This month we’re partnering with Penguin Random House for our October book recommendations. Our October theme is Music to My Ears, so we’re highlighting three books that give children a glimpse into the lives of famous singers.
Each book selection reveals stories of triumph, cultural appreciation, and overcoming and will give your child a behind-the-scenes look at what it feels like to be a star on the rise.
This month we’ve also included ISBN details and princing information so you can purchase it from the bookstore of your choice. To learn more about each book, double click the cover art to be taken to the Penguin Random House website. And as a special treat, you can listen to snippets of the book below as well.
About Penguin Random House
Penguin Random House is the international home to more than 300 editorially and creatively independent publishing imprints. Their mission is to ignite a universal passion for reading by creating books for everyone. They believe that books, and the stories and ideas they hold, have the unique capacity to connect us, change us, and carry us toward a better future for generations to come.
Their dedicated team of publishing professionals is committed to helping authors realize their very best work and to finding innovative new ways of bringing stories and ideas to audiences worldwide. By leveraging their global reach, embracing new technologies, and collaborating with authors at every stage of the publishing process—from editorial and design, to sales and marketing, to production and distribution—they aim to provide them with the greatest platform possible. At the same time, they fiercely protect their authors’ intellectual property and champion freedom of expression, ensuring that their voices carry beyond the page and into the folds of communities and societies around the globe.
Sing with Me
by Diana Lopez
An exuberant picture book celebrating the life and legacy of Selena Quintanilla, beloved Queen of Tejano music.
From a very early age, young Selena knew how to connect with people and bring them together with music. Sing with Me follows Selena’s rise to stardom, from front-lining her family’s band at rodeos and quinceañeras to performing in front of tens of thousands at the Houston Astrodome. Young readers will be empowered by Selena’s dedication–learning Spanish as a teenager, designing her own clothes, and traveling around the country with her family–sharing her pride in her Mexican-American roots and her love of music and fashion with the world.
Extra Details:
Hardcover | $17.99
Published by Dial Books
Jul 20, 2021 | 32 Pages | 8-1/2 x 11 | 4-8 years | ISBN 9780593110959
My Voice is a Trumpet
From rising country star Jimmie Allen comes a lyrical celebration of the many types of voices that can effect change.
From voices tall as a tree, to voices small as a bee, all it takes is confidence and a belief in the goodness of others to change the world. Coming at a time when issues of social justice are at the forefront of our society, this is the perfect book to teach children in and out of the classroom that they’re not too young to express what they believe in and that all voices are valuable.
The perfect companion for little readers going back to school!
Extra Details:
Hardcover | $17.99
Published by Flamingo Books
Jul 13, 2021 | 32 Pages | 9-1/4 x 9-1/2 | 3-7 years | ISBN 9780593352182
Nina : A Story of Nina Simone
by Traci Todd
This illuminating and defining picture book biography illustrated by Caldecott Honoree Christian Robinson, tells the story of little Eunice who grew up to become the acclaimed singer Nina Simone and her bold, defiant, and exultant legacy.
Born Eunice Kathleen Waymon in small-town North Carolina, Nina Simone was a musical child. She sang before she talked and learned to play piano at a very young age. With the support of her family and community, she received music lessons that introduced her to classical composers like Bach who remained with her and influenced her music throughout her life. She loved the way his music began softly and then tumbled to thunder, like her mother’s preaching, and in much the same way as her career. During her first performances under the name of Nina Simone her voice was rich and sweet but as the Civil Rights Movement gained steam, Nina’s voice soon became a thunderous roar as she raised her voice in powerful protest in the fight against racial inequality and discrimination.
Extra Details:
Hardcover | $18.99
Published by G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
Sep 28, 2021 | 56 Pages | 8-1/2 x 10-1/2 | 4-8 years | ISBN 9781524737283
