Martin Luther King, Jr.

The dramatic yet brief life of the best-known leader of the civil rights movement is vividly explored. Jakoubek grounds the clear and accessible narrative in the history of African-Americans and skillfully weaves in contemporary accounts of King's activities and the movement's major events. King's own speeches and writings are extensively used to deepen the reader's understanding of and respect for the man. No mere hagiography, Jakoubek does not ignore allegations of King's sexual improprieties or gloss over infighting among the movement's black leaders. His even-handed account, which includes an introduction by Coretta Scott King, is illustrated with well-chosen, precisely captioned black-and-white photos. Ages 10-up. (Feb.)