March, Book One by John Lewis, et al.

 

This is a powerful Graphic Novel that depicts the early life of Congressman John Lewis on his journey to end segregation. Starting with his early life, he was a boy who loved to preach so much that even the chickens in his coop listened to sermons. He had a calling, a higher calling to inspire and bring about change. He later begins to hear sermons and lectures from Dr. King, further calling him to action. This book is illustrated in a dramatic grayscale drawings with equally powerful movements and speeches to match. 






About the Book                                                                                                     Awards and Recognition

• Title: March, Book One                                                                 • National Book Award for YA literature

• Authors: John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell                                    • Coretta Scott King Author

• Genre: Graphic Memoir, Nonfiction                                                         • ALA Notable Children’s Books

• Published: 2013                                                                                                  • Robert F. Kennedy Award

• Pages: 128                                                                                                        • New York Times Bestseller

Why This Book? 

I chose this book because I have become a huge fan of these graphic memoirs and I saw it on a shelf. I picked it up, not knowing what to expect. I was instantly hooked by the opening, where John Lewis is tending to chickens as a boy. The art and dialogue in this book seemed incredible. 

Teaching and Content Considerations

• This would work incredibly well in a text set centered around the Civil Rights era in the U. S. It is incredibly accessible, with incredible depth to the content. 

• Whole class instruction with this graphic novel at the center could support discussions where students draw connections to modern day political movements for equality, noting both the positive and negative similarities.

• Content to be aware of includes violence, police brutality, racism, and use of the N-word. These are handled with care, but may still be difficult to read and view. 

• An instructional idea for this could be to develop a timeline of the civil rights movement as a whole paralleled with John Lewis’s life and actions. 

Potential Read Aloud Passages

Pages 19-26: These pages depict Lewis growing up in the south on his family’s farm. He feels a calling and begins to preach to whoever or whatever he can. He delivers sermons to his chickens, developing relationships with them. He even cares enough about the chickens that he baptizes them to save their souls. This shows his compassionate nature and activist tendencies at a budding age while also being humorous and grabbing attention.

Pages 47-50: Lewis goes on a trip with his uncle to Buffalo, NY. After a wary trip north, he arrives in New York and finds it marvelous. There are examples of desegregation that blow him away. His eyes are opened to the possibilities of a more equal and just society. When he returns to his hometown, he sees how starkly different it is in the South. This highlights the issues that will be fought against throughout the book. 

Overall Thoughts and Reflection

This was a great story that I HAD to read. I was not disappointed. The Civil Rights movement detailed by the first hand experience from Lewis was moving and powerful. The images drawn on the page capture the beautiful moments and horrifying moments alike, creating an immaculate reading experience. 

Next Steps?

I will definitely be reading both book two and three of this series. I want to continue reading Lewis’s journey and learning more about the monumental movement. These graphic memoirs are incredible and I am going to continue reading more! 

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