4.18.2011

The Brothers Kennedy

John * Robert * Edward
 
This post is part of Nonfiction Monday

hosted today by The Cat and the Fiddle

 
Simon & Schuster 
Books for Young Readers
(pub. 1.26.2010)
40 pages
 
A True Tale with A Cherry On Top

A uthor: KATHLEEN KRULL

      and Illustrator : AMY JUNE BATES

C haracters:  John Kennedy, Robert Kennedy and Edward Kennedy
 
O verview from book flap: 
      "Three extraordinary men lived three extraordinary lives, but first they were just brothers. John, Robert, and Edward were raised with the belief that they could change things for the better, and one by one, they did just that.  Through tragedies and triumphs these men worked to right the wrongs they saw around them [and] they couldn't have done it without one another."

T antalizing taste:
      "In 2008 Edward's doctors warned him that he was too ill to travel. But back in the 1960s his brother Robert had predicted that a black president would be elected within forty years.  Edward was not going to miss seeing Barack Obama accept his presidential nomination.
      'For me this is a season of hope,' Edward said in his own speech that night. 'New hope for a justice and fair prosperity for the many, and not just for the few.'"
     ...Hope, compassion, and loyalty - the brothers Kennedy inspired these in one another.
     And so they have inspired others ever since."

and something more:   Kathleen Krull's terrific picture book biography, The Brothers Kennedy, weaves together the stories of the three brothers and explains the significant influence of their parents and extended family. The back matter of the book provides more information about their considerable contributions.  

      I had forgotten that President John Kennedy started the Peace Corps "as a way of bringing hope to the poorest countries in the world," and it "is still going strong after almost fifty years, with some two hundred thousand volunteers having served." I'm proud to add that my niece will soon be leaving for Nicaragua to serve in the Peace Corps.  As Robert Kennedy said, "Each time a man [or woman] stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope."

4 comments:

Catherine said...

Thanks for sharing. I hadn't heard about this bio. Sounds interesting. And I love Amy June Bates's work. She illustrated an easy reader series I wrote, and I'm a big fan.

Jeanne Walker Harvey said...

Hi Catherine, Thanks for sharing. I too like Amy June Bates' work, so I had to check out what she did for you. What a lovely cover for THE BEST FENCE PAINTER - Tom Sawyer Adventures -- she really captures the story.

Anonymous said...

Hey You!

Great meeting you & workshoping with you at Boyds Mills! I like your blog =)

--LiZ

Jeanne Walker Harvey said...

Hi Liz! What fun to hear from you! I enjoyed meeting and working with you too. And thanks for your nice note. Good luck with your project -- I'm sure we'll hear more about it!

Jeanne