FLORAL AND THE JAZZERS: Follow Your Dreams!

 Somehow this author/illustrator and her work flew under my radar until now. FLORA AND THE JAZZERS is a delightful twist/mashup of a Cinderella-style story. I'm a sucker for picture book characters who are well-rendered animals, especially rodents. In Flora's case, this ferret figure is ideal for the role and era portrayed. Flora Ferret is the creation of Astrid Sheckels. A quick click on her name will reveal her website. Allow a bit of time to explore there, since I found I was utterly enthralled with the worlds and characters she has shared in her art and books. After poking there I was ashamed to admit that not only was she new to me, her books also were. They are award-winning and utterly appealing, but ... somehow I've missed them all this time.

Waxwing Books, 2025

So, I'm grateful to FLORA for introducing me to an appealing story and an incredibly talented storyteller and artist. Spotlighting this title and its remarkable creator for anyone else who may have missed her work is a privilege I'm happy to assume.

Here's a short and quick look at this latest from Sheckels. 

Flora is a hard-working scullery maid in a swanky hotel. It serves a classic clientele of varied animals whose demeanor and style choices are evocative of the jazz era. Music is Flora's life, especially jazz.  She sings and hums and lives the melodies throughout her work day. When her favorite band, the Jazzers,  is booked at her hotel, she longs to eavesdrop and manage to see a concert for the first time in her life. But her step-mother-like boss insists music its NOT for the likes of a lowly maid. Early on we learn that nothing can keep her from the music that fills her heart, and when a robin sings or a tune reaches her she hums or sings along. This irrepressible impulse leads to a surprising opportunity. The transformation is a delight, and the illustrations could absorb hours in noting the various animal characters and their dress, expressions, and postures. 

The idea of someone going about their daily life while humming, singing, and tuning into ambient music in the world reminded me of my mother, who was born with a song in her heart. Flora's story does not have her seeking a palace in which to perform, but only to attend a concert, to give herself over to the full experience of superb musicians. Just one time in her life.  But her nature and talent lead to a surprise that is life-changing and very satisfying.

I was utterly enthralled, and if ever a book had a happy ending, this one does. Take a look!

LUCY SINGS ON LUCY STREET: It Shines!

HARPER, 2025

Inspired by a true story, LUCY SHINES ON LUCY STREET is written by Lawrence Roberts and Sally-Ann Roberts, with illustrations by Jestenia Southerland and an epilogue by Robin Roberts of GOOD MORNING AMERICA. With a team like this to support it, this new picture book doesn't really need my endorsement, but it has it! 

I sometimes request picture books of interest from publishers, which I then read as digital files or as physical books when provided by the publisher. I never promise a review of any kind, but only request those that hold great promise. In this case, a package arrived at my door unrequested, and it is a title that had missed my radar (despite that remarkable support team I mentioned). I'm happy it did, since this story is both entertaining and inspiring. 

The colorful but subtle art combine with the straightforward storytelling to take me back to a mid-twentieth century Akron, Ohio (1932, actually). It was a time and place in which kids ran through the neighborhood in happy packs, when the location allowed for integrated neighborhoods and wide acceptance of all. What it also provided was a sense of security and joy within the kid-crew despite the encroaching reality of the Great Depression.

 

Lucy looks up from a game to see that her home is being stripped of its time-payment furnishings, as other homes soon will be. Mother's reassurances that the family will be fine are received (by the characters and by readers) with less than full confidence. Lucy's grandparents live at the end of the block, another throwback image of stability in extended family life. There, Lucy finds comfort in grandpa Pastor George's hug, in the rhythm of the porch swing accompanying his familiar song: THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE...

"Singing is good medicine" is his advice, which extends to some foot-stomping fun that draws her neighbor friends to sing along. Reality, though, pulls Lucy back to reality when the song ends and the truck drives away with their furnishings inside. 

What follows is a series of scenes that reveal the power of sustaining hope and adjusting to new realities, to Lucy's effort to support her saddened parents, to the power of hope that echoes to other families through her singing, and ultimately to a wider, resilient neighborhood. The epilogue depicts Lucy as a young woman who is sharing her singing with a church class of children, and who then gets good news that will lead her into an even more secure future. 

