News & Reviews

Blues Boy

The B. B. King Story A TRUE TALE WITH A CHERRY ON TOP Greenwillow Books (HarperCollins) (pub. 1.27.2026) 40 pages Ages 4 - 8 Author: Alice Faye Duncan Illustrator: Carl Joe Williams Character: B.B. King Overview: "At twelve years old, Riley B. King borrowed fifteen dollars from his boss to buy a used guitar. Before long, he was playing his music for jubilant crowds all over the world. Blues Boy chronicles B. B. King’s inspiring journey from his childhood in the Jim Crow So

Jul 11

Singing Justice Singing Peace

The Story of Joan Baez A TRUE TALE WITH A CHERRY ON TOP Beach Lane Books (Simon & Schuster) (pub. 2.24.2026) 48 pages Ages 4 - 8 Author: Monica Brown Illustrator: Molly Mendoza Character: Joan Baez Overview: " From a young age, Joan Baez knew she wanted to make the world a better place. The daughter of immigrants from Mexico and Scotland, she learned values of compassion and advocacy from her parents. As Joan learned about people in need around the world, she sang to make

Jun 25

Like a Rainbow

The Colorful Story of Cyndi Lauper A TRUE TALE WITH A CHERRY ON TOP Atheneum Books for Young Readers {Simon & Schuster) (pub. 4.21.2026) 40 pages Ages 4 - 8 Authors: Amy Guglielmo and Jacqueline Tourville Illustrator: Brigette Barrager Character: Cyndi Lauper Overview: "Before Cyndi Lauper was the larger-than-life icon we know today, she was a boisterous little girl who had a hard time fitting in. But she knew she had something amazing to share with the world. She just ne

Jun 25

Copland

A Story About America A TRUE TALE WITH A C HERRY O N T OP Viking Books for Young Readers (Penguin Random House) (pub. 2.24.2026) 40 pages Ages 4-8 A uthor and Illustrator: Veronica Mang C haracter: Aaron Copland O verview : " Aaron Copland was born in Brooklyn in 1900 at the dawn of a new generation. In a community of immigrants, he had a front-row seat to the many ways that the United States was growing and changing. During this electrifying time, Aaron began making music a

Mar 26

Beatrice and the Nightingale

A TRUE TALE WITH A C HERRY O N T OP Margaret Quinlin Books ( Peachtree) pub. 2.10.2026 48 pages Ages 6 - 9 A uthor: Patricia Newman Illustrator: Isabelle Follath C haracter: Beatrice Harrison O verview : "' On May 19, 1924, a duet between a young cellist and a male nightingale was broadcast across the British Commonwealth as far away as Canada, India, and Australia to over one million listeners. It was an unprecedented collective experience made possible by the invention

Feb 10

That Swingin' Sound

The Musical Friendship of Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong A TRUE TALE WITH A C HERRY O N T OP Beach Lane Books (Simon & Schuster) (pub. 10.14.2025) 48 pages Ages 4 - 8 A uthor: Rekha S. Rajan Illustrator: Ken Daley C haracters: Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong O verview : " Ella Fitzgerald loved to dance. When little Ella heard jazz music, the music notes moved her legs as she twirled around New York City. Way down south, Louis Armstrong loved to sing. When jazz

Feb 5

Gabba Gabba We Accept You

The Wondrous Tale of Joey Ramone A TRUE TALE WITH A C HERRY O N T OP Drag City (Chicago) pub. 9.26.2025 51 pages Ages 4 - 8 A uthor: Jay Ruttenberg Illustrator: Lucinda Schreiber C haracter: Joey Ramone O verview : " Gabba Gabba We Accept You is a children's picture book that tells the story of how a kid who was bullied and felt like a misfit grew up to become a hero to so many as lead singer of The Ramones. This story speaks to one of the greatest silent majorities in t

Dec 8, 2025