Research indicates that history-based curricula--specifically textbooks and trade books--about Dr. King and the Civil Rights Movement (CRM) are problematic and limited. If race relations are arguably America's long, unsettled tension, then Dr. King was one of its most impactful figures. Using the relevant historical research as a framework and the theoretical concepts of Master Narratives, anti-racism, and non-racism, the authors explored how trade books depict Dr. King's experiences and accomplishments. Qualitative content analysis research methods were used to answer two questions. First, how do non-fiction trade books historically represent Dr. King? Second, how does the grade level of the intended reader impact the books' historical representations? The grade ranges of Primary (K-2), Intermediate (3-5), and Middle Level (6-8) were used to provide distinction for students' disparate schemas and classroom experiences. The randomly selected data sample included only non-fiction trade books centering on Dr. King. When viewed cumulatively, trade books constructed a simplistic, sanitized narrative about a man who challenged social segregation, faced resistance from government, and was celebrated after death with near-unanimity. Most books about Dr. King engaged in fable-making. Most were non-racist--as opposed to anti-racist--as they relegated Dr. King and his legacy to the turbulent 1960s, even though it is rooted in slavery a century prior and reverberations emerge today. While Dr. King was a decidedly exceptional citizen worthy of special distinction, all the books can be viewed as constructing a Master Narrative about Dr. King. This does not mean the books should not be used in the classroom. Teachers, though, should be aware of what is included, how it is included, and what is omitted in order to plan purposefully.