There's much to recommend this seemingly simple story. It is a showcase of a specific time, place, and conditions. it retains a strong sense of family and strength despite the stark loss of the essentials of a safe home. It allows adults to be both vulnerable and stable resources. And it takes a widely familiar song, one that could seem childish/childlike and elevates it to the reality of its message. Letting our own lights glow, even in the worst of time, may do as much for those around us as for ourselves. Letting that glow grow, letting it rekindle the light in others, is profound. This lnew picture book celebrates that.

A Leader For All Time: Paul ROBESON: OUTSPOKEN

 Added bonus: Teaching Guide from Candlewick! CLICK HERE.

If the name PAUL ROBESON elicits a nod of recognition, you may be closer to my generation than to that of digital natives. A new picture book biography goes a long way to revealing a hero and icon who could inspire them to greatness on many fronts to upcoming generations. As I think of the life of PAUL ROBESON as it might have played out in a time of widely-shared information I can easily imagine countless schools, auditoriums, and other monuments to his greatness that would sustain him in public awareness for all generations, for all time.

Candlewick, 2024

OUTSPOKEN- PAUL ROBESON, Ahead of His Time: A one-man Show, is written by the incomparable Carole Boston Weatherford and illustrated by Eric Velasquez. Those who are familiar with even part of Robeson's life and career will appreciate this beautifully elaborated portrait of his remarkable life and accomplishments. Everything about this book is exceptional, including the quantity of text, the gloriously detailed and revealing illustrations, the lyrical quality of the first person narrative, and the sense of the immediate presence of Robeson on the page, despite his absence from our physical world since his death in 1976. This account makes clear that the impact of his life resonates even today, whether we know of him or not.

I am generally skeptical of using first person voice in biographic presentations. It is rare that direct quotes can sustain a full accounting in those attempts. Without that validation, assuming the "I" voice for someone else gives me pause. And yet...in Weatherford's capable and respected hands, I trust the approach entirely and feel it serves an immeasurable contribution in producing that sense of Robeson speaking directly to readers on the page. Her channeling of his voice makes this a book worth reading for adults, too.

This book is also unusual in its length (48 pages, including useful and informative back matter, timeline, etc.) large format, high word count, and inclusion of personal elements throughout Robeson's complex and accomplished life. Each stage of his life is explored through  free verse poems or prose, utilizing lyrics of songs, repeated phrases and themes, and lyrical language. Beginning with reflections on the heritage of his ancestry (resistance and intelligence, from his enslaved forerunners), carrying through his childhood and every phase of life, the poems and narrative are superb individually and as a compilation of life-story. Each poem across several pages includes majestic, informative images, full-page and spot illustrations, to provide readers with a sense of the time, place, and emotional drama of these Robeson-voiced depictions. The effects of text and illustration together are powerful and moving, with an undeniable reflection of the dignity of the man.

I'll admit my awareness of him was limited to his career as an incomparable singer, a man whose experiences with injustice and assault to his dignity led to living in Europe to experience a higher degree of equality than could be found in this country. Over the years, I learned more through studies of the Civil Rights Movement, Black History Month programs, and some PBS documentary coverage over the years. Even so, none of those scratched the surface of this man's complicated life and layered accomplishments. While I held a deep respect for the man I thought I knew, nothing prepared me for the miracle of this impressive treatment. Weatherford's and Velasquez's deep research and thoughtful structuring of the book and its total design allowed me to know and appreciate Robeson more fully. I believe the same will be true for readers across many ages, with late elementary through middle grade audiences as its target audience. 

The public and private treatment Robeson faced in this country (as was true for most non-white people) throughout his life limited the degree of his contemporary fame and success. Nevertheless, he lived his life and shared his talents, intellects and leadership. That's not to say that residual impacts of those discriminatory patterns have disappeared. I am left with a sense of loss of the ways in which his life might have further enriched all of us, cementing him within our culture for all time. This book is so thorough and powerful that I feel my hope restored, imagining that the life of Robeson will rise in public awareness and, just possibly, elevate him to the honors and cultural appreciation he deserves in the generations to come. His life is a legacy and deserves to be appreciated by all of us.

Thank you to the publishers for sharing a very helpful teaching guide to encourage use of this book in the classroom. Be sure to click and check it out!

Nonfiction Notable: A SONG FOR THE UNSUNG

I continue to read picture books extensively while enjoying the many beginning readers  and early chapter books I've been exploring for CYBILS AWARD consideration.  Some picture books are guaranteed to snag my attention due to the subject matter, the reliably high quality of the author and/or illustrator, and my own connections to prior readings and/or postings. This nonfiction biographic account of BAYARD RUSTIN is such a book on all strands of that appeal. 

