Nina: Jazz Legend and Civil Rights Activist Book Review
Today I am kicking off the 5th Annual Multicultural Children’s Book Day with this stunning picture-book biography: Nina: Jazz Legend and Civil Rights Activist by Alice Briere-Haquet and Illustrated by Bruno Liance. This is the story of one of the greatest voices of the 20th century and the high priestess of soul, Nina Simone.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions, as always, are my own.
Nina Simone: Jazz Legend and Civil Rights Activist
In this dreamy black and white illustrated book, Nina is singing a lullaby to her daughter. Like most parents, Nina sings made up songs. This particular lullaby is the story of her life. Through her song, Nina recounts the trials and tribulations that she refused to allow to break her down. You will find this extraordinary book is perfect for teaching children about the power of a dream.
Nina Learns to Fight Back in the Face of Injustice
The lullaby starts like stories often do, with a baby wrapped in a sheet and a mother smiling down at her. The journey begins as Simone starts piano lessons at age 3. Music offers Simone an escape because “Music has no color. In music, there is only rhythm. Only one heart.”
“Music has no color. In music, there is only rhythm. Only one heart.” #ninasimone #readyourworld Share on X
As she learned to play music by Mozart, Chopin, and Beethoven, we see her grapple with the “important men in powdered wigs from past centuries” are all White.
Text Copyright © 2015 by Alice Briere-Haquet. Illustrations © 2015 by Bruno Liance. Used with permission by Charlesbridge Publishing, Inc.
The black and white keys are used as a metaphor. White keys are whole notes. Black keys are half notes. And that is how she felt as a young black girl who dared to dream.
When 12-year-old Simone gives a church performance, her mother was asked to give up her seat for a White attendee. With all eyes on her, she refuses to play until her mother is reseated in the front row. This marked the future of her activism throughout her life.
Text Copyright © 2015 by Alice Briere-Haquet. Illustrations © 2015 by Bruno Liance. Used with permission by Charlesbridge Publishing, Inc.
Nina’s Fragile Dream Becomes Reality
Nina recalls Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream as her symphony. Her fragile dream is written on her protest sign which reads “Young, Gifted, and Black.” Those of you who know Ninas’s music will love this humorous nod to her future song.
Young, gifted, and black! Read more about Nina Simone: Jazz Legend and Civil Rights Activist. #readyourworld Share on X
This universally relatable story of a mother singing a bedtime lullaby will evoke a myriad of emotions for readers. Nina and her life’s work have played a critical role in jazz music. Her legend lives on through this poignant and incredibly beautiful book.
Buy the Book on Amazon | Shop your local indie bookstore | CharlesBridge Publishing
Top Female Authors who Write About Diverse Females
I recently did an interview with top female authors who write about diverse females, Consequently, we learned that having diverse females represented in mainstream children’s books is crucial. Both for raising empowered and self-confident girls, as well as children who are culturally competent.
I believe “diverse books” are not a niche, disclaimer, or word to use in front of the title. I am committed to working tirelessly until “diverse books” like Nina: Jazz Legend and Civil Rights Activist are just “books”.
But until then… It is time once again for the best literacy event of the year, the 5th annual Multicultural Children’s Book Day.
Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2018
I am over the moon excited to partner with them as well as share their amazing resources. The Multicultural Children’s Book Day (MCBD) mission aligns closely with mine. They too seek to teach children reading skills and strategies with diverse and multicultural books.
Their non-profit organization has reached millions of people around the world. They have ensured thousands of books have made it into the hands that need them most. This project is run by a team of volunteers who are children’s book activists like myself and simply seek to make a better world one reader, and one book at a time.
Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2017 (1/27/18) is in its 5th year and was founded by Valarie Budayr from Jump Into A Book and Mia Wenjen from PragmaticMom. Our mission is to raise awareness of the ongoing need to include kids’ books that celebrate diversity in home and school bookshelves while also working diligently to get more of these types of books into the hands of young readers, parents, and educators.
