Review: The Rabbi and the Reverend

 The Rabbi and the Reverend:

Joachim Prinz, Martin Luther King Jr., and Their Fight against Silence

by Audrey Ades, illustrated by Chiara Fedele

Kar-Ben (imprint of Lerner Publishing Group)

Category: Picture Book

Reviewer: Rachel Simon

 

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The Rabbi and The Reverend: Joachim Prinz, Martin Luther King Jr. and Their Fight Against Silence  tells the story of two men in their fight for civil rights in the 1960’s. Readers have the pleasure of getting to know a little backstory of King and Prinz’s lives before they met, as well as their interactions together. Prinz left Germany when things began to become difficult for Jews with the Nazis’ rise, and even talked about leaving before things got worse. The picture book is filled with strong illustrations that help enhance the text. The mood varies between hopeful and somber, portraying the struggles Prinz and King encountered as they fought against silence. Overall, The Rabbi and the Reverend is a great introduction to two real life figures that spoke up against injustice. There is back matter that will be helpful for a reader who will want to learn more about these two important figures in civil rights history. 

 

The Rabbi and The Reverend is well written, informative and engaging. It includes many Jewish values, such as tikkun olam, tzedek, and kehillah, which is why I think it should be possibly considered for the Sydney Taylor Book Award. 

 

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Reviewer Rachel Simon is a youth services library assistant at the Newton Free Library in Newton, MA. She is a member of the Sydney Taylor Manuscript Award committee, and has her Master’s in Library Science and Master’s in Children’s Literature from Simmons University.