Henry Holt & Company, 2023

A SONG FOR THE UNSUNG: BAYARD RUSTIN, the Man behind the 1963 March on Washington did not disappoint. This is written by multi-award-winning Carole Boston Weatherford and LGBTQIA advocate Rob Sanders, with impressively informative illustrations by Byron McCray. In an earlier post featuring another picture book focused on the 1963 March on Washington, here, I also featured a book aimed at older readers, one that profiled the largely unrecognized CIVIL RIGHTS leaded, Bayard Rustin. (That book is one of the sources cited in the bibliography for A SONG FOR THE UNSUNG.)

The title alone is brilliant, because it signals that Rustin was a talented and devoted singer for whom music played a central role throughout his life. The same can be said about the role of music in the Civil Rights Movement. Threaded throughout each double spread are scrolled lyrics from many different hymns/songs that reflect specific moments throughout his life and his role in the shaping of that movement. This includes the fact that Rustin's roots run deep in Quaker peace activism, including refusing to bear arms during WWII and his consequent imprisonment. 

The authors open on the eventful August day in 1963 with Rustin's perspective of the Washington mall, empty other than himself and a few reporters. His confident assertion that this unprecedented event would happen, would succeed, contrasts with the absence of evidence at that early morning moment. And yet Rustin, the organizer/coordinator behind the scenes, stood tall and sure. he had orchestrated every detail, from placement of portable potties to bus parking  to box lunches and the program itself. 

Each page turn that offers incredible details about his development of the strength and skill and talent that underpinned such confidence. As a relative "elder" in comparison to young Martin Luther King, Jr., his experiences with adherence to non-violent strategies for social change were rooted in studies with Gandhi and led to his later instruction and guidance for MLK,Jr. and the entire movement. 

An essential (and never denied or hidden) aspect of his identity is that he was a gay man. Thankfully, and despite immeasurable forces still attempting to discriminate against non-straight individuals and organizations, we have arrived at a time of greater openness and awareness that people are people and their sexual lives are not a matter of public concern. This was far from the case at the time of Rustin's life, making his willingness to be "out of the closet" another bold and honest example of his personal integrity. This fact, though, accounts for why so few folks know his name in comparison to others from those Civil Rights Movement years in the sixties. It was deemed necessary and advantageous to access Rustin's organization skills and network contacts to make a gathering of a quarter million people possible, yet leaders within the movement insisted that his public role should be minimal, fearing that his gay identity could undermine and detract from the greater goals. 

Very likely they were correct. Even so, it meant that Rustin's long history, credentials, and support of equal rights and social justice remained "appreciated" by insiders but "unsung" in the public accounts of this history-changing day and the entire movement surrounding it. There is no justice in that, at any level. Now, more than sixty years later, young people can access Rustin's life story through works for older readers but also through this gorgeous, dynamic, and lyrical account of a man who merits everyone's attention and admiration. 

I had some limited awareness of this remarkable figure in American history as a young person who viewed the march and speeches live on television, awed by the safe, civil, overwhelmingly effective gathering at our nation's capital at a time when few were willing to speak aloud the need for legal civil rights for all in a public venue. (My reflection on why CIVIL RIGHTS and the movement mean so much to me can be read an early post on that topic, HERE. Equality for all SHOULD connect with everyone, even a straight, white, privileged woman such as myself. And yet my connection to the subject matter runs deep, and I wish more folks would examine their own lives to see that success on behalf of the least protected among us elevates the quality of life for us all.)

I fear, though, that this very title will be among the extensive and absurd lists of books for kids that face censorship due to both aspects of his Rustin's life story: being Black and being gay. Please learn more about that misguided group that is comparatively small in numbers but powerful in political clout. Make it a point to read any books on the list for yourselves and then speak up for open access and rights to read! (For more on that topic, THIS LINK is from the American Library Association.)

March 31, but You Haven't Heard the Last of Women in History

 On these final two days of March I am reviewing nonfiction picture books about women in history- in the ARTS! Louise Borgeois was the subject of a post about rebel artists in the twentieth century in THIS POST, and AMY CHENEY BEACH is the subject of the picture book reviewed below. They are distinctly different books in writing and illustrations styles, even in intended audiences and purposes, and yet they are similar in an important way. Both celebrate women whose lives extended across many decades of unique and brilliant creativity and excellence in artistic fields. Certainly those who study visual art are highly informed about the art and impact of Bourgeois, and those who study classical music composition know the works of Amy Cheney Beach. Even so, neither is well known (if known at all) by the general public. WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH ebbs away with ongoing attention to famous women leaders, often in fields of science, technology,  mathematics, etc. Artistic leaders of their time matter as much or more to history and culture.. Please share their picture books and other resources all year long.

