Preaching to the Chickens

Starred review from October 1, 2016

Gr 2-5-Luminous artwork and stirring text shed light on the childhood of one of America's most respected civil rights leaders. Young John Lewis found his calling early in life, tenderly caring for the many chickens on the family farm and emulating his church's ministers by preaching to the attentive hens: "'Blessed are the peacemakers, ' he'd say when [the chickens] fought over their morning meal. 'Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, ' he would tell a hen who didn't want to share, 'for they shall be satisfied.'" The future Freedom Rider and U.S. congressman would even baptize newly hatched chicks. When a local businessman stopped by the farm to make a trade for one of Lewis's hens, the bighearted boy sagely figured out a way to make a transaction without handing over one of his beloved chickens. Lewis's strong faith and his deep connection to his family and community shine through in Asim's straightforward text and illustrator E.B. Lewis's full-page, light-dappled watercolors. An author's note briefly discusses Lewis's leadership in the March on Washington and other key events of the civil rights movement and explains that Asim based the story on Lewis's own recollections. VERDICT A quietly powerful and joyful look at the childhood of a living legend and a superb introduction to studying heroes of the civil rights era.-Kiera Parrott, School Library Journal

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from July 15, 2016
A glimpse into the childhood whimsy of an important African-American congressman who has become famous for his words.Long before John Lewis spoke to thousands during the civil rights movement, he honed his elocution skills by preaching to his 60 farmyard chickens. Knowing each one by name and habits, John protected his chickens from those who wanted to trade for them, rescued them when they fell into the well, and even once brought a nearly drowned chick back to life. Bringing a message of peace when the chickens bickered over food, John earned the nickname "Preacher" from his siblings. Illustrator Lewis' signature watercolors paint a lively picture of John Lewis' life growing up on a farm with a close and hardworking Christian family. The liveliness of the chickens as well as John's concern and care for them shine in the light-dappled images. Given the seriousness of what Lewis faced on the march from Selma to Montgomery and the gravity of the issues he has dealt with throughout his career, this joy-inducing back story reveals an entertaining facet to the congressman's life that young readers will appreciate. After absorbing this must-read bit of personal history about John Lewis, young readers will never see this serious-faced congressman in quite the same way.(Picture book/biography. 5-8)

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October 15, 2016
Grades K-3 Before he became a congressman of Georgia, leader of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, Freedom Rider, and civil rights activist, John Lewis was a farm boy who loved spring and his flock of chickens. This picture-book biography recalls those early days when young John, inspired by the faith and camaraderie he felt at church, practiced instilling messages of gratitude, peace, and cooperation among his private congregation of chickens. Although the concept may appear comical at first glance, this book is wonderfully sincere. Asim and Lewis' words and images convey their respect and admiration for John Lewis, and readers will feel the same way. A tender narrative, paired with watercolors filled with light and movement, captures the heat of a Georgia day and the unmistakable bond John formed with his feathery followers. Young readers will appreciate the gentle messages about the importance of hard work, persistence, and patience that lay the foundations for John Lewis' activism as an adult, which is detailed in a final author's note.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)

Starred review from August 15, 2016
Asim (Fifty Cents and a Dream) draws on an anecdote from congressman John Lewis’s 1998 memoir, Walking with the Wind, as he recounts the story of the future civil rights activist tending to a flock of chickens, both physically and—in a way—spiritually. On the Alabama farm of his childhood, Lewis was in charge of the chickens; inspired by church ministers, Lewis would preach to the birds, which “swayed to the rhythm of his voice.” E.B. Lewis (The First Step) stages the scenes under the bright springtime light of Alabama mornings, giving a full sense of John Lewis’s world, from the dusty henhouse to the sturdy wooden pews of his family’s church, while always emphasizing the tender care he devoted to the chickens. It’s a moving portrait of the power of small actions and “learn to speak up for those who can’t speak for themselves.” Ages 5–8. Author’s agent: Joy Harris, Joy Harris Literary.