This Is the Dream: A Powerful Picture Book About Freedom and Equality for Kids

This is it

by Diane Z. Shore, Jessica Alexander, James Ransome (Illustrator)

"With courage they rallied and answered the call . . . dreaming of freedom and justice for all."

The United States of America was founded on the declaration that all men are created equal. But nearly two hundred years after that proclamation, America was still deeply segregated.

Slowly but surely, powerful leaders as well as everyday citizens spoke up for their dreams and beliefs. Soon, a people proud and strong stood up as one for their rights, and a new America came to be.

Genres: Poetry, Picture Books, Nonfiction, History, Cultural, Childrens, African American

40 pages, Paperback

First published December 27, 2005

About the author

Diane Shore says that she never grew up past the 3rd grade and admits that she still thinks like an impetuous nine-year-old with ADD. She is the author of, Bus-A-Saurus Bop, winner of the 2004 Childrens Choice Award, Look Both Ways, winner of the 2007 Kansas Reads to Preschoolers Award, and her most recent picturebook, This Is the Dream, which received a Booklist starred review and was named a 2007 Once Upon a Child Honor book. Her I-Can-Read series with publisher HarperCollins titled How to Drive Your Sister Crazy! will be released this summer. She lives in metro Atlanta, Georgia, with her husband and two teenagers, and loves visiting schools. Visit her website at www.dianezshore.com"

Reviews

[Barbara Nicole]

Text-to-World Connection: How does the theme or content presented in the book connect to something happening in the world?

So simple, but so powerful. This is how I choose to describe this book, but I still don't think those words do it justice. The theme in the book is rooted in racism and describes the long fight and struggle people of color had to endure in order to be considered equal and safe. Although this book is related to the Civil Rights Movement, we are not so far off from the subject of racism in our world today. People of color still struggle and deal with racism on a daily basis. The pictures in the book are powerful and raw, but you could see the same images in our media today regarding police brutality towards people of color and how there are still stereotypes and fears surrounding them. Although there has been a great amount of progress since the 1960's, our world still has a long way before we can truly say that racism has been eradicated. It will take a lot of patience, forgiveness, grace, tolerance, and a great deal of self reflection.

[N_katieg52 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is The Dream is a story written as a poem in rhyme. It is a story about the Civil Rights movement. It begins with the separation that used to occur in the United States. Then, the centerfold talks about the leaders that helped to change things in the name of equality. The rest of the book covers freedom and equality that is now available to ALL people in the United States thanks to the Civil Rights movement. This is a very touching, yet simple story. Children from kindergarten on up could enjoy this wonderful story of civil rights and a dream. The poetry is wonderful to read. It is simple and catchy because of the rhyme. I enjoyed the word choices, and truly got a feel for what the African Americans felt at this time.

The illustrations in this book are phenomenal and add to the overall excellence of this book. This book combines beautiful bright-colored paintings with collages that truly symbolize equality. I spent a lot of time looking at the pictures. I do not feel that they overpower the words, but truly enhance them to create an excellent reading for children of all ages. This would be a great book to use around Martin Luther King, Jr. Day or when talking about Civil Rights in your classroom or with your children.

[Kylie Combs · Rating 4 out of 5]

This reads in a similar way to most picture books readers are accustomed to, so could be a great transition into reading poetry. Every page has at least two lines that rhyme, so it also feels familiar, or fits what new readers might associate poetry with. The illustrations are bright, and a beautiful mix of collage and paintings (even though some of the face are just a teensy bit creepy) and clearly represent the words on the page. Could be used as a great example for the Civil Rights movement and Black History Month, or how nonviolent protests can lead to long term and very positive changes (even though we still have very far to go in this area). A great example and introduction to poetry.

Activities
-Make your own collage/class collage
-discuss nonviolent protest and how it could be used to change something you want in the world/school
-write about your dream for your future or what you want for the world
-discuss ways we can all work together more
-what was a time in your life where you caused a positive change? how did you do it?
-listen to Dr. King's I Have a Dream speech before reading

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this every year to students before Dr. Martin Luther King's Federal holiday. I want students to understand that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. helped us to have the diversity we have in our district. We have many folks we talk about during the Season of Peace and Nonviolence and we discuss what that means as we look at Ransome's stunning artwork. The spreads where the folks are at the counter in a restaurant and people are treating them horribly and the children being guarded as they entered a newly integrated school allow for much discussion.

Every year I am so pleased to have this book available to me. Grateful for Diane Shore, Jessica Alexander, and James Ransome for this book!

[Dominick Marshall · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book would be great to teach children about civil rights and what people mean when they say that they fought for them. This book puts the whole civil rights movement into something that children could understand

[Emily Schlotzhauer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This poem is an incredibly written and illustrated re-telling of the Civil Rights Movement. With both real and drawn illustrations, This Is the Dream captivates what it was like for African Americans during a time where equality was unheard of. I do think that every student in America needs to know what went on during this time and why is was such a horrible mistreatment. I love how the book ends with the vision of equality across all sectors of life, which is the Dream Dr. King had for mankind early in his career.

