A Time to ACT: John F. Kennedy's Big Speech

School Library Journal Best Book of 2017

Chicago Public Library Best Book of 2017

Acclaimed author Shana Corey and New York Times Best Illustrated, Caldecott Honor, and Coretta Scott King Honor-winning artist R. Gregory Christie deliver a fresh look at President John F. Kennedy and his relationship with the civil rights movement.

From prominent leaders such as Martin Luther King, Jr. and Jackie Robinson to children and teenagers, it was the people speaking out and working for civil rights through sits-ins, freedom rides, and marches who led John F. Kennedy to take a stand.

And with his June 11, 1963, civil rights address, he did.

This is the story of JFK--from his childhood to the events that led to his game-changing speech and the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Corey and Christie offer a deeply human look at our country's thirty-fifth president, underscoring how each one of us, no matter who we are, have the power to make a difference.

With quotes from JFK's speeches, detailed back matter, and a thought-provoking author's note, this biography--in time for what would be JFK's 100th birthday--offers a sensitive look at a tumultuous time in history and compelling questions about effecting positive change today.

Publisher: Northsouth Books
Published: 04/04/2017
Pages: 56
Weight: 1.05lbs
Size: 11.10h x 8.60w x 0.50d
ISBN: 9780735842755
Age: Ages 9-12

Accelerated Reader:
Reading Level: 5.2
Point Value: 0.5
Interest Level: Lower Grade
Quiz #/Name: 189548 / Time to Act: John F Kennedy's Big Speech


Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 02/20/2017
Kirkus Reviews 02/15/2017
School Library Journal 03/01/2017 pg. 158
Booklist 04/01/2017 pg. 32
Hornbook Guide to Children 01/01/2018 pg. 234 - Recommended, Satisfactory

About the Author
Shana Corey has written several picture books, among them Here Come the Girl Scouts!, a New York Times Editors' Choice, You Forgot Your Skirt, Amelia Bloomer, which the New York Times called "a picture book girls are likely to love." and The Secret Subway, which Kirkus called "Absolutely wonderful in every way." Learn more at shanacorey.com.

R. Gregory Christie received the Caldecott Honor Award in 2016. He is a three-time recipient of the Coretta Scott King Honor Award for Illustration and a two-time recipient of the New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Books of the Year Award. He's also a recipient of the NAACP's Image Award, The Boston Globe's Horn Book Award, and the American Library Associations' Theodore Seuss Geisel Award in Illustration. He lives in Georgia.