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Dancing hands: how Teresa Carreño played the piano for President Lincoln
By Margarita Engle. 2019
As a little girl, Teresa Carreño loved to let her hands dance across the beautiful keys of the piano. If…
she felt sad, music cheered her up, and when she was happy, the piano helped her share that joy. Soon she was writing her own songs and performing in grand cathedrals. Then a revolution in Venezuela forced her family to flee to the United States. Teresa felt lonely in this unfamiliar place, where few of the people she met spoke Spanish. Worst of all, there was fighting in her new home, too-the Civil War. Still, Teresa kept playing, and soon she grew famous as the talented Piano Girl who could play anything from a folk song to a sonata-so famous, in fact, that President Abraham Lincoln wanted her to play at the White House! Yet with the country torn apart by war, could Teresa's music bring comfort to those who needed it most?When I get older: the story behind Wavin' flag
By Rudy Gutierrez, K'Naan, Sol Guy. 2012
Somali-Canadian poet, singer, and songwriter K’naan tells his story. Born in Somalia, he grew up in Mogadishu. When the Somali…
Civil War began in 1991, K’naan was just thirteen. His mother made the difficult decision to move her family so that they could grow up in safety. First in New York and then in Toronto, K’naan faced many challenges. Like many other immigrants, he had to make a place for himself in a world of alien customs, clothes, and language. His road was a hard one: he lost many friends to violence. But K’naan’s love of music, and his enormous talent, became a way for him to connect with his past, with his classmates, and eventually to millions of people around the world. Grades K-3. 2012.Henri's scissors
By Jeanette Winter. 2013
In a small weaving town in France, a young boy named Henri-Emile Matisse drew pictures everywhere, and when he grew…
up, he moved to Paris and became a famous artist who created paintings that were adored around the world. But late in life, a serious illness confined him to a wheelchair, and amazingly, it was from there that he created some of his most beloved works—enormous and breathtaking paper cutouts. Grades K-3. 2013.Say a little prayer
By Tonya Bolden, Dionne Warwick, David Freeman Wooley, Soud. 2008
American icon and international superstar Dionne Warwick presents an inspiring and entertaining children's picture book that encourages kids to find…
their best talent in life and embrace it. "Little D" is ambling through childhood like any other little kid - enjoying her family and neighbours, her pet dog, her hobbies, and school - when one day she discovers that she has a special talent. In her first-ever singing performance in front of an audience, Little D brings the house down! And she discovers, with her grandfather's encouragement, that everyone has a special talent and it's up to each person to find it, embrace it, perfect it, and enjoy it! Grades K-3. 2008.The man who made parks: the story of parkbuilder Frederick Law Olmsted
By Frieda Wishinsky, Song Nan Zhang. 2009
When the great cities of North America were being developed, there was little thought to creating "green spaces." Frederick Law…
Olmsted combined his childhood love for nature with the structured beauty of the great parks of London and Paris to turn a neglected, swampy area into one of the most acclaimed parks in North America: Central Park in New York City. Grades K-3 and older readers. 2009.Ella Fitzgerald: the tale of a vocal virtuosa
By Andrea Davis Pinkney, J. Brian Pinkney. 2002
Ella Fitzgerald began her life as a singer on the stage of the famous Apollo Theatre when she was just…
seventeen years old, an unknown orphan in Harlem. Her rich voice and vocal innovations brought her fame, fortune, and a remarkable career that spanned over half a century and won her generations of fans around the world. Grades K-3 and older readers. 2002.Between the lines: how Ernie Barnes went from the football field to the art gallery
By Bryan Collier, Sandra Neil Wallace. 2018
Recounts the life of reluctant NFL player Ernie Barnes, who followed his dreams after growing up in the segregated South…
