Module 11: The Cart That Carried Martin

The Cart That Carried Martin

Book Summary:

The Cart That Carried Martin is a picture book about the day of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s funeral.  The story begins with an old cart that no one wanted which was for sell in front of a store.  Then, two men come along who want to purchase the cart, but decide to borrow it instead because the store is closed.  After all, they can “bring it back when he’s finished with it” (Bunting, 2013, p. 4).  The men and their friends then paint the cart green and take it to the Ebenezer Baptist Church where two mules were hitched to the cart waited.  After the funeral service, the mules moved through the crowded streets of Atlanta to carry the coffin to Morehouse College.  Once they arrived, the coffin was taken in for a second service.  The mules were taken back to the farm and the old cart was, as promised, taken back to the store that it was borrowed from.  However, the cart soon had many offers.  After all, it was the cart that carried Martin. 

 

APA Reference of Book:

Bunting, E. (2013). The cart that carried Martin. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge.

Impressions:

I was very excited to read this book because I am always looking for picture books to add to my classroom library that feature historical figures.  While I enjoyed the book overall, I was a little disappointed in the lack of historical facts.  There were, however, a few references made as to what Martin Luther King, Jr. did for our country as well as facts of where his funeral took place.  However, for the most part, the book focused on the old cart.  It was a sweet story and very appropriate to use in the younger grades.    

Professional Review:

Kirkus Reviews

An old, unwanted cart becomes part of Dr. Martin Luther King's funeral procession.

Two men borrow the cart from an antiques store and paint it green, the color of freshly watered grass. They take it to the Ebenezer Baptist Church and hitch two mules to it. Outside the church, crowds gather, while inside, the pews are filled with a weeping congregation. Slowly, the mules pull the cart carrying Dr. King's coffin through the streets of Atlanta to Morehouse College for a second service. The cart, its day's journey completed, is now part of the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site. Bunting uses simple declarative sentences to capture the sorrow of the day and the message that King's followers were intent upon proclaiming--his greatness came from humble beginnings. The mules, Belle and Ada, were a reminder that upon freedom, slaves were given forty acres and a mule. Tate's pencil-and-gouache artwork plays up the details of the cart and the two mules while depicting the crowds of mourners less distinctly. Adults looking for a title to share with young readers will find this helpful in imparting the emotions raised by King's assassination.

An affecting snapshot of a tragic day. (afterword) (Picture book. 4-7)

Source:

The cart that carried Martin [Review of the book The cart that carried Martin, by E. Bunting].

(2013). Kirkus Reviews, 37. Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/bookreviews/eve-bunting/cart-that-carried-martin/

Found through UNT’s Library Database- Book Review Digest Plus (H.W. Wilson)

Library Uses:

This book would be excellent to utilize during the month of January when discussing Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK) and his role in the civil rights movement.  In my opinion, the students will need to have some prior knowledge or, at the very least, know a little bit about MLK before reading this story.  Therefore, the librarian may consider reading another book to the class about MLK in a previous meeting or discuss/review before reading.  Afterwards, the librarian and students could discuss the crowds that showed up for MLK’s funeral as well as the impact that this iconic civil rights leader had on American history.  The librarian and students could then review MLK’s dream and his hope for this country.  After the discussion, the students could write their own “I have a dream…” speech to display within the library.  As an extension, the students could use Animoto to create short videos about their dreams.