[June · Rating 4 out of 5]

Colleague recommended for Black History programs. She used for PreK and K programs.

Highlights injustices, leaders, etc. Ending is a bit rosy, so took away a star, but probably good for Black History and civil rights introduction.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the artwork in this. This recounts--in simple language--many of the efforts of individuals and groups to bring equality, civil rights, and justice. The artwork truly conveyed a great deal of emotion and power.

[Morgan Rawson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book about segregation so it could be used in social studies or English for a kid interested in the civil rights movement

[Y.Poston]

Beautiful tribute to our ongoing struggle

[Sierra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Creatively rhymes while colorfully telling a brief overview of the Civil Rights Movement.

[Jessica Stevens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story, great meaning, good illustrations. The only thing is that something about it is scary to my toddler. Probably the collage-faces on the inside covers. Lol.

[Kristin Suter]

Beautiful book!!!

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely lyrical story about the civil rights movement; before, during and after. The illustrations were marvelous and added so much to the story. Great for children to read.

[Shakira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whoa! Powerful statements through text & visuals. I enjoyed it.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love James Ransome's illustrations. He is one of favorites.

[AWLinton · Rating 5 out of 5]

A powerful picture book for K-3.

[Sade' · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the dream written by Diane Shore is a juvenile fiction poetry book. It is intended for children ages 5 and up, A. This juvenile children's book with a rhythmic poetic twist to it informs children about the changes that has occured dealing with racism, discrimination, and equality in America today along with the steps ordinary people took to make the change happen; the experience before, during, and after the civil rights movement. I gave this book a 5 star rating because overall this was an amazing book to read. I like how the author used poetry/rhyming to relay the story, the information on our world history. Poetry is a fun way to engage readers, especially children, it catches their attention and stimulates their mind, make it more exciting and memorable to read. Not to mention the pictures in this book were so vivid, so astonishing and they matched up perfectly with what story the author was trying to convey. The illustrator used paintings and collage borders which incorporated powerful historical photographs. The images makes a strong impression on readers and a clearer view, understanding of the events preceding, during and following the civil rights movement. I really enjoyed reading this book, I enjoyed the rhythm of the book, the setting, and the poetic aspect of the book, I would reccommend this book to any young child.

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

1. Rating: 5
2. A book review from Publisher's Weekly said, "Ransome (Satchel Paige) creates a striking juxtaposition of closely focused paintings and collage borders incorporating powerful historical photographs. These images will make a strong impression on readers of this expository chronicle of events preceding, during and following the civil rights movement, as Ransome's artwork makes large ideas comprehensible through visual details. The singsong rhythm and "House-that-Jack-Built" meter creates a chilling contrast to what's going on between the lines: "These are the buses-a dime buys a ride,/ but the people are sorted by color inside."
3. I thought this was a great historical fiction book. The illustrations were truly great, but I thought the real newspaper clippings and collages that were spread along the top of many of the pages were the neatest to look at. The author did a great job re-telling what was going on during the Civil Rights Movement and I think it would give kids an introduction to talking about more details and things that were going on during that time. Definitely a book I would recommend for teachers in grades 1-5 to read aloud to the class.

[Anna Summers · Rating 5 out of 5]

The picture book, This Is The Dream, is a story of the progress that was made during the Civil Rights Movement. The story begins by showing how Blacks were treated prior to the Civil Rights Movement. The story then moves to the hard work that the black leaders did during the Civil Rights Movement. The end of the book shows the progress that has been made since the Civil Rights Movement. The powerful message of this book was presented in rhyming text. The text was presented in a concise manner, with very limited text per page. This amount of text made the statement even more powerful. The authors, Diane Z. Shore and Jessica Alexander, carefully chose the perfect words to convey their message. The illustrations and words work in perfect harmony, and the illustrations tell much of this beautifully written story. The beginning of this book had me hurting for the mistreatment of Blacks, and the end of the book, gave me a happy, warm feeling when I saw people of all races eating together, attending the same schools, and living in peace and harmony with one another. This is a great book to share when studying Civil Rights.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I shared this book with students today and it stirred great conversations about Civil Rights, leaders of the civil rights movement and the current climate of our world today. The simple rhyming cadence is enjoyable to even young children. I loved the combination of illustrations with photo collages at the tops of the page. A wonderful addition to a civil rights collection.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

This powerful book takes us from Jim Crow times to the realization of rights gained through the Civil Rights Movement. I knew I had to grab this one up when I saw that the illustrator was James Ransome. His realistic paintings with collage-style borders add drama and immediacy to the simple rhymes comprising the text. Although most of the story is told through the pictures, the poetic words manage to convey an enormous amount in the simple two lines that accompany each 2-page image: “These are the buses – a dime buys a ride/ but the people are sorted by color inside.” “These are the diners who sit and who wait/ at the “WHITES ONLY” counter, ignoring the hate.” “These are the marchers who forge through the street/ as they carry their message through shimmering heat.”

