The Cart That Carried Martin

Gr 1–5—Eve Bunting's account (Charlesbridge, 2013) of the humble cart that carried Martin Luther King, Jr.'s casket, here becomes a read-along DVD. The treatment of Don Tate's artwork is the best thing about this presentation. Moving shots of the illustrations, rather than static ones, reflect the magnitude of the day's events and the size of the crowds along the funeral procession route. Beyond that, the book is not satisfactorily represented. The read-along text contains at least four spelling errors and one punctuation mistake. Sean Crisden's narration is also problematic. At first, it has a friendly, reassuring lilt, which might make the somber content more palatable for younger listeners. But as the book progresses, Crisden's voice becomes too upbeat in jarring contrast to the solemn text, especially the passage describing King's coffin and his spirit. Crisden varies his voice to a degree as different characters speak, but it's not always fitting. On the other hand, the muted sounds of church bells, wagon wheels, the mules' hooves, the singing of hymns, and the murmur of the crowd are effective accompaniments.—Alyson Low, Fayetteville Public Library, AR