Book Descriptions
for Thank You, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by Eleanora E. Tate
From Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)
Gumbo Grove is once again the setting for a story involving Mary Elouise, an elementary school-aged girl whose pride in her African-American heritage grows appreciably throughout this contemporary story concerning personal self-esteem and racial pride. A visiting African-American storyteller and Mary Elouise's grandmother represent important mentors as Mary Elouise gains new insights. As she first did in JUST AN OVERNIGHT GUEST (Dial, 1980), Tate once again reliably examines sensitive, intra-racial issues directly and effectively, using lively and believable peer dialogue and motivations recognizable to readers. (Ages 9-12)
CCBC Choices 1990 . © Cooperative Children's Book Center, Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison, 1990. Used with permission.
From the Publisher
Mary Elouise is dying to be in the school play, but the part she gets is the last one she wants -- narrator of the Black History skit. Even though her grandmother, Big Momma, says it's important to remember her heritage, Mary Elouise hates being reminded about slavery and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. She'd rather be in the skit about presidents with Brandy, the girl in her class with beautiful blond hair. Then one day, two storytellers come to school with glorious tales of Africa... and a new way for Mary Elouise to see herself and her heritage.
Publisher description retrieved from Google Books.