This picture book by Andrea Davis Pinkney uses the language of food and recipes as a novel technique to describe the Civil Rights movement and sit-ins.  Pinkney quotes from Martin Luther King, Jr., using large, colorful type to emphasize the importance of his words in the development of non-violent protests against segregation.

Pinkney gives a clear sense of the role that sit-ins played in the larger movement.  The book's illustrations work well to show how the movement spread.  Pinkney shows how change is possible without violence, even in the face of hatred and bigotry.  An especially clear message she gives -- "We are all leaders" -- is an important one for students to hear.

The foldout pages give readers a sense of the evolution of change, and the timeline makes that progression concrete.  The photos and author's note at the end emphasize that this book is not simply a story, but HISTORY -- true, important, revolutionary.

This book will incorporate nicely into my school's unit on the Civil Rights Movement that third, fourth, and fifth graders do.  It reminds me of Let Freedom Sing by Vanessa Newton, which discusses similar topics for younger children.