March Book Three by John Lewis - ESSENTIAL

Lewis, John and Andrew Aydin March Book Three, art by Nate Powell, GRAPHIC NOVEL 246 pgs. IDW Publishing, 2016. $19.99. Language: PG13 (7 swears, 1 “f”) - note, there is a lot of use of the “n” word, and there may additional swearing in the supplementary dialogue;  Mature Content: G; Violence: PG13.  

In the third and final installment of this graphic novel autobiography, John Lewis, a key player in the Civil Rights movement tells the rest of the story, this time the struggle to secure voting rights for ALL Americans.   Beginning with the Birmingham church bombing in 1963 and culminating with the march from Selma to Montgomery, we witness the courage and commitment of these brave people as they demand the rights they were given nearly 100 years before.  

This is a hard series to read, it’s poignant, violent, and heartbreaking.  Each installment is an essential part of the story.  While the language and violence are difficult to read, both are necessary to give a complete account of what happened.  Anyone teaching about the Civil Rights movement should read this series and the books should be available for students to read as well.

 MS - ADVISABLE, HS - ESSENTIAL  Lisa Librarian