Join @MCChildsBookDay and our sponsors @charlesbridge to stock your bookshelves! #kidlit #readyourworld Share on X
Current Sponsors for MCBD 2018
2018 MCBD Medallion Sponsors
HONORARY: Children’s Book Council, Junior Library Guild
PLATINUM: Scholastic Book Clubs
GOLD: Audrey Press, Candlewick Press, Loving Lion Books, Second Story Press, Star Bright Books, Worldwide Buddies
SILVER: Capstone Publishing, Author Charlotte Riggle, Child’s Play USA, KidLit TV, Pack-n-Go Girls, Plum Street Press
BRONZE: Barefoot Books, Carole P. Roman, Charlesbridge Publishing, Dr. Crystal Bowe, Gokul! World, Green Kids Club, Gwen Jackson, Jacqueline Woodson, Juan J. Guerra, Language Lizard, Lee & Low Books, RhymeTime Storybooks, Sanya Whittaker Gragg, TimTimTom Books, WaterBrook & Multnomah, Wisdom Tales Press
2018 Author Sponsors
Honorary Author Sponsors: Author/Illustrator Aram Kim and Author/Illustrator Juana Medina
Author Janet Balletta, Author Susan Bernardo, Author Carmen Bernier-Grand, Author Tasheba Berry-McLaren and Space2Launch, Bollywood Groove Books, Author Anne Broyles, Author Kathleen Burkinshaw, Author Eugenia Chu, Author Lesa Cline-Ransome, Author Medeia Cohan and Shade 7 Publishing
Desi Babies, Author Dani Dixon and Tumble Creek Press, Author Judy Dodge Cummings, Author D.G. Driver, Author Nicole Fenner and Sister Girl Publishing, Debbi Michiko Florence, Author Josh Funk, Author Maria Gianferrari, Author Daphnie Glenn, Globe Smart Kids, Author Kimberly Gordon Biddle, Author Quentin Holmes, Author Esther Iverem, Jennifer Joseph: Alphabet Oddities
The Author Sponsor Palooza Continues
Author Kizzie Jones, Author Faith L Justice , Author P.J. LaRue and MysticPrincesses.com, Author Karen Leggett Abouraya, Author Sylvia Liu, Author Sherri Maret, Author Melissa Martin Ph.D., Author Lesli Mitchell, Pinky Mukhi and We Are One, Author Miranda Paul, Author Carlotta Penn, Real Dads Read, Greg Ransom
Author Sandra L. Richards, RealMVPKids Author Andrea Scott, Alva Sachs and Three Wishes Publishing, Shelly Bean the Sports Queen, Author Sarah Stevenson, Author Gayle H. Swift Author Elsa Takaoka, Author Christine Taylor-Butler, Nicholette Thomas and MFL Publishing Author Andrea Y. Wang, Author Jane Whittingham Author Natasha Yim
We’d like to also give a shout-out to MCBD’s impressive Co-Host Team. Not only host the book review link-up on celebration day, but they work tirelessly to spread the word of this event. View our CoHosts HERE.
TWITTER PARTY Sponsored by Scholastic
Sponsored by Scholastic Book Clubs:
MCBD’s super-popular (and crazy-fun) annual Twitter Party will be held 1/27/18 at 9:00 pm EST.
Join the conversation and win one of the 15-5 book bundles and one Grand Prize Book Bundle (12 books) that will be given away at the party!
Join @MCChildsBookDay at 9pm on 1/27 for a chance to win 1 of 15 HUGE book bundles! #bookgiveaway #readyourworld Share on X
More Freebies
Free Multicultural Books for Teachers
Free Empathy Classroom Kit for Homeschoolers, Organizations, Librarians, and Educators
Hashtag: Don’t forget to connect with us on social media and be sure and look for/use our official hashtag #ReadYourWorld.
Share Your Reviews Below with Multicultural Children’s Book Day
Tips for Reading with Kids
Join the Biracial Bookworms tribe and you will get our FREE printable Top 10 Tips for Reading with Babies, Toddlers, and Pre-Schoolers. You will learn the best strategies for parents and teachers to read to young kids. It's up to you to make reading fun and memorable and the love for books life long, but we're here to equip you to do it.
02/01/2018 @ 8:52 pm
the illustrations are amazing — and it seems like such an inspiring story!
02/01/2018 @ 9:16 pm
The black and white illustrations were a genius decision. It is a book worthy of its subject for sure!??
01/21/2018 @ 7:45 pm
Thanks for sharing this book! I think it will fit perfectly with the unit I’ll be teaching in March. I also connected with MCBD, which I’d never heard of before, and am looking forward to joining them this Saturday on Twitter!
01/21/2018 @ 7:52 pm
Ariel, that is phenomenal! Be sure to grab your teacher friends to invite them as well! So so many books to giveaway! Thank you so much for your support and be sure to let me know how you like Nina!!