Calkins Creek, 2023
Astra Publishing

PITCH PERFECT AND PERSISTENT: The Musical Debut of Amy Cheney Beach is written by Caitlin DeLems and illustrated by Alison Jay. What do you call a one-year-old girl who hums, perfectly and on pitch, forty-four different familiar tunes? A two-year-old who confidently sings out an anthem from start to finish, every word accurate, every note on pitch?

A child who identifies notes and chords by color and emotion?

Most would call her a prodigy, a phenom, at least a  gifted child who should be nurtured and allowed to create.

Not Amy's mother.

Mrs. Cheney was a music teacher who's piano playing was the source of Amy's repertoire, but the family's strong religious beliefs required that no one, especially children, should call attention to themselves. Despite the safe and simple life depicted on the page, despite a sense that the mother's denial of access to a keyboard was from loving concern, despite illustrations with rounded figures and soft edges and tones, despite a charming rustic setting, my heart ached for Amy. Those soothing elements do allow readers to recognize that rules and restrictions of a social/cultural preset can be stifling, but are pointless against a child with a singing heart and soaring spirit. A double-page spread makes it clear how childlike and self-directed Amy was, with nursery rhyme characters dancing across musical bars that suggest the alternative melodies she imagined for those familiar tunes, swirling through her mind and voice like the swallows who dip and flow across the skies.

This deeply and thoroughly researched biography unfolds in chronological order but ascends and dips across Amy's life, revealing opportunities and accolades followed by denials and departures imposed by family and conventions. Eventually a compromise within marriage to an older man allows her a range of activity through which she can pursue her deepest love- musical composition.

The groundbreaking, startling devotion of her life, and source of her ultimate acclaim, was classical composition. That talent, skill, and art is challenging in any time or situation, but it was unheard of for a WOMAN to compose serious music. Amy's work, in fact, developed fully orchestrated symphonies and beyond. After her husband died she was left independent with the means to travel and control her own life. Her immeasurable talent expanded even further, including  travel, performances, and appearances, leading to world renown within the realm of music. 

I found Amy to be as compelling to read about as she was compelled to produce and create music. That's saying a lot. Back matter in these nonfiction picture book biographies is often impressive and informative. This is no exception, but is every bit as impressive in the author's acknowledgement of the many experts who advised or otherwise assured that this seemingly simple picture book rises to a level of scholarly resource, from the main text and from the bibliography provided.

The ability for anyone, but especially for girls and women, to develop and sustain a vision of themselves, their inner resources, and their unique perspectives beyond the moats and gates and walls of cultural norms is necessary and requires intentional effort. Books like this one,  and this one, elevate "out of the box" thinking and self-determination beyond role models to beacons of hope and guiding lights.

Stilll This Love Goes On: A Glorious and Timeless Picture Book

 No doubt you've heard the expression "a match made in heaven".  It's applied to any pairing in which the combination of two components, especially people,  is greater, more positive and powerful, than the sum of the parts. That's why this phrase continually ran through my mind as I enjoyed a remarkable new picture book. It combines uplifting and heart-tugging song lyrics written by Buffy Sainte-Marie with the evergreen talent of illustrator (and author/artist) Julie Flett. Both are Cree (Saint-Marie is Piapot-Cree Nation and Flett is Cree-Metis Nation). T he combination of their talents and identities elevates this lyrical, glorious picture book to a classic and timeless work of art.

GREYSTONE BOOKS, 2022

STILL THIS LOVE GOES ON is dedicated to those who have been adopted and to those who stepped up to "adopt back" indigenous children into Native families, providing them with a path to wholeness, moving forward into their futures. This dedicationis from Sainte-Marie, and Flett dedicated her contributions to the book to the loves of their lives: people, creatures, land, water, sky, and stars, both those who are missing and those who will be seen again. 

I've become a deeply devoted fan of picture books from Greystone Books for many reasons. Among them is the frequency with which Julie Flett  creates visual storytelling magic in many of their titles. I've reviewed several of her titles with this publisher, as author, illustrator, and both.Find those HERE, HERE, and HERE. I'm in awe of her use of colors, tones, shapes, and sweeping elements with edges that are somehow both defined and fluid. I also greatly admire her use of figures/features that are both evocative and authentic while suggesting universal truths and relationships among people and between elements of nature. 