The authors state in an afterward that they are celebrating the power of nonviolent change: "…there is always room in our world for the kind of bravery that takes nonviolent action to create a better place. May this book be a testament to the courage of those who did and, above all, to peace.”

[Roshunda Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an information book, written through poetry in rhyme about, the inequalities during the Jim Crow era. The book covers the inequalities and take children through the battles and of the Civil Rights Era. The book finally gives children a glimpse of the modern day amenities we often take for granted daily. This book helps children to understand the struggles of our forefathers and the struggles we faced as a country. The book showed how hard work, non violence, and determination prevailed in the end. With this book children can have an opportunity to act out different scenarios that exist in the book. The students can be prompted to think critically on the issues of Civil Rights and how the oppressed my have felt. Students can be instructed to write a journal entry as if they where a participant one of the Civil Rights scenarios in this book. Though not a person of color the author show how Civil Rights affect people of all racial backgrounds. I like the way the illustrator included people of different racial background in the sit-ins.

[Shante' Polite]

Title: This is the Dream
Author: Diane Z. Shore
Publisher and Date: Amistad, 2009

This poem is fantastic. It not only displays proper use of rhyme it teaches a history lesson about what African Americans experienced the effects of the law "separate but equal". It also describes the stand they took against inequality. The United States of America was founded on the declaration that all men are created equal. But nearly two hundred years after that proclamation, America was still deeply segregated. Slowly but surely, powerful leaders as well as everyday citizens spoke up for their dreams and beliefs. Soon, a people proud and strong stood up as one for their rights, and a new America came to be.

Activity: This book could be used during a history lesson and it would definitely be on my classroom library and the children could compare how their lives are to the characters that are in the story.

[Dynasty Zayas]

This poem is fantastic. It not only displays proper use of rhyme it teaches a history lesson about what African Americans experienced the effects of the law "separate but equal". It also describes the stand they took against inequality. The United States of America was founded on the declaration that all men are created equal. But nearly two hundred years after that proclamation, America was still deeply segregated. Slowly but surely, powerful leaders as well as everyday citizens spoke up for their dreams and beliefs. Soon, a people proud and strong stood up as one for their rights, and a new America came to be.

Activity: This book could be used during a history lesson and it would definitely be on my classroom library and the children could compare how their lives are to the characters that are in the story.

[Kirsten · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel like I've finally found a good, educational book about the Civil Rights movement that is easy to read out loud and isn't too detailed for younger kids. The text rhymes, which makes it easy to read, and the illustrations are gorgeous. The only change I might make in the future would be to preface it with a quick mention to the kids that it's about the difference between then and now -- it starts out talking about seperate drinking fountains, etc., and although I'm fairly certain my kindergarteners have heard something about all this, I would want to emphasize the historical context a little. But overall, this went over SO much better than Angela Johnson's Sweet Smell of Roses, which I read a couple weeks ago, and which bored the heck out of my audience.

[Samantha Lindsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This poetry book is all about integration. The book starts by explaining how nothing is equal in the world around them. The water fountains, school, buses, libraries, and so much more. The pictures show how the colored people are so much more deprived of things than the white people. They get the short end of the stick. In the middle of the book, it talks about the people who are wanted to end segregation, like Martin Luther King, Jr. They want justice for all. After a lot of fighting by a lot of people segregation was finally made against the law.

In class, I would use this for Black History Month or MLK's birthday and do an activity to go along with it and try to discuss why it is important.

[Kaitlyn Tankersley]

This poem not only displays proper use of rhyme it teaches a history lesson about what African Americans experienced the effects of the law "separate but equal". It also describes the stand they took against inequality. The United States of America was founded on the declaration that all men are created equal. But nearly two hundred years after that proclamation, America was still deeply segregated. Slowly but surely, powerful leaders as well as everyday citizens spoke up for their dreams and beliefs. Soon, a people proud and strong stood up as one for their rights, and a new America came to be. This book could be used during a history lesson and it would definitely be on my classroom library and the children could compare how their lives are to the characters that are in the story.

[Carla Vazquez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book can read to children as young as kindergarden. The book catalogs the American experience before the civil rights movement. The book includes pictures from that time, which are located on the top of every page. This book is a good introduction to the civil rights movement. For young kids it will be simple to understand. The book begins with how things were back then. How everyone was separated because of their skin color. As the book progresses we see how things have changed for the better. This is a really good book for kids to read.

[Hanna Mammo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a short and brief over view of how far we have come as a nation beginning with days of segregation and hatred to now a free and equal society. This book highlights some of the big civil rights movement's protests and marches as well as some of the important leaders of that time. I would use this in the classroom as a way to merge social studies with writing. To me this book reads a lot like a poem, with simple rhyming sentences. I would use this as a reference for elements included in poetry for my students as well as a simple read book for my struggling or beginning readers.