Alex sat on a bench wondering why the mule got to eat collards in the field. Miz Pettway then began to explain to Alex why the mule got to eat the collards and why the mule was so important. During Martin Luther King Jr.'s speech, he told people to take the ferry and register to vote. When the people got to the ferry, it had been closed and they had to find another way around the river. The people used mules which carried them to register to vote. The mules were later used to pull Martin Luther King Jr.'s coffin during his funeral parade. Belle was one of them. The people in the story stood up for what they believed in and fought for their rights. I really like this story because it shows children what people had to go through to gain their rights and freedom. I did not realize that mules were used during this time to help. The illustrations are great and depict the time in which the story takes place really well. ( )

Awesome book about a historical mule! Belle was the mule that pulled Martin Luther King Jr.’s funeral wagon. I thought it was a very interesting story and something new for me! This would be great to read to a second grade class who are learning about the Civil Rights movement. ( )

The story, illustrations, and the historical note encourage a deeper look of the people of Gee’s bend and the struggle for the right to vote. I loved how they incorporated a mule in the story and how important this animal was. ( )

You can tell this story was set long ago from the General Store sign. The woman was telling the boy about something that happened even before their present time. The characters from her memory were wearing farm clothes and the sheriff was wearing a white suit. There were few cars and mule driven wagons. The boy was curious. Even though he wasn't sure about the old woman, he couldn't help but stay and listen to her story. The woman was patient and kind. She let her mule eat collards out of the garden in return for the mule's heroism. The mule had pulled the wagon that carried Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's coffin. The plot to me was that Alex was bored and had nothing to do, but with his curiosity of the mule that he saw eating out of the garden, he was able to experience the story of a woman's role in the civil rights movement. The story began and ended with the mule in the picture. ( )

This is a book all about Belle. Belle was one of the mules that pulled Martin Luther King Jr.'s coffin at his funeral. Mrs. Pettway tells Alex the story of how Martin Luther King Jr. had come to their small town and told them all about their rights, and they could stand up for what they deserved. The people in their small town were poor people, but they were also determined.They rode their mules to the next town over so they could register to vote, and them later on rode them all the way back to vote. The local white sheriff wanted nothing to do with them voting, so he tried everything he could to stop them. After Martin Luther King Jr. died, the people that worked with him remembered the dedication and will power the people of Gee's Bend had, and asked if they could bring 2 of their mules to walk his coffin down the street. This book is a great example of civil rights, and the determination African Americans had at the time to get what they deserved. This books all about Belle, and Belle is still praised for the hard work and dedication she had for her town, even if she is just a mule. ( )