In each of these I find myself appreciating the production choices for trim size, use of matte textural papers, powerful double-spread shifts in mood, time, and seasons, and the ways these approaches combine to draw not only the eye, but the heart, enticing us to linger, to imagine, to join the characters on the pages.

As for Buffy Sainte-Marie and her lyric writing, I've been a fan since as far back as the sixties. Her nearly hypnotic language patterns and rhythmic music captivated me then, sparking some of my earliest interests in causes that continued to lead my life choices for decades. She has lost not an iota of relevance or talent. In fact, her current and recent works are even more compelling than those early ones were, which is saying a lot! 

After that gushing but entirely sincere praise for these brilliant creators, the result of their efforts deserves the spotlight. STILL THIS LOVE GOES ON presents a line or or two of lyrics on each expansive spread, on which Flett's art explores specific and detailed references while expanding elements of each scene and plumbing the emotional themes of each of those lines. In the process, winter occupies double spreads, first in daylight and then during the night. Another page-turn shifts the characters to a memory of summer glory before returning to a snowy expanse. The lyrical refrain ("still this love goes on and on, still this love goes on") touches readers' hearts. Lines from the chorus after that reassuring line suggests sensory memories that anchor the characters in their present and root them in their heritage and culture (smell of sweetgrass, the sound of drums, the soar of singing, the sight of jingle dancers). Another verse suggests a young Native dancer visits, meets a love, and together they build their lives within that heritage and culture. The refrain resumes at each stage with a reassuring, almost lullaby effect, affirming that seasons, time, and other forces may work against it, but love is stronger, love goes on. 

Within each line the words and phrasing incorporate figurative language that can readily inspire other lyric writers and also serve as mentor text for craft development for young readers. 

The last pages provide sheet music with the lyrics and tune presented in simple G-clef bars that even budding musicians might attempt to play and sing along. Anyone wishing to hear it played and sung by Buffy Sainte-Marie can find that performance in THIS YOUTUBE clip.

I was fully absorbed by this remarkable book, despite approaching it with very high expectations. I hope you'll make any effort necessary to take a close look for yourselves and find others with whom you night share the experience. It is a picture book that sings to the eyes, the ears, and the heart.

ROAR-Chestra: A Wild Story of Musical Words

 I'll attempt to be as concise, graceful, and compelling in celebrating this new picture book as the author and illustrator were in creating it!

KIDS CAN PRESS, 2021

ROARchestra: A WILD STORY OF MUSICAL WORDS is written by Robert Heidbreder and illustrated by Dusan Petricic. Take a moment before reading on to examine this remarkable cover and venture a guess about what awaits your attention within these remarkable covers.

ROARchestra is a masterpiece that strikes exactly the right balance of text, illustration, and page design to produce humor, information, poetic joy, and visual delight. 

Heidbreder, I discovered, is a widely celebrated Canadian poet, especially for children, but this was my first encounter with his work. It won't be my last. The seemingly simple intention is sharing the seven most familiar musical performance directives, drawn from Italian:

ALLEGRO  (lively)

ADAGIO  (slowly)

GLISSANDO  (gliding)

STACCATO  (short, crisp)

DOLCE  (sweetly)

FORTISSIMO   (loudly)

PIANISSIMO   (quietly)

The (genius) premise is that the maestro/maestra has gathered an orchestra of bow-tied animals   who will perform/demonstrate each directive using their natural voices and habits. Again, examine that brilliant cover!  A pattern unfolds across fifteen double spreads, as follows: The conductor is alone on a white double spread, a single directive from the above list appears on a musical staff, and that baton sweeps demonstratively to suggest the intent of the word.The page turn is "performed" by the "section of the ROARchestra" (my quotes) suited to that interprestation with a single line of lyrical descriptive text- as in 

"Quickly, swiftly-- race, run fly!" (text quotes). 

Go ahead, imagine that. Then get this book and go wild! 

Kids will. 

I did.

I'm certain you will, too.

The endpapers and cover suggest the full-throated commitment of the illustrator to celebrate the joyful exuberance of this premise, of the 29-total word text, and of the imagined music that could accompany these talented animals of air, land, and sky.