and became one of the most influential artists of his generation--known for his unique style of elongation and movement. For grades 2-4. 2018The golden thread: a song for Pete Seeger
By Colin Meloy, Nikki McClure. 2018
When angels sing: the story of rock legend Carlos Santana
By Michael James Mahin, Jose Ramirez. 2018
Chronicles the life and accomplishments of rock legend Carlos Santana, who created a unique sound that fused American blues, rock,…
and jazz traditions with the sound of Latin American and African music. For grades K-3. 2018Sister, brother, family: An american childhood in music
By Willie Nelson. 2021
The first ever children's book by music legend Willie Nelson and his sister and bandmate Bobbie Nelson! "We had so…
little money, but so much love." He was a boy with a guitar. She was a girl with a piano. Raised by loving grandparents in Depression-era rural Texas, their humble beginnings playing local shows to put food on the table started Willie and Bobbie Nelson on a remarkable path to global stardom. In a story filled with details of a childhood in rural Texas—with church socials, general stores, and town dances—Willie and Bobbie weave together an inspiring story of a long-ago time. With triumphs and tragedies, hard work and determination, here is a deeply personal, gorgeously-written, and profoundly moving tale of hopeNina: A story of nina simone
By Traci N. Todd. 2021
This illuminating and defining picture book biography, adapted for audio, 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 discriminationHello, crochet friends!: making art, being mindful, giving back : do what makes you happy
By Jennifer Larson, Jonah Larson, Erin Harris. 2019
Young, gifted artist Jonah Larson discusses his adoption from Ethiopia and his challenges in a Wisconsin school. He and his…
mom recount how crocheting came into his life, calmed his hyper mind, and became a source of joy and fame for him. For grades 2-4. 2019Paper son: the inspiring story of Tyrus Wong, immigrant and artist
By Chris Sasaki, Julie Leung. 2019
Elvis is King!
By Jonah Winter, Red Nose Studio. 2019
Presents the life and legacy of Elvis Presley. Raised by his parents in impoverished conditions in Tupelo Mississippi, shy Elvis…
inspired others with his music and later became a cultural icon known as the "King of Rock and Roll. For grades K-3. 2019By and by: Charles Albert Tindley, the father of gospel music
By Carole Boston Weatherford, Bryan Collier. 2020
Short, lyrical biography of Charles Tindley, a preacher and gospel music composer. Born free, young Tindley toiled in the fields…
and educated himself by reading newspapers. Years later, a composer of dozens of hymnals, his music legacy inspired the civil rights anthem, "We Shall Overcome. For grades 2-4. 2020The music of life: Bartolomeo Cristofori and the invention of the piano
By Marjorie Priceman, Elizabeth Rusch. 2017
The legendary Miss Lena Horne
By Carole Boston Weatherford, Elizabeth Zunon. 2017
Profiles the life of the actress and civil rights activist Lena Horne. Describes her early years living with her mother…
on the road and with her grandmother in Brooklyn. Highlights her artistic achievements as she paved the way as an African American actress and singer. For grades 2-4. 2017Radiant child: the story of young artist Jean-Michel Basquiat
By Javaka Steptoe. 2016
Biography of the artist Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960-1988). Highlights his unique, collage-style paintings and discusses his childhood in Brooklyn, where tragedy…
struck. Jean-Michel persevered and continued to create neo-Expressionist pieces to become a highly successful artist. For grades K-3. 2016Trombone Shorty
By Bryan Collier, Troy Andrews. 2015
Autobiography of music prodigy Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews, who was leading his own band by age six. Today this Grammy-nominated…
artist headlines the legendary New Orleans Jazz Fest. Coretta Scott King Award. For grades K-3 and older readers. 2015Ada's violin: the story of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay
By Sally Wern Comport, Susan Hood. 2016
Recounts the story of Ada's dream to play music in Cateura, a small town built on a landfill in Paraguay.…
Favio Chávez, an engineer and musician, recycled garbage into musical instruments and taught the kids to play, eventually earning global recognition. For grades K-3. 2016