Grades
K - 8
10+ Books to Celebrate the Life and Legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
Help readers in grades K-8 learn about Martin Luther King Jr.’s childhood, his civil rights activism, and his legacy to future generations.
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a prominent leader and activist of the civil rights movement whose legacy lives on more than 50 years after his death. He is known for helping organize the 1963 March on Washington where he delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech, a year before he won the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to combat racial inequality through nonviolent resistance.
Read More: 7 Black History Heroes Every Student Should Know
Teaching students about Martin Luther King Jr.’s life and legacy is a great way to show how courage and resilience can change the world. The inspirational message of Dr. King and the stories of his efforts to end segregation and racism in America will have a tremendous impact on students as they recognize how Dr. King’s words still resonate today.
The following books are excellent resources for students in grades K-8 and can be used to teach about Martin Luther King Jr.’s life and the civil rights movement in America and as part of larger Black History Month and social studies curriculums.
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A Sweet Picture Book for Little Readers
Little readers in grades 1-3 will love learning about Dr. King's life and legacy in I Am Martin Luther King Jr. Filled with colorful illustrations and easy to understand facts, this title will tell the story of the remarkable work of the famous civil rights leader and how it shaped our nation.
$4.46$5.95
save to wishlistEven as a child, Martin Luther King Jr. was shocked by the terrible way African American people were treated. When he grew up, he decided to do something about it — peacefully, with powerful words. He helped gather people together for nonviolent protests and marches, and bravely led the way toward racial equality in America.
A First Biography for Young Readers
In Let's Read About... Martin Luther King, Jr., readers in grades K-1 will learn about how racism shaped Martin Luther King Jr.’s childhood as he grew up in the South. This biography is a great introduction to Martin Luther King Jr. and how his courage led him to stand up for what he believed in as he fought for justice and racial equality.
$2.99$3.99
save to wishlistLearn the story of Martin Luther King Jr. and why we still celebrate this man and his dream today.
Dr. King’s Sister Shares Memories of a Boy Who Became a Leader
Renowned educator Christine King Farris, older sister of the late Dr. King, wrote about her brother’s life and activism, for readers in grades 1-4.
In March On!, Farris presents her account of the 1963 March on Washington in the definitive tribute to the man, the march, and the speech that changed a nation. London Ladd's beautiful full-color illustrations bring to life the thousands of people from all over the country who came to the nation's capitol to inspire social change, culminating in Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech.
$5.21$6.95
save to wishlistOn a hot August day in 1963, hundreds of thousands of people made history when they marched into Washington, D.C., in search of equality. Martin Luther King, Jr. was one of them.
Celebration of a Peaceful Warrior
In Martin Luther King: The Peaceful Warrior (grades 4-7), readers are given a clear-eyed history of the trials, achievements, and murder of the civil rights icon. His life, work, and death are traced in poignant and personalized moments from his childhood through his career as a minister and organizer of the Montgomery, Alabama, bus boycott, freedom rides, sit-ins, and protest marches. The biography doesn’t shy away from the hardships and violence activists faced and covers Dr. King’s assassination and the establishment of a national holiday in his memory, ensuring that his legacy lives on.
$5.96$7.95
save to wishlistFollow the inspiring life of Martin Luther King Jr. in a moving, vital, and informative book by an author and an illustrator with close ties to Dr. King’s family.
A Fresh and Emotional Tribute
In Martin Rising (grades 5-8), Andrea Davis Pinkney and Brian Pinkney present a rich embroidery of visions, musical cadence, and deep emotion to convey the final months of Martin Luther King Jr.'s life, and of his assassination, through metaphor, spirituality, and multi-layers of meaning. This fresh perspective of Martin Luther King Jr. reminds students that courage and conviction can make dreams a reality and that even after his death, Dr. King continues to transform and inspire everyone who shares his dream.
$7.46$9.95
save to wishlistA stunning reflection in prose and pictures of the last months of Dr. King and how in death he remains a constant source of inspiration.
Whether students are reading about Dr. King’s early life or the impact his legacy has had on America, they will learn just how important Martin Luther King Jr. was in shaping the world they live in today. And readers of all ages will be inspired to follow his lead and make their own impact on the world through courage and conviction.
Shop more books about Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. below! You can find all books and activities at The Teacher Store.
More Books About Martin Luther King Jr.
$6.74$8.99
save to wishlistUsing a unique mix of first-person narrative, hilarious comic panels, and essential facts, Dean Robbins introduces young readers to a trailblazer of the civil rights movement. The fourth book in an exciting nonfiction series, You Are a Star, Martin Luther King, Jr. focuses on Martin's lifelong mission to ensure that African Americans gained their constitutional rights.
$5.24$6.99
save to wishlistIn commemoration of his peaceful fight for freedom and change, Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday is celebrated across the nation. This sensitively written picture book provides an introduction to the life of Dr. King, beginning with his birth and childhood through to his tragic death. Marzollo's simple writing style combines with Pinkney's engaging illustrations in this moving introduction to an American hero, created just for younger readers. Both text and art carry his central message of peace and brotherhood among all people. Full-color illustrations throughout.
$5.96$7.95
save to wishlistWhat was it like growing up as a son of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.? This picture book memoir provides insight into one of history's most fascinating families.
$4.46$5.95
save to wishlistOn August 28, 1963, more than 250,000 people came to the nation's capital. They came by plane, by bus, by car, and even on roller-skates to speak out against segregation and to demand equal rights for everyone. They also came to hear the words of a very special leader, Martin Luther King, Jr. Told with a wonderful immediacy, this book captures the spirit of this landmark day in American history and brings Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech to vivid life for young children.
$4.49$5.99
save to wishlistLearn all about this heroic man, whose accomplishments are truly inspiring, in the continuation of Scholastic's latest biography series: I Am. This book will feature illustrations throughout, a timeline, an introduction to the people you'll meet in the book, maps, sidebars, and a top ten list of important things to know about Martin Luther King Jr.
$3.71$4.95
save to wishlistMartin Luther King never expected to be a leader. All he wanted was for black people like him to be treated fairly in America. But what began as a small protest soon became a revolution...
$6.71$8.95
save to wishlistThis impressive picture book is dedicated to Martin Luther King's last campaign and is infused with powerful language throughout.