Do yourself a favor and read it. Then think of everyone you know who could find even more layers of musical love, laughter, and inspiration in this remarkable book. Music teacher? Music student? Class or family planning for a visit to an orchestra, now that things are opening up again? I can guarantee that anyone who explores this book will never again view the back of a conductor and not recognize their remarkable skill and talent to guide and reveal the sections of the orchestra, the masterful intent of compositions, and the life-force of music itself.

 

THE SONG FOR EVERYONE: A Musical, Mystical Masterpiece

I'm a sucker for illustrations. 
The cover and the end papers for THE SONG FOR EVERYONE had me at the opening note, so to speak. Author/illustrator Lucy Morris has created a book that sings to me.

Waves of swirling, floating, interconnected, airy, floral details move across the pages like the sweep and lift of a conductor's baton. Rather than musical notes or more literal images, these delicately drawn and gently colored snippets combine to create the visual song that is, indeed, for everyone in a somber little village.

 
Without knowing its source, the music transforms the people of that town, one by one, story by story, Until the song suddenly stops. Sadness descends. But the people do not revert to their previous isolated lives. Instead, the awakening they experienced draws them together to restore the missing music. 
There is so much to love in the literal story, in both text and image. There is even more to appreciate when this is viewed as an analogy about the impact of music on individuals and even more so, on community.

Picture books are, by definition, stories told through visual narratives, exclusively or in combination with text. That sounds easy--  to people who haven't tried it. 

In fact, the text of a superb picture book is like the most literary poetry- not necessary rhymed or formally constrained, but text in which every single word is purposeful, effective, and sings.. 

Illustrations do NOT simply translate words into pictures. Instead, illustrations share the task of storytelling in every way, expanding and exploring and elevating quality text to even higher levels of excellence and meaning and emotion. THE SONG FOR EVERYONE does all that, and more.

As Covid 19 continues to isolate and inhibit our "before" lives, particularly during the approach of dark winter days and reshaped holidays, many are turning to music for comfort. That could include holiday or religious songs, learning new (or returning to prior) instruments, or even appreciating the sounds of migrating birds. Until gathering in groups to sing is again possible, as in places of prayer, neighborhood caroling, or concerts, letting music into your lives can be a balm to the spirit.

Three Biographies: Inspiring Performers!

A recent post profiled  the power of everyday people to change the world with a spotlight on biographies about FRED ROGERS (Mr. Rogers, of course) and TOD BOL (originator of LITTLE FREE LIBRARIES). In both cases, they drew on early intentions about doing good for others, about honoring the messages learned in youth, to generate ripple effects that continue beyond today. 

Whether starting from humble beginnings or nurtured from the earliest days, three remarkable creatives each made an impact that reverberates today.

Candlewick Press, 2019

Dipping back farthest in time (of these three titles) is a biography of perhaps the most iconic figure in cinematic history. SMILE: How Young Charlie Chaplin Taught the World to Laugh (and Cry) is written by Gary Golio and illustrated by the remarkable Ed Young. Two award-winning talents were paired and do justice to the heart-tugging and surprising early life of little Charlie, to reveal the necessity and the inspiration for Charlie to develop his timing, his talent, his theater awareness, and his comfort on the stage. 

When, as an adult,  he found himself exploring characters in the new media, silent film, he led with his heart. While directors called for "More funny!" he discovered that audiences would laugh harder if the character they saw on the flat, black and white screen could reach out and connect. And audience could care enough to cry, if the story and the actor worked their magic together. 

Chaplin was proud to transform apparently everyday folks into everyday heroes by revealing seeming weaknesses into strengths. He did so with a grace that is still imitated but remains unmatched. Check out clips and further details of Charlie Chaplin at the official CHAPLIN site, HERE. Back matter in this book leads to other helpful information. 

Just a bit further into the twentieth century, young Lester Paul was growing up in traditional Waukesha, Wisconsin. He raced into the music room at his school with the enthusiasm for music that stayed with him throughout his very long life. 

His music teacher was not as enthused about his various attempts at instruments and informed his mother that Lester was NOT musical. 
GUITAR GENIUS: How Les Paul Engineered the Electric Guitar and Rocked the World documents how wrong a teacher can be.

