
models used and the research he did. There are King family pictures of the
young family. Christine King Farris and Chris Soentpiet have produced a
beautiful book. The author’s goal was to demystify her brother. Children may
indeed identify with the youthful M.L. and his siblings, but the book does not
dispel the reverence in which the leader is held.
