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 herself feel better—and her beautiful voice made others feel better, too.

Joan sang songs about workers’ rights, civil rights, and the struggle for justice. She started in coffee shops and clubs, worked her way to singing at folk festivals and on New York stages, and eventually she sang next to Martin Luther King Jr. at the March on Washington, alongside César Chávez, and for the President of the United States.

Joan realized music could move people’s hearts, minds, and feet toward a path of justice and peace. And she used the gift of her beautiful voice to do just that."

Tantalizing taste:

"Joan's parents gave her a ukulele, and it changed her life forever. When Joan plucked on the strings and sang, she found her power...

Joan realized music could move people's hearts, minds, and feet toward a path of justice and peace. She decided to use the gift of her voice to do just that...

Joan sang with love, and her words rose high in the sky like stars, giving listeners the courage and light to fight for justice."

And something more: Monica Brown shared in the Author's Note: "Joan Baez knows that the work of making the world a better place is never finished. May she inspire all of us to lift our voices in support of a more just and peaceful world."