Like Fred, Tod, and Charlie, Lester had a mother who believed in him, who encouraged his inventions and schemes, even when they involved sawing a chunk out the staircase or disassembling electronic and other household items. That confidence and encouragement keep Lester pushing and prodding and learning and playing, even though he never learned to read music. His list of awards and honors as a performer, an innovator, an inventor, a collaborator, and more led to lifetime achievement accolades in multiple Halls of Fame and numerous patents for his inventions. The text by Kim Tomsic and illustrations by Brett Helquist vibrate with Paul's unstoppable drive and energy. Back matter is informative on several layers. 

My personal disappointment with this book is that there is no mention, even in the back matter, of Paul's creative musical partner and love of his adult life, his wife, Mary Ford. She collaborated in the development of many of his inventions and innovations, and together they were dubbed THE GOLDEN DUO. As should be the case, this picture book is focused on his childhood. But enough pages touch on his adult accomplishments that this feels like an unhappy omission.

Schwartz & Wade, 2019

Finally, you'll want to have a close look at ELVIS IS KING, written by Jonah Winter and illustrated by RED NOSE STUDIO. If any rocker took the power of Les Paul's electric guitar and ran with it, it would be ELVIS. Although his original beat-up accoustic guitar was beloved, and he performed with accoustics often, his drive to create a sound that had never before been heard never left him.

Winter's text is laid out in blocky chunks, moving readers from age to age, page to page, and stage to stage, pun intended. The neon cover lettering and carved-puppet-dimensional profile hint at interior scenes. Each dimensional, stop-action spread reinforces the staging that Elvis mastered early in his life- including when he used dye and wax to turn his blond hair into the iconic masterpiece it was throughout his career. 

This rags to riches story is far more than a tribute to determination and dreams. Elvis, like Chaplin and Paul, harnessed incredible talent to change the world. 

30 Years Triumphs Books, 2019

If these lives have you in a musical mood, you should pick up THE HISTORY OF ROCK for BIG FANS and LITTLE PUNKS, by Rita Nabais and Joanna Raimundo. With a blend of field guide style and comic book illustrations, brief bios of the best known and most influential rockers are presented in chronological order. Whether because global rock favors -speaking performers or because the book is intended for American audiences, representation of international bands is limited. 
Even so, the change-makers, innovators, and icons of rock music are within these pages. Simple sidebar details enhance the short  summary paragraphs. Back matter includes a glossary of rock terminology, both technical and cultural. There is plenty of appeal to lead BIG FANS AND LITTLE PUNKS to search for, explore, and discover performers and music that might otherwise fly under their radar. 

A Lifetime of Dreaming- in Thirty-Two Pages.

I'm the first to admit that I'm averse to labeling anything as "favorites". There are entirely too many wonderful things in the world to start ranking one better than the next. When it comes to books I often find something of value in a title whether it suits my personal taste or not. If I can't say something positive about a book, I refrain from saying anything at all. 
I'll admit, though, that I approach certain "types" of picture books with a wary eye and anticipate disappointment. 
A case in point: picture books in which a child character grows to adulthood (and some mature insights or convenient answers) within those few colorful pages. 
I'm popping in for this short post to recommend a recent release that takes on the challenge of aging a character without losing real story excellence and comes out a winner. 

Harcourt Brace and Company, January, 2015

And that winner is: A VIOLIN FOR ELVA, by Mary Lyn Ray, illustrated by Tricia Tusa.
The synopsis from Indiebound says: 

"A young girl longs to play the violin in this lyrical story that shows it's never too late to pursue your dream. More than anything, Elva wants a violin--but her parents say no. So she pretends. When she should be brushing her teeth, Elva rehearses for recitals. When she should be learning subtraction or going to sleep, she imagines playing all the music in the world. The years pass, but Elva never forgets her childhood wish, and so one day she takes a deep breath and follows her heart . . ."

Here's what I had to say about it on GOODREADS:

This is the rarest of rare picture books- one that features a child growing into adulthood yet retaining appeal and eliciting empathy from even the youngest child. Elva's yearnings for music, and for learning/playing the violin in particular, are a metaphor for any unfulfilled personal passion. What might have been a maudlin or adult-centric "don't wait too late" life lesson is told with graceful prose, rhythmic repetitions, and a strong sense of seasons and time (think a kid-friendly version of "Turn-Turn-Turn"). That text combines perfectly with illustrator Tricia Tusa's childlike take on adulthood, including simple-lined identifiable facial expressions, body postures, and winning details. When Elva is finally making music on a double page spread, her feet, in white anklets, come right out of her Mary Jane shoes in an ecstasy of ageless bliss. Readers of any age will celebrate her dream-come-true moment.