Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me 'Round
By Kathlyn Kirkwood
Middle Grade Non-fiction Memoir of Civil Rights/20th Century American History
Harper Collins/Versify, January 4, 2022; 128 pages
Subrights Info
- Translation rights available via Harper Collins/Versify
- UK/ANZ rights available via Harper Collins/Versify
- Film/TV rights available via New Leaf
- Merchandising and commercial rights available via New Leaf
This brilliant memoir-in-verse tells the moving story of how a nation learned to celebrate a hero. Through years of protests and petition, Kathlyn’s story highlights the foot soldiers who fought to make Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday a national holiday. Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me ’Round is a deeply moving middle grade memoir about what it means to be an everyday activist and foot solider for racial justice, as Kathlyn recounts how, drawn to activism from childhood, she went from attending protests as a teenager to fighting for Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday to become a national holiday as an adult. A blueprint for kids starting down their own paths to civic awareness, it shows life beyond protests and details the sustained time, passion, and energy it takes to turn an idea into a law.
Deftly weaving together monumental historical events with a heartfelt coming-of-age story and in-depth information on law making, Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me ’Round is the perfect engaging example of how history can help inform the present.
Reviews
“This brilliant memoir-in-verse tells the moving story of how a nation learned to celebrate a hero. Through years of protests and petition, Kathlyn’s story highlights the foot soldiers who fought to make Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday a national holiday.”
“This beautifully written memoir-in-verse is both a history lesson and a personal activism journey. The verses are a great avenue to tell the history of MLK day in a way that’s easy to understand.“
Awards and Accolades
- Finalist for Russell Freedman Award 2022
- Included as a featured title in Harper’s READ BLACK flagship digital promotion campaign to promote reading non-fiction from Black authors that celebrates the Black experience that ran the month of May 2022.
This book might appeal to fans of Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Phillip Hoose, Turning 15 on the Road to Freedom: My Story of the 1965 Selma Voting Rights March by Lynda Blackmon Lowery, and The Crossover by Kwame Alexander.
If you are a rights buyer or a reviewer and wish to access the pdf, email me.
Author Bio
Born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee, Kathlyn J Kirkwood is the author of Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me ‘Round: the Story of an Everyday Activist and the Making of the Martin Luther King Holiday. A retired college professor, Kathlyn focuses on writing for children and volunteering with under-priveleged 3rd and 4th grade students in the Nashville area. She has developed several innovative workshops that use trade books to help young people learn about the world beyond their immediate surroundings, and to inspire them with a love of reading. Visit Kathlyn at http://kathlynjkirkwood.com.
Other Titles Forthcoming!
