Blast to the Past: King’s Courage
by Candice Cooper
What It’s About:
“Blast to the Past: King’s Courage” is a fiction story based on real-life events. Abigail, Zack, Jacob, and Bo, with baby brother, Gabe, in tow, jump back to the past to Selma, Alabama, during the voters' rights marches of 1965. Their mission is to convince Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to not give up and lose heart, and that he must fight this battle as it is a pivotal time in our nationÂ’s history.
What Parents Need To Know:
This book is great for kids and families - there is no inappropriate content.
The Bottom Line:
“King’s Courage” follows the format “The Magic Treehouse” uses so most kids will already be familiar with this genre of books. The writing style flows nicely and the illustrations are just right, not too many and not too few. The font is large-ish which will help the advanced first-grader who may be interested in chapter books. The history information is accurate and educational without turning into a dry, preachy textbook. This is a nice choice for young readers.
The Scoop:
This book is number four in a series by Stacia Deutsch and Rhody Cohon. Overall, it is an enjoyable read, but, since the format is very similar to a few other popular series, it seems to me there could be a high burn-out risk for avid readers. The historical aspect is great since many kids resist learning about history. Using fiction techniques to understand our nationÂ’s past will freshen up these poignant times, meaning kids can’t help but learn, which is always a plus!
