School Library Journal Review

Gr 1-5-Poetry is meant to be recited, and Ntozake Shange's stirring words both move and enlighten viewers as they listen to the strong, uplifting voice of narrator Phylicia Rashad in this iconographic version of the book (HarperCollins, 2009). A biography and history of the Civil Rights Movement, the video begins with young Coretta walking "five miles to the nearest colored school in the darkness...." Beautiful language reveals a life of determination, inspiration, love, and strength. Education, marriage, Jim Crow, the Montgomery bus boycott, the March on Washington, and tragedy shape her life. Kadir Nelson's lush oil paintings fill the screen with color and emotion, revealing the subject's inner and outer beauty to even the youngest of audiences. On the soundtrack, "Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Round" played on the organ builds in the background to a hearty gospel choir's song. A read-along option adds to the viewing experience. An added feature, "About Coretta Scott King," is a photo documentary narrated by the author with powerful, archival prints not available in the book. Not only do the facts presented flesh out the sparse poetic language of the film, but they also make this additional information accessible to young viewers in a way that the printed author's note does not. Share this stunning introduction to the life and times of a great woman for black history, women's history, or biography units.-Barbara Auerbach, P.S. 217, Brooklyn, New York (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.