Women Who Broke The Rules: Coretta Scott King

This fascinating woman's influential and morally consistent life is recounted in elegant detail for young readers. Many kids may not be aware of some of the lesser-known incidents of the civil rights movement and its ties to feminism, pacifism, and antipoverty activism. Krull makes it clear that Coretta always boldly charted her own path, sometimes even to the disapproval of Dr. King and the people around him, who held traditional notions of a woman's role.

Not content to stand on the sidelines while her husband led, Coretta was deeply involved in organizing, marching, fundraising, and eventually carrying on the message in her husband's absence, all while raising a family and maintaining a successful career in music. Krull makes clear how Coretta's commitment to social progress and nonviolence and her recognition of the important role she and her family had to play in the struggle for equality for all -- including the poor, the dispossessed, and the LGBT community -- made her a towering figure in American history, an exemplary role model for women of color, and an essential character in the story of the civil rights era. Laura Freeman's appealing color illustrations help move the story along and keep